The different elements of fitness

Where do you stand?
One of the environment where I teach Yoga Tune Up® for few years is local health club.Anytime I walk in to do my own practice (which is combination of strength training along with specific Yoga Tune Up® exercises to help me embody every joint, tissue and cell in my body),I get apprehensive of seeing other folks perform their exercise routine. Just one eye of randomly selected chap in the weight lifting section exposes lack of awareness in their own constitution.Many of these guys just does not seem to be getting the results they crave for and often end up being injured.

How about all the back muscles pulling and eyes bulging that
comes as a ‘’NATURAL BY-PRODUCT’’ of trying to perform your biceps curl?Or all the arching of the upper body and collapsing of the chest when you are engaged in lat pull? The agony of this situation is, that many of these guys just does not seem to be getting the results they crave for and often end up injured.

On the other hand there is the core group of people, that
seem to spend their entire hour on a treadmill, bike and stepper. Many of these guys approach the machines without proper warm up or few minutes of cooling down. Some of them tend to tear their body apart by constantly using more and more of their power to exceed longer stakes and some pursue their treadmill time by watching new episode of Two and Half Men.

 
Missing Link
One of the misconceptions in the world of fitness is that a person gets in shape by just playing or taking part in his/her chosen sport, activity or practice. If a stationary level of performance, consistent ability in executing a few limited skills is your goal, then engaging only in your sport will keep you there. However, if you want the utmost efficiency, consistent improvement, and balanced abilities we need to approach our bodies as living, breathing and pulsating mechanism and participate in year round conditioning programs.

 
The Elements of Fitness
Different people understand and perceive meaning of the word ‘FITNESS’ distinctively. Where one person can totally crave for losing few extra pounds,another person main objective is to increase strength and power while for certain people fitness can be a gateway to enhance their overall health and maintain strong immune system.
Here is a list of main components of fitness:
a) Strength- muscles ability to contract against given resistance (lifting heavy load)                          
b) Agility-repetition of explosive movements based on power performed quickly (lateral running,also known as ‘’zigzag running’’)
c) Power-ability to contract muscles quickly and in an explosive manner (sprint run)
d) Flexibility-muscles competence of being lengthened repeatedly without injury or any damage
e) Cardiovascular endurance- heart’s capacity to draw blood into working muscles and their capability to use the blood sufficiently (marathon running)
f) Strength endurance-muscle’s resourcefulness to perform maximum contraction time after time (carrying 70lbs dumbbells for a mile)
g) Coordination-to create an action that harmonizes muscular movement
h) Balance-the potential to control and steady body’s position (performing headstand)
i) Longevity-ability to have a great duration of life while maintaining healthy body

 
Whenever I speak to someone about fitness, we often discuss what exercise they practice do and how it serves them in their every day lives.

So here is a question of the week-

WHAT ELEMENT OF FITNESS IS VITAL FOR YOU?
Write your answers by posting a comment below. I will look forward reading your input and make sure to watch out for next week entry blog where I will further explain how all elements of fitness play a vital role in our overall  well-being.

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