Chapter 2 - General Principles of Exercise for Health and Fitness Flashcards
What are the components of health-related physical fitness?
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Muscular strength
Muscular endurance
Flexibility
Body Composition
How can you increase fitness?
The more you exercise, and the greater variety of activities you do, the more fit you will be.
What is the Overload Principle?
To improve physical fitness, the major exercise-related organ systems of the body (i.e. the muscular and cardiorespiratory systems) must be stressed.
ex. For a skeletal muscle to increase in strength, the muscle must work against a heavier load than normal.
How can we achieve overload?
Increasing the intensity of exercise or increasing the time of exercise.
What is the Principle of Progression?
An extension of the overload principle in which overload is increased gradually during the course of a physical fitness program.
The overload in a training program should be increased slowly during…
after this period, it can be increased at…. during…
the first 1-6 weeks of the exercise program. After this period, it can be increased at a steady and progressive rate during the next 6-20 weeks of training.
What happens if you progress too quickly or slowly when using the principle of progression?
Too slowly will show delay improvement in physical fitness
Too quickly will lead to a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
What is a safe rate of progression during an exercise training program?
The Ten Percent Rule
What is the ten percent rule?
This rule says that training intensity or duration of exercise should be increased by no more than 10% per week.
Ex. runner running 20 min. a day could increase the daily exercise duration to 22 min. per day the following week.
How many Americans get enough physical activity to meet the guidelines established by the U.S. Government?
Fewer than 21%
What is the Principle of Specificity?
Exercise training effect is specific to those muscles involved in the activity.
This also applies to the type of adaptations that occur in the muscle. (i.e. muscular strength vs. muscular endurance)
Ex. If you perform leg curls, you wouldn’t expect your upper arms to benefit, and likewise, your bicep curls aren’t going to condition your leg muscles.
The Principle of Specificity shows that…
it is important to exercise all muscles of the body so that those muscles engaged in the exercise will benefit from training.
What is a maintenance program?
When you reach a desired level of fitness and you choose to maintain that new fitness level with regular exercise.
What is the Principle of Recuperation?
Overloading your muscles means stressing them, so they need a period of rest before the next workout.
During the recovery period, the exercised muscles adapt to the exercise stress by increasing endurance or becoming stronger (usually 24 hours or more).
What is an important principle associated with a successful exercise program?
Consistency.
- Schedule exercise sessions at convenient times of the day
- Create a schedule of fitness activities that includes several options for cardiorespiratory, strength, and flexibility training
- Exercise with friends when possible (physical and social wellness)
- Develop a backup plan for days when you are less motivated.
Among people who start an exercise program, how many will quit?
50% will drop out within 6 months.
What is Overtraining? What can it lead to?
Failure to get enough rest between exercise training sessions results in a fatigue syndrome known as overtraining.
This can lead to chronic fatigue, increased risk of infection, and injuries.
Symptoms can include sore and stiff muscles or a feeling of general fatigue - workout hangover
What is workout hangover?
When there is a feeling of general fatigue the morning after an exercise training session.
What is the Principle of Reversibility?
This is the loss of fitness due to inactivity.
Although rest in-between training sessions is appropriate, inconsistency will undo the physical fitness.
How quickly is fitness lost after training has stopped?
Depends on the component of physical fitness you are considering.
Endurance is lost significantly quicker than strength.
Stats on strength and endurance fitness after training has stopped
8 weeks after strength training has stopped, only 10% of muscular strength is lost.
8 weeks after endurance training is stopped, 30%-40% of muscular endurance is lost.
Five key principles to know in exercise training.
Overload Principle
Principle of Progression
Ten Percent Rule
Principle of Specificity
Principle of Recuperation
Principle of Reversibility
Exercise Prescription
The perfect amount of exercise for each individual is different in order to promote physical fitness. They are tailored to meet the needs of the individual.
This includes fitness goals, a mode of exercise, a warm-up, a primary conditioning period, and a cool-down.
What is the first step in designing your exercise program?
Establishing fitness goals
What is a warm-up?
A brief 5-15 minute period of exercise that precedes a workout and is usually low-intensity. It includes whole-body exercises like the ones that you do during your workout.
It helps to elevate muscle temperature and increase blood flow to muscles that will be involved in the workout.
What is the FITT principle?
Frequency (number of training sessions): 3-7 times/week
Intensity (how hard is each exercise)
Time (how long each training session): 20-30 min. minimum
Type (of exercise)
What is the intensity of exercise
The amount of physiological stress or overload placed on the body during exercise
How does heart rate correlate with intensity of exercise?
As you spend more energy on exercise, your heart rate increases, which can help be a measure of workout intensity
How is flexibility improved? How do we find its intensity?
By stretching muscles and tendons beyond their normal lengths. Intensity of stretching is monitored by the degree of tension felt during the stretch.
Low vs. High Intensity stretching
Low: results in only minor tension on the muscles and tendons
High: places great tension or moderate discomfort on the muscle groups being stretched
Does the duration of exercise include the warm-up or cool-down time? How long should each training session be?
Nope.
At least 20-30 minutes per exercise session (at least 3 times a week).
How many exercises does every exercise prescription include?
At least one.
High-impact vs. Low-impact exercises?
Based on the amount of stress placed upon joints during the activity.
What is a cool-down?
It is a 5 -15 minute period of low-intensity exercise that immediately follows the primary conditioning period. This lowers body temperature after exercise and allows blood to return from the muscles toward the heart,
What should an exercise prescription be based on?
- General Health
- Age
- Fitness Status
- Musculoskeletal Condition
- Body Composition
What is the Threshold for Health Benefits?
The minimum level of exercise required to achieve some health benefits.
This is usually 30-60 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise performed 3-5 days per week.
What is the U.S. Government’s physical activity guidelines for Americans?
Adults between ages 18-64 perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise of 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week.
What are the four major barriers to physical activity?
- Lack of Time
- Social and Environmental Influences
- Inadequate Resources
- Lack of Motivation/Commitment
How much of adults engage in enough physical activity to produce health benefits?
Only 20%, according to the CDC.
