WHAT IS FITNESS?

FITNESS HAS FOUR COMPONENTS:
CARDIOVASCULAR CAPABILITY, MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND
ENDURANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND MENTAL FOCUS.
ALL ARE A NECESSARY PART OF ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM.

AMONG THE BENEFITS YOU OBTAIN FROM DEVELOPING
YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM ARE:
• INCREASED ENERGY
• INCREASED ENDURANCE
• REDUCED BLOOD PRESSURE
• REDUCED ARTERIAL PLAQUE
• PREVENTION OF SOME CARDIAC DISEASES
• REDUCED BODY FAT
• LOWER RESTING HEART RATE
• DECREASED PAIN SENSITIVITY DUE TO HIGHER LEVELS
  OF ENDORPHINS AND ENKEPHALINS IN THE BRAIN
• INCREASED BONE MASS

JUST ABOUT EVERY BODILY SYSTEM IS AFFECTED
BY INCREASING YOUR AEROBIC CAPACITY

 
MUSCULAR STRENGTH OBTAINED THROUGH GRADUALLY INCREASING THE POUNDAGE OF WEIGHTS IN RESISTANCE TRAINING, RESULTS IN:
• INCREASED LEAN BODY MASS
• INCREASED BONE MASS
• MUSCLES BURNING FAT MORE EFFICIENTLY BY
  INCREASING THE BASAL METABOLIC RATE
• INCREASED COORDINATION
• REDUCED CIRCUMFERENCE OF BODY MEASUREMENTS
  WHICH CORRESPONDS WITH DECREASED CLOTHING SIZE.

MUSCULAR ENDURANCE IS OBTAINED BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
REPETITIONS IN RESISTANCE TRAINING. ENDURANCE IS A KEY COMPONENT IN THE ENERGY LEVEL NEED TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYDAY TASKS,
RECREATIONAL SPORTS, AS WELL AS, PLANNED EXERCISE.

FLEXIBILITY IS THE THIRD COMPONENT OF FITNESS.
IT IS AS IMPORTANT, IF NOT, MORE IMPORTANT TO BEING FIT
THAN CARDIOVASCULAR OR MUSCULAR FITNESS.
FLEXIBILITY IS OBTAINED THROUGH SYSTEMATIC RANGE OF
MOTION EXERCISE AND THE STRETCHING AND LENGTHENING OF ALL
MUSCLES USED IN TRAINING. IF YOU ARE NOT FLEXIBLE, THE RISK OF INJURY AND OVERUSE OF A MUSCLE OR JOINT IS GREATER. FLEXIBILITY TRAINING INCREASES BALANCE AND COORDINATION OF ALL THE MUSCLES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR SPECIFIC TRAINING.
THIS IS THE AREA OF FITNESS THAT IS ATTENDED TO THE LEAST BUT NEEDED THE MOST. NEGLECT OF FLEXIBILITY WILL CAUSE RAPID DETERIORATION IN JOINTS AND MUSCLES AND WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF DAILY LIVING FLEXIBILITY MUST BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY EXERCISE PROGRAM.

THE LAST COMPONENT OF FITNESS IS MENTAL FOCUS. MIND AND
BODY EXERCISE HAS CLEARLY BECOME THE EXERCISE FUTURE OF
FITNESS, HOWEVER, THE CONCEPT IS NOT NEW. THE DEFINITION OF
MIND AN BODY EXERCISE IS: THE FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION OF THE
MIND IN CONCERT WITH THE BODY AND SOUL TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL.
THE BENEFITS OF MIND AND BODY EXERCISE ARE:
• LOWERED HEART RATE
• LOWERED BLOOD PRESSURE
• DECREASED OXYGEN CONSUMPTION
• DECREASED PAIN SENSITIVITY
• LOWERED LEVELS OF LACTIC ACID
• LOWERED CHOLESTEROL
• DECREASED MUSCLE TENSION
• INCREASED SERATONIN LEVELS
RESEARCH INDICATES THAT LOW LEVELS OF SERATONIN CAN CAUSE
DEPRESSION.  MIND AND BODY EXERCISE HAS SHOWN TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE SERATONIN  LEVELS IN THE BRAIN RESULTING IN AN INCREASED SENSE OF WELL BEING.
ALL FOUR AREAS ARE ESSENTIAL TO FITNESS.
NONE SHOULD BE IGNORED.

PRESCRIPTION: HEALTH, IS COMMITTED TO THE WHOLE INDIVIDUAL. MY PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED SO NO AREA OF FITNESS IS IGNORED.

"COMPLETE HEALTH IS MY PERSONAL GOAL"

FINALLY, I LEAVE YOU WITH A QUOTE FROM THE FOUNDER OF
THE PILATES METHOD OF MIND AND BODY EXERCISE.

"THE ATTAINMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF A UNIFORMLY DEVELOPED BODY WITH A SOUND MIND FULLY CAPABLE OF NATURALLY, EASILY, AND SATISFACTORILY PERFORMING OUR MANY AND VARIED DAILY TASKS WITH SPONTANEOUS ZEST AND PLEASURE." 
JOSEPH PILATES, 1945


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PORATES ALL YOU NEED..
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