We all know what it means to be strong or muscular, and we all know what it means to have a good aerobic fitness. But what does it actually take to be generally just ‘fit’. What are the components of personal fitness?

When we describe someone as fit we are generally referring to several things. Firstly the person must have good cardiovascular fitness. Someone ‘fit’ is not someone who runs up a flight of stairs and then stands at the top doubled over and wheezing uncontrollably, such as person would be described as ‘unfit’. This should be reflected in their physique and the pot-bellied are not generally considered as fit either. Similarly this fit person should have good basic strength – they do not struggle to move even the lightest piece of furniture – again that is the domain of the unfit. Some muscle around the arms then is quite important for an individual to be classed as fit. Someone who is fit should also find themselves generally fairly healthy in terms of their immune system. The fit do not find themselves constantly bed ridden and sneezing.

So then the components of personal fitness are as follows: good aerobic fitness, good physical strength and a strong immune system. If you’re young then chances are you’re fairly fit anyway, but if you’re reaching middle age and have an office job or lots of chores then you might start to find your fitness ebbing away. So how can you ensure that you live a lifestyle that results in all these things?

Simply training for good personal fitness is a far different concept to training for a sporting even or for muscle gains and is much more a lifestyle decision rather than a new programme you’re taking up. It won’t require hours out of your day but rather a few lifestyle adjustments here and there to put you back on track.

These changes need to be made first in the area of physical activity. By this I mean making sure you actually do some. The most crucial of the components of personal fitness – cardiovascular fitness – will require you to get out of the house and do something slightly strenuous once in a while. You can achieve this by taking up a sport such as football or netball, by cycling or walking to work rather than driving, or by getting a dog and taking them on regular walks. If you go to the gym you should do thirty minutes on the treadmill at least once a week.

Similarly with strength you should ensure to do lots of physical activities yourself. Do move that furniture yourself and do sweep up the drive from time to time. If you want to build some bulging biceps then you really should join a gym, but for basic physical fitness as opposed to insane strength you only really need to be going once a week.

Your diet is the final piece of the puzzle and by eating lean protein and large amounts of vitamins and minerals you should be able to build your immune system and your strength. Steer clear of fatty foods and junk food which will clog your system and keep to the fruit, veg and meat.

Mack LeMouse

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