6th Grade

6th Grade Focus - The Five Components of Health Related Fitness

What does it mean to be physically "fit?" According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, physical fitness is defined as "a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity." In other words, it is more than just being able to run a long distance or lift a lot of weight at the gym. Overall fitness is made up of five main components:

• Cardiorespiratory endurance
• Muscular strength
• Muscular endurance
• Body composition
• Flexibility

In order to assess your level of fitness, look at all five components together.

What is "cardiovascular endurance?"

Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability of the body's circulatory and respiratory systems to supply fuel during sustained physical activity (USDHHS, 1996 as adapted from Corbin & Lindsey, 1994). To improve your cardio-respiratory endurance, try activities that keep your heart rate elevated at a safe level for a sustained length of time such as walking, swimming, or bicycling. The activity you choose does not have to be strenuous to improve your cardio-respiratory endurance. Start slowly with an activity you enjoy, and gradually work up to a more intense pace.

What is "muscular strength?"

Muscular strength is the ability of the muscle to exert force during an activity. The key to making your muscles stronger is working them against resistance, whether in the form of weights or gravity. If you want to gain muscle strength, try exercises such as lifting weights or rapidly taking the stairs.

What is "muscular endurance?"

Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscle to continue to perform without fatigue. To improve your muscular endurance, try cardiovascular activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling, or dancing and body weight exercises like the ones we do during our warm-ups for PE!

What is "body composition?"

In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone, water and muscle in human bodies. Because muscular tissue takes up less space in our body than fat tissue, our body composition, as well as our weight, determines leanness.

What is "flexibility?"

Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint (USDHHS, 1996 as adapted from Wilmore & Costill, 1994). Good flexibility in the joints can help prevent injuries through all stages of life. If you want to improve your flexibility, try activities that lengthen the muscles such as swimming or a basic stretching program.

References

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; 1996. https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/m0042984/m0042984.asp