Module 1: Introduction to Exercise-Based Fitness Activities

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1) Exemplify the concepts of exercise-based fitness activities;
2) differentiate the major classification of exercise; and
3) justify the needs for exercise-based fitness activities.

Overview

Inactivity is reaching "crisis

proportions" as the result of a highly
technological society that makes it convenient to
remain sedentary.

Being physically active is one of the key

ways to take care of your health, along with diet, sleep, mental health, and social and lifestyle
habits—physical activity fosters normal growth and development and can make people feel better,
function better, sleep better, and reduce the risk of a large number of chronic diseases.

Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for

everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or current fitness
level. Individuals with a chronic disease or a disability benefit from
regular physical activity, as do women who are pregnant. The
scientific evidence continues to build—physical activity is linked
with even more positive health outcomes than we previously
thought. And, even better, benefits can start accumulating with small
amounts of, and immediately after doing, physical activity (Physical
Activity Guidelines for Americans, n.d.).

Exercise-Based Fitness Activities?

The term "exercise" has been used interchangeably with "physical activity", and, in fact,
both have a number of common elements. For example, both physical activity and exercise involve
any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that expends energy, are measured by
kilocalories ranging continuously from low to high, and are positively correlated with physical
fitness as the intensity, duration, and frequency of movements increase. Exercise, however, is not
synonymous with physical activity; it is a subcategory of physical activity.

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 Physical Activity vs. Exercise:
What's the Difference?

Physical activity (PA) covers any kind of deliberate bodily/muscle movement that uses energy.
It includes:

Structured or in any form exercise like sports, a gym session

or going for a run;
Some of your daily life tasks—household: doing active
chores around the house, yard work, walking the dog; or
Occupational, leisure time activities, or any other movement
you do during your day.

The term, physical activity, does not require or imply any specific aspect or quality of
movement. The term encompasses all types, intensities, and domains.

Exercise is a structured program of activity geared toward

achieving or maintaining physical fitness.

It is actually a sub-category of physical activity.

Exercise is physical activity that is planned,
structured, repetitive, and purposive.
Goal related and designed in the sense that
improvement or maintenance of one or more
components of physical fitness.

Thus, exercised-based fitness activities are “more structured” and “goal related” activities
that mainly focus on exercises geared towards achieving and maintaining physical fitness that
except daily life activities or any other movement you do during your day.

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How about Sports?

Sports is a form of physical activity or game. It is,

above all, organized competitive activity. We cannot think
of sport without thinking of competition, for without the
competition, sport becomes simply play or recreation. Play
can at times be sport, but strictly speaking, sport is never
simple play; traditionally, the competitive aspect is essential
to the nature of sport.

Organized: activity has been refined and

formalized to some degree; through some definite
form or process involved.
Rules: whether they are written or not, are involved in this form of activity, and these
rules or procedures cannot be changed during the competition, though new ones may
involve from one episode to the next.

Module 2: Major Classification of Exercise

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1) Identify the two major classifications of exercise;
2) discuss and differentiate its nature; and
3) recognize its benefits and vitality.

There are different types of exercise, and they’re often categorized based on the kind of
movement they involve and how intensely you do them. Each type brings its own health benefits,
and it’s important to try to include them all in your weekly routine.

Does it speed up your heart rate or your breathing? Are particular muscles or muscle groups
burning? Does it involve stretching or balancing? These are all clues as to what type of exercise
you’re doing.

1. Cardiovascular Fitness Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise or “cardio”, also known as aerobic exercise includes any activities
that increases your breathing and heart rate, sweating and overall blood flow. Everyone can benefit
from this type of movement, regardless of their age or physical abilities.

Why Cardiovascular is so important?

Your cardiovascular fitness, also called your cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), says a lot
about your health and the potential for health outcomes. Simply put, CRF measures how well your
body takes in oxygen and delivers it to your muscles and organs during prolonged periods of times.

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 In general, arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood back to the heart.
The cardiovascular system delivers oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other important substances
to cells and organs in the body. It plays an important role in helping the body meet the demands
of activity, exercises and stress.

“Aerobic” simply means “in the presence of oxygen.” Aerobic refers to those types of
exercises that require oxygen to burn fat stores for energy. Aerobic exercise uses the same large
muscle groups, rhythmically, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes or longer while maintaining 60-80%
of your maximum heart rate. Others call it also as “Cardiorespiratory Exercise.”

What are the Benefits of Cardiovascular

Exercise?

Improves mood and reduces stress.

Strengthens your heart and helps
your blood vessels work well.
Strengthens your bones, muscles and
joints.
Helps reduce heart disease risk and
lower or manage blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Helps manage your weight, which also lowers your risk of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes
and some types of cancer.
Boosts energy levels.
Helps you sleep better.
Helps lower your risk of Demetia (gradual loss of brain function) later in life.

Cardio exercises can be grouped into low, moderate, or vigorous intensity, based on how
much they increase your breathing and heart rate. One way to test an activity’s intensity level is to
do the talk test. Whether you can sing or talk during the activity can give you clues about how hard
you are exercising.

a) Low Intensity Activities (“If you can talk and sing during an activity, you’re exercising
at a low intensity”)

While great for any age or fitness level, low intensity exercises can be particularly
beneficial for beginners, older adults, people with joint pain, or those recovering from injury.
These types of activities can still benefit your health and may help you stick with your physical
activity goals.

Examples:
 Leisurely/casual walking
 Light swimming
 Bicycling (less than 5 mph)
 Stretching
 Dancing Slowly
 Light yard and house work.

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 b) Moderate Intensity Activities (“Moderate intensity activities get your heart pumping.
During these activities, you should be able to talk but not sing”)

Most adults and children can benefit from moderate intensity activities because many of
the health benefits of aerobic exercise begin in this range. Older adults or those with a history of
health conditions should talk to their doctor about an appropriate intensity level for them.

Examples:
 Light bicycling
 Swimming laps for 20 minutes
 Running or jogging for 1 and half miles in 15 minutes
 Water aerobics for 30 minutes
 Brisk walking
 Badminton or tennis doubles
 Volleyball for 45 minutes

c) Vigorous Intensity Activities (“If you’re out of breath and can only string a few words
together at a time, you’re in the vigorous intensity range”)

Some people prefer this level of physical activity, as it brings

the same health benefits in less time. However, if you are new to
exercise or if you have any health complications, you may want to
speak to your doctor before attempting any vigorous activity.

Examples:
 Running at a fast pace
 Fast cycling
 Jumping Jacks
 Swimming laps
 Aerobic dancing
 Sports like basketball, soccer, or tennis singles
 Jumping rope
 Doing heavy yard work, such as prolonged digging or
shoveling

 Moderate exercise heart rate intensity: 50% to about 70% of your maximum heart rate.
Vigorous intensity: 70% to about 85% of your maximum heart rate.
 Note: While everyone can benefit from aerobic activity, it’s important to start at the right
level for you and gradually increase the intensity as your fitness improves.

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 2. Muscular Fitness Exercise

Muscle-strenghtening activities improve the strenght, power, and endurance fo your

muscles. Strenght training (also known as weight or resistance exercise) increases muscles stregth
by making muscles work against a weight or force. The use of resistance toto muscular contraction
buils strength, anerobic endurance, and size of the skeletal muscles.
Strenght vs. muscular endurance?
While muscular strenght amd muscular endurance are similar in same ways, they have
some key differences.
Muscular strength is determined by how much force you can exert or how much weight
you can lift. Building msucular strength uses heavier weights for fewer period of time. Examples
of exercises that develop muscular strenght and power include resistance training, such as
weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, and resistance band exericises. Running, cycling, and
climbing hills/back packing are also opionals.
While, muscular endurance refers to the ability of a muscle to sustain repeated
contractions against resistanance for an extended period of time. Activities that build endurance
include long-distance runnibg, cycling, or swimming, squats, push-ups, or jumping jacks, along
with circuit trainingand bodyweight exercises.

What are the Benefits of Muscular Fitness Exercises?

Injury prevention: Having more stability, balance, and flexibility with stronger muscles
and bones help you avoid injury and falls less likely.
Enhanced performance of everyday tasks: Strong body allows you to perform
movements and activities that require power without getting tired.
Weight management: It can help maintain a healthy weight by increasing your
metabolism, burning calories, and enhancing your body composition, which is the ratio
between fats and lean muscles.
Improved self-esteem: It can boost your self-confidence and improve your body weight
image.
Improve mood: It can improve your mood by increasing endorphins.
Improve brain performance: It can help preserve muscle mass and strength, which can
postively impact brain performance.
Improve bone health: It can increase bone density and strength, and reduce the risk of
osteoporosis. This helpp develop goodposture and relieve back pain.

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 To build muscular strength, size, and power, do exercises and activities that make you
work your muscles harder than the normal. This is called overload, and strengthens the muscles.
It help maintain muscle and bone mass and are an important
part of healthy aging. Women in particular can benefit from
strengthening activities, as bone and muscle loss
are common during and after menopause.
Strengthening exercises can be done with or without
equipment, in a gym, or at home. It includes free weights,
weight machines, resistance bands, and your own body weight.
There are many different activities that can help strengthen your
muscles, so choose which work for you and your lifestyle.

Some examples include:

 squats
 push-ups or sit-ups
 planks
 weights lifting
 working with resistance bands
 doing some forms of yoga
 running, cycling, and climbing hills are options also.

 Note: Just as with aerobic exercises, make sure to start at a comfortable level and slowly
increase the amount you do. Pregnant women, older adults, and those with health
conditions should discuss which strengthening activities are most appropriate with their
doctor.

What is the best type of cardio or strength exercise?

 The best type of is any exercise you enjoy and will continue to do!
 Select an activity that matches your personal preferences and health and fitness status.
 Consider previous injuries.
 In principle, the best exercise has a positive effect on the heart and improves the
musculoskeletal system. The American Heart Association and the American College of
Sports Medicine both recommend combining aerobic exercise (jogging, swimming,
biking) with resistance training (moderate weightlifting).

How much exercise should you do?

 If you are starting out, you may improve your stamina with just 15 minutes of
cardiovascular exercise.
 Most studies show that cardiovascular training requires a minimum of 30 minutes, 3 times
a week to guarantee increased aerobics capacity in about 8 to 12 weeks.
 Aerobic training 3 to 5 days per week will improve your cardiovascular fitness.

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  Performing high impact activity more than 5 days a week causes an increased risk of
injury.
 If you’d like to exercise 5 to 6 times a week, pick 2 or activities that uses different
muscles and movements.
 The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at
least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise each week.
 That’s the equivalent of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. And you can even split those
30 minutes into shorter amounts — say, three 10-minute sessions — if you prefer.
 Another option is to do at least 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise each
week.
 As well as cardio, you should aim to do strengthening activities at least twice a week.
 For beginners, they need to train 2 to 3 times per week to gain the maximum benefit.
 For older adults, it’s important to include multicomponent physical activity each week,
which combines balance exercises with cardio and strength training.

Note:

 While these recommendations can be a great goal

to work toward, remember that any movement is
better than none at all. Start at the right level for
you and gradually increase the amount of activity
you do as your fitness improves.
 You should also pick activities you enjoy. If you
dread working out in a gym, go on a nature hike
or exercise at home. If running isn’t your thing,
try swimming or joining a dance class.
 Choosing activities that work for you and your lifestyle can help to make physical
activity a sustainable and enjoyable part of your everyday life.
 Another important way to improve your overall health is by eating the right foods for
your unique metabolism.

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