As a health and fitness professional, it’s my job to understand terms and definitions that are commonplace in this industry and to keep myself abreast of evolving trends. Through my experience I have found that a number of terms deserve a little more clarification than they are given credit for.
Aside from clarifying the definition of health-related fitness, this article intends to shed some light on some of the terms involved and their respective differences.
is it just a name
The fitness world seems to use the concept of Health Related Fitness as a generic principle of fitness – interchangeable with others such as “Physical Fitness”, “Health and Fitness” or just “Fitness”.
During all these terms can grouped under the broad term health and physical fitness, they refer individually to different aspects – both generic and specific. Unfortunately, references to these and other fitness-related terms are often vague, while consistency in their intended usage is sketchy at best; There is a sort of “commonly accepted” use for them, but individuals often rely on their own interpretation, and this can create confusion.
With this in mind, does Health Related Fitness simply imply fitness through good health? Not quite. So we need to understand a little more behind these words before digesting the definition.
As did did the term Health Related Physical Fitness come about?
That’s a good question. One might well ask what is this term all about – can’t we just use the terms “fitness” or “physical fitness” instead?” Why “health-related”?
The main reason lies in the fact that most health and fitness terms are used inconsistently and often refer to different concepts or terms. According to the US Surgeon General’s 1996 report (Physical activity and health; a report from the Surgeon General), there was a movement to try and address the alarming rise in obesity levels among the general American public. Studies and initiatives have required standardization among clinicians, health practitioners, and fitness trainers to grapple with the task at hand. Enter “Health-related physical fitness,” a working term that addresses the general state of health among the general public.
The definition of health-related fitness
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the primary authority on this field, invalid definitions with unclear and subjective wording, as well as definitions with terms that themselves need definition, have contributed to the confusion of the term “physical fitness”.
There is no reliable guide for health and fitness professionals to measure “physical fitness” due to the loose and inconsistent definition of the term. it is for this reason that one should consider the concept of health-related fitness. The definition therefore focuses on the 5 components of physical fitness that relate to “good health”. These components are:
- cardiopulmonary fitness
- body composition
- flexibility
- muscle strength
- muscular endurance
On the other hand, ability-related fitness components are:
- balance
- reaction time
- coordination
- agility
- speed
- perfomance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the definition of physical fitness emphasizes the difference between health-related physical fitness and athletic performance. Her starting point is the “health” of the US nation, often referred to as the “Public Health Perspective.” In this regard, the 5 health-related fitness components are more important than those related to athletic ability (or ability-related components).
Although the concept of health-related fitness has an integral connection with ‘good health’, the 5 components are addressed individually by healthcare professionals to enable their measurement.
Now that we have a deeper understanding of the term, what purpose does it serve?
Picking up where the definition left off, the goal of the 5 Components measurement is to advise clients on their own particular health-related fitness and use the data gathered from the tests to design appropriate exercise programs, which are then evaluated be able.
The 5 components contribute equally to form a holistic health-related fitness that is of direct concern to the health of the common man, as the concept is normative. In other words, it’s a standard that makes it possible consistent Application.
It is therefore important for those who work in the health and fitness industry Not confusing “general physical fitness” with “health-related physical fitness”.
Finally, let’s consider this distinction between physical fitness and health-related fitness
It is important to remember that regular physical exercise can improve overall physical fitness as well as health-related fitness. However, general fitness is a general term and subject to subjective interpretation, while health-related fitness can be assessed.
The difference between these two terms is therefore that health-related physical fitness can be measured against a set of established comparative norms.
Here comes the “rubber on the road”. The guidelines established by the ACSM allow health professionals to work with clients to assess and measure their response to exercise and prescribe appropriate exercise programs. A client’s progress can then be monitored and adjusted as needed to meet desired fitness goals.
Thanks to Cleto Tirabassi
