There are many approaches to building and maintaining fitness, and each person seems to lend preference to a particular approach. Finding the right exercise to reach your goals means understanding your capabilities, what you want to achieve, and which type of exercises will enable you to get the best results. Personal trainers understand the importance of a bespoke approach that meets the abilities and goals of their clients, and by adopting the same understanding, you could make your workout routines all the more effective.
But doing so requires you to have an understanding of what fitness is, what it incorporates, and which approaches to working out offer the best results in that regard. So let’s take a closer look.
Understanding the Definition of ‘Fit’
The actual definition of ‘fit’ is a fairly broad one, which makes it easy to see why people may disagree or differ on what they believe it means. At face value, it simply means being in good health as a result of regular physical exercise.
Though how does that account for the difference in fitness between a person who walks around the block once or twice a week, and a person who is able to complete a triathlon?
Clearly these two definitions of being fit are worlds apart, with the latter probably considering the former as anything but in good shape.
Fitness, when looked at in a professional capacity, means a lot more than simply doing regular exercise.
It’s about pushing the body ever further with regards to performance and capability. It’s about understanding that fitness is not a goal to be achieved, but a state that can constantly be improved upon through hard, consistent work.
The quality of life improvements, raised energy levels, balanced lifestyle and stabilised moods that all come alongside being fit, may also be included in the definition.
Still, fitness means different things to different people, and even those that push themselves with each workout will have different fitness goals in mind. So let’s break down the different types of fitness into their respective components.
The Four Types of Fitness
Endurance
Endurance fitness relates directly to the heart and respiratory system; but is also concerned with stamina with regards to muscle performance.
This type of fitness is generally associated with aerobics and endurance training that elevates the heart-rate, gets the blood flowing and shortens your breath.
Endurance fitness is the type that is generally associated with being fit, since it allows you to constantly push harder and also has a positive impact on your ability to perform other types of workouts.
Exercises associated with building endurance fall under the cardio category, and include running, jogging and walking or HIIT routines.
Strength
Strength represents a type of fitness that targets the mass and capacity of muscles; but is not necessarily in-line with endurance and stamina.
This type of fitness enhances the body’s capacity for resistance, particularly where the need for strength comes in.
It is generally fostered through consistent resistant training routines such as weight lifting, using a theraband to create resistance and even using your own body-weight.
Balance
The concept of balance is not often associated with fitness (outside of the professional realm) which is a mistaken way of thinking about it. Balance is a crucial part of almost all human movements, whether you are running on a track or simply walking through a mall.
As our bodies age, balance becomes an important part of staying in good health as it works to stabilise the body, prevent falls and allows you to make the best use of your body’s energy systems.
Exercises that are associated with building balance in the human body include certain martial arts, yoga and Pilates, or any exercises that leverage your own body-weight and position.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an important form of fitness for a number of reasons, and this applies to athletes as well as those who don’t spend much time being active.
Flexibility facilitates better movements, helps to avoid certain injuries, increases balance and endurance and brings forth an overall improvement in quality of life, whether that applies to everyday activities or workout schedules.
Exercises that increase flexibility include regular stretching, yoga, dancing and bodyweight exercises.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Depending on your fitness goals, the approach that you take to getting fit will differ. You may favour resistance training over endurance and flexibility, or might strive to find a balance between all of them. In any case, understanding what you want to get out of a routines is a crucial first step towards designing one that meets those needs.
If you would like to know more about learning about the professional world of fitness, and how you can not only get the most out of it, but help others to do so as well, be sure to get into contact with a representative from the Trifocus Fitness Academy today, or visit our website for further information on our online fitness courses.