Defining Physical Fitness and Physical Capacity

Physical Fitness and Physical Capacity

Physical Fitness

Everyone needs to be in good physical condition to perform any physical exercise. Having good physical condition is the ability to produce and sustain energy to perform a task well, while maintaining physical strength and concentration.

Factors Influencing Physical Fitness

Physical fitness depends on several factors, including:

• Age
• Genetics
• Central nervous system coordination
• Physical ability
• The age at which training begins

Manifestations of General Fitness

General Fitness: This is basic training for the continuous and harmonious development of systems like the cardiovascular system, muscle strength, and joint mobility.

Specialized Fitness: This focuses on developing specific skills for a particular sport.

Physical Capacity

Physical capacity is the set of physiological and mechanical skills a person possesses, enabling them to engage in any physical activity. We must distinguish between two types of physical abilities:

Basic Physical Abilities

Conditional Abilities

These are determined by the energy and metabolic processes of voluntary muscle performance. They include:

• Strength
• Speed
• Endurance
• Flexibility

Motor Abilities

These are determined by the management processes of the nervous system and are responsible for the qualitative aspects of movement. Key examples include:

• Coordination and balance, which are present in all classifications.
• Agility, which results from a combination of strength, flexibility, and coordination.

According to Zatziorskij, they are defined as the "basic motor budgets on which humans and athletes develop their own technical skills," which include strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility. They are also "the determinants of physical condition, which, through training, allow for the maximum development of genetic potential for a particular physical activity."

They constitute the quantitative aspect of movement and motor performance.

Characteristics of Physical Abilities

• They form the basis and quantity of any movement.
• They can be measured.
• They improve with training, though they have limits based on trainability and heritability.

Physical abilities can be defined as the factors that determine an individual's physical condition, guiding or qualifying them for a particular physical activity. Because they are trainable, we can say that conditional physical abilities are the specific content of one's overall physical condition.