Fitness is more than just working out at the gym. It’s how you move and live your daily life.
Give yourself rewards for meeting exercise goals. It can help you stay motivated and stick with your routine. Contact Alta Climbing & Fitness now!
Start small and build up gradually. If you overdo it, your muscles may hurt or become tired.
Strength
Strength, also known as muscular endurance or musculoskeletal fitness, is the ability of your muscles to perform exercise at a given level of intensity without becoming fatigued. Strength training increases the amount of force your muscles can exert, and is often used to increase an athlete’s 1 rep max (the maximum number of repetitions a muscle can lift for one set).
Strength Training benefits include improved bone density and muscle mass; increased metabolism and fat burning; higher levels of mood-boosting hormones; increased strength, flexibility, coordination and balance; greater confidence and self esteem; better sleep and lower risk of depression; and prevention or control of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and back pain. Many people find it helpful to work with a trained professional when starting a strength training program. This can help prevent injury and ensure proper technique. It can also help you stay motivated and progress your workouts as your abilities improve.
Power is a combination of strength and speed, and it’s used by athletes to improve their performance in sports such as rugby league and rugby union. Strength training can improve your power output by helping you develop your type 2 muscle fibers, which are used for explosive activities. These muscles are larger and have a higher potential output, but they fatigue quickly. They can be trained by using exercises with high repetitions and short rest periods.
Endurance
Endurance is your body’s ability to perform exercise at a moderate to high intensity for an extended period of time. It is composed of two major components: cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance.
Cardiovascular endurance refers to how well your heart and lungs can supply oxygen during physical activity. It can be tested by pedaling a stationary bike at different intensity levels, running a certain distance in a given amount of time or by doing a shuttle run (to count how many times you can get from one point to another that is 20 meters or about 66 feet apart while maintaining a specific pace).
Muscular endurance is your body’s muscles’ ability to work continuously without getting tired. It is also measured by completing a set number of repetitions of a movement or performing an activity over a certain period of time, such as the length of a basketball court. It’s important for everyday tasks like walking and climbing stairs, but also for sports and exercise like team sports and marathon running.
When training for endurance, it’s best to do low-intensity exercises that are long in duration rather than short, high-intensity exercises. Studies show that doing the latter may decrease your endurance, because it causes muscle phenotype shifts that favor fast-contracting, fatigue-resistant fibers. A good way to increase your endurance is to gradually increase the amount of time you exercise at a given level, such as adding an additional minute of biking each week or month.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to move joints through their full range of motion. It helps to improve performance, posture, promotes efficient movement, prevents incorrect body alignment, maintains appropriate muscle length and balance and decreases injury risk. Flexibility varies from person to person due to a number of factors including joint structure, genetics and activity level. Muscle imbalance and excessive fatty tissue can also reduce flexibility.
Flexibility exercises, such as stretching and foam rolling, can help to improve flexibility by reducing the internal resistance that muscles offer during exercise. In addition, a high-level of flexibility may be the result of a healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, regular activity and adequate water intake.
While some people are naturally flexible (contortionists, gymnasts), most of us can benefit from incorporating flexibility exercises into our fitness routines. Flexibility exercises can improve the range of motion of your joints and can decrease stiffness, which can make everyday movements like tying your shoes or reaching for something on a shelf easier.
Flexibility should be incorporated into an overall fitness program that includes strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Flexibility training should focus on the entire body and include dynamic stretches that increase circulation and stimulate the production of synovial fluid to keep joints lubricated. Regular flexibility training can decrease pain and discomfort, which is a major part of improving quality of life as we age.
Balance
Balance is an important aspect of fitness. It improves core strength, body coordination, injury prevention and sports performance. It also helps with posture, inner calmness and mental clarity. Balance exercises can be easy to do and should be included in every workout. It is especially helpful for people with knee, ankle and hip problems and people who are recovering from surgery or injuries.
Balance involves the use of the vestibular, somatosensory and visual systems to record movement and position in space. Balance exercises challenge the proprioceptive system of the brain to record and respond to this feedback by strengthening muscles, tendons and joints. Balance is important for athletics, as it is an underlining factor in agility, which improves sport performance.
For example, if you are training for a ski race, you need good balance to maintain your speed while turning in the snow and not falling over. The same is true for many other sports that require excellent balance to be successful.
The most common definition of fitness is the physical condition of a person’s body. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from jogging and lifting weights to dancing and playing sports. Fitness is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and should be considered in conjunction with nutrition and weight management. However, the term ‘fitness’ is also used to describe other qualities that are necessary for a particular activity or environment.
Coordination
Coordination is the ability to use two or more of your body parts at once. It can be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, or as complex as juggling or performing a gymnastic routine. Whether you’re an athlete trying to improve performance, or just looking for ways to strengthen your posture and reduce stress, coordination exercises can help.
Coordination drills work to synchronize your movements, reducing the chance of injury during exercise and everyday activities. They can also help increase your muscle memory, allowing you to perform certain moves more efficiently. Coordination drills are great for improving your balance, posture, and proprioception. They also can help relieve back pain by strengthening core muscles and improving flexibility.
The best way to develop your coordination is through regular practice. Many sports require good coordination, including swimming, dancing, and racket sports. These sports stimulate both large and small muscles at the same time, and they also require good balance and hand-eye coordination. Developing these skills can help you become a better athlete or simply enjoy your favorite activities more.
Mental Health
Physical fitness gets plenty of attention, but mental health should not be overlooked. Including cognitive dexterity exercises in your workout routine can help you feel more resilient and strong, especially when faced with challenges such as depression or anxiety.
When you exercise, your brain releases ‘feel good’ chemicals that boost mood and improve your mental well-being. This can give you a natural antidepressant and reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress. Exercise also helps improve sleep, increase energy levels and build self-esteem.
In fact, people with serious psychiatric disorders can benefit from moderate-intensity physical activity as much as the general population. Those who exercise regularly are more likely to have better quality of life and social functioning, less risk of substance abuse and greater ability to manage medical comorbidities.
However, barriers to getting more active can often be significant. For example, some individuals may lack the time and energy to work out or fear that a workout will trigger symptoms of their mental illness. The best way to overcome these obstacles is to find an activity that you enjoy and stick with it. A regular, low-level workout such as a walk is a great starting point. Schedule your workout at a time of day that works best for you — like first thing in the morning, before or after lunch, or on weekends. And don’t be afraid to challenge yourself a little: As your energy level increases, you might be able to take your workouts up a notch, like walking further or breaking into jogging.