Fitness

    Fitness is a broad term that can mean a lot of different things to different people. For some, it can mean a fitness program and for others, it can refer to their fitness level. But regardless of whether you are considering improving your personal fitness level or looking for an effective fitness program, the key is that fitness is a vital part of an active, healthy, and balanced lifestyle. 

    Plus, there are a number of benefits to incorporating fitness into your daily life. Physical exercise can boost your energy, reduce the risk of health problems, and improve mental health.

    So, whether you are just embarking on your fitness journey or you are a seasoned exerciser, you will find trusted information here on working out safely and effectively and making physical fitness a part of your everyday life. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • What is fitness and why is it important?

      Generally speaking, fitness involves not only defining your exercise goals and executing your plan, but it also refers to your level of fitness or the measure of your physical abilities like endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. In other words, your fitness level is unique to you, as it is your body's ability to withstand a physical workout and recover in a timely manner.

      Exercising consistently is one of the most important ways you can improve your fitness levels. In fact, regular physical activity not only impacts your physical strength, heart function, and endurance, but it also can improve your brain health, help you manage your weight, and reduce your risk of disease. It also can strengthen your bones and muscles and improve your ability to complete everyday tasks and activities.

    • How much exercise should you get each day?

      According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity—or a combination of the two—each week. Examples of physical activity include walking, running, swimming, and cycling.

      The CDC also recommends that two days a week, you work to strengthen your muscles. Whether that involves using bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, gym equipment, or resistance bands, these activities should work all the major muscle groups of your body—legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms. What’s more, these muscle-strengthening activities should be done in addition to your physical activity.

    • How can you improve your fitness?

      When it comes to improving your fitness level, there are many different types of exercises from which to choose. The key is to pick the right ones for you. This means selecting activities you enjoy and are able to do consistently. Plus, research indicates that most people benefit from doing a variety of things in order to improve their fitness.

      For instance, you should choose some endurance or aerobic activities to help improve your heart and lungs as well as some strength or resistance training activities to help your muscles get stronger. Even adding in some balance and flexibility exercises can help improve your fitness level.

    • What are the five components of fitness?

      Whether you are getting a fitness test or just curious about the components of fitness, there are five things that are used to measure fitness. These include cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

      To be sure you are addressing each area of physical fitness with your workouts, you should engage in endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises. By doing so, you will improve your overall fitness level.

    Key Terms

    Page Sources
    Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
    1. Wang Y, Ashokan K. Physical exercise: an overview of benefits from psychological level to genetics and beyondFront Physiol. 2021;12:731858. doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.731858

    2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of physical activity.

    3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How much physical activity do adults need?

    4. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus. Exercise and physical fitness.

    5. National Institute on Aging. Four types of exercise can improve your health and physical ability.

    6. Brellenthin AG, Lee D chul, Bennie JA, Sui X, Blair SN. Resistance exercise, alone and in combination with aerobic exercise, and obesity in Dallas, Texas, US: A prospective cohort study. Liou TH, ed. PLoS Med. 2021;18(6):e1003687. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003687