Understanding Physical Activity, Exercise, and Fitness

1. Difference Between Physical Activity and Physical Exercise

Physical activity is any body movement that requires more energy than resting. Physical exercise is any planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity performed with the goal of improving fitness.

2. Key Terms Defining Physical Condition

• Ability
• Vitality
• Prevention
• Ownership

3. The 5 Characteristics of Physical Condition

• Anatomical condition: Refers to the differences in body shapes among human beings.
• Physiological condition: The functional ability to perform physical exercise without endangering the organism.
• Motor condition: Conditioned by physical qualities including endurance, speed, strength, coordination, and flexibility.
• Nervous and psychomotor condition: Determined by reactions to stimuli and coordination.
• Ability and skills condition: Allows for maximum performance with minimal effort during sports.

4. The 5 Basic Physical Qualities

• Endurance: The ability to sustain an effort for the longest possible period.
• Strength: The ability to overcome an external force through muscle contraction.
• Speed: The ability to move at maximum intensity in the shortest time possible.
• Flexibility: The combination of joint mobility and muscle elasticity.
• Coordination: The ability of the body to perform efficient, orderly sequences under brain control.

5. Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Endurance

In aerobic endurance, muscles receive sufficient oxygen. In anaerobic endurance, there is an oxygen debt.

6. Training Endurance: Continuous and Fractional Systems

There are two primary systems for training endurance:

1. Continuous Systems

These involve no breaks and last for a long duration, typically performed in natural environments.

• Regular rhythm: Achieved through continuous running.
• Changing rhythms: Achieved through Swedish Fartlek.

2. Fractional Systems

• Interval training
• Repetitions