PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Posture and Body Mechanics
The word “posture” conjures up images of a mother or army
sergeant barking out orders to "stand (or sit) up straight!" It
is easy to dismiss posture as something you should do for
the sake of appearance and as something you need to worry
about only during static sitting and standing activities; in
fact, posture is a dynamic concept. Every movement we
make should be done with the best possible body
alignment. This reduces strain on unneeded muscles and
applies mechanical force to its best advantage. Whether
removing boxes from the trunk of the car, cleaning, sleeping,
or exercising, it is smart to pay attention to and make
automatic, good body postures. And, of course, someone
with good body mechanics, strong core muscles, and nice
alignment looks good moving.
Body position can make a big difference in how good you
feel during and after an activity. For example, good sitting
posture during computer use can save neck, shoulder, and
back strain. Correct body alignment during exercise ensures
the full benefit of the exercise and helps prevent injuries.
Correct bending and lifting postures also save your back
and let you do more with less fatigue. Good Posture and
alignment are not just about standing up straight; they are
about the dynamic process of repositioning your body
segments to produce the best possible mechanical (and
sometimes aesthetic) advantage at all times.
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Knowledge Tips
1. Posture is a dynamic process whereby individuals try to select the posture and body alignment best suited to the activity in which
they are engaged.
2. Posture is the position of the body in space.
3. Body alignment refers to how the body segments relate to one another.
4. Inflexibility can cause postural misalignments.
5. Muscular strength imbalances can result in postural misalignments.
6. Strengthening the "core" muscles will enhance posture and make you a better, stronger mover.
7. Proper exercise alignment during muscle strengthening ensures maximum benefit to the target muscle(s) and prevents injuries.
8. Awareness exercises can help correct postural problems that are due to inattention.
9. Poor posture may be the result of physical injury or disease.
10. Poor posture may be the result of a psychological or emotional state.
11. Seeking and eliminating sources of physical and psychological muscle tension can relieve tension and enhance posture.
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Components of Fitness
Exercising for health is different from training for competition. To 4. muscular strength
fine-tune your performance for competition, you must train long 5. muscular endurance
hours at high intensities. You may also have to place your body in Sometimes muscular strength and endurance are considered one
mechanically difficult positions. For example, volleyball players component, thus making the total number of health-related
and weightlifters drop into deep knee positions that place stress on components four. Any improvement in these five areas will improve
their knee ligaments. Gymnasts constantly hyperextend their your health (see the Creating Positive Changes for Health-Related
backs, thus placing pressure on their vertebral discs, and pitchers Fitness Components box on page 32). There are also skill-related
risk injuring their elbows when they throw curve balls. The components of fitness:
motivation for such intense practice and performance comes from
1. coordination
a deep-seated drive to excel and a desire to win recognition and
2. agility
awards. Many positive outcomes are associated with competition-
3. balance
health can be one of them. However, a higher risk of injury is
4. reaction time
associated with high-intensity training. It may also surprise you to
5. power
learn that not all highly skilled competitors are physically fit. For
6. speed
example, some excellent golfers and baseball players carry extra
Strength is often included as a seventh component since it plays an
pounds of fat and lack good cardiorespiratory conditioning. To
important role in skilled performance. This makes it both a skill- and
exercise for health, you can train at a moderate intensity, enjoy the
health-related component of physical fitness. Kinesthetic
physiological and psychological benefits of exercise, and at the
awareness (awareness of where your body is in space) may also be
same time limit the risk of injury. The idea of exercising until you
included as a skill-related component. Since aerobic dance
drop or killing yourself to get fit is wrong. Lifetime fitness is built on
exercise is primarily concerned with developing and maintaining
activities that are enjoyable and, when done correctly, free from
physical health, exercises that concentrate on the five health-
pain. There are five health-related components of physical fitness:
related components are emphasized. This emphasis does not
1. cardiorespiratory endurance exclude the possibility of improving some of the skill-related
2. body composition components, especially coordination, agility, and balance.
3. flexibility
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Principles of Exercise
PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE As you work to improve or maintain individuality holds that no two people react exactly the same way to
your fitness level in each of the five health-related components of exercise.
fitness, use the following principles of exercise to guide you. THE PRINCIPLE OF SPECIFICITY You would select exercises that
THE PRINCIPLE OF OVERLOAD When the human body is stressed would accomplish your goal. When you make these selections, you
repeatedly over a period of time, it responds by adapting to the are using the principle of specificity, which states that placing a
stress. Regular exercise stresses the body, which adapts by specific demand on the body results in a specific adaptation.
becoming stronger and more efficient. Another word for stress is THE PRINCIPLE OF REVERSIBILITY Sometimes referred to as the
overload. When the muscles, including the heart muscle, are use/disuse principle, the principle of reversibility is succinctly
overloaded or stressed more than normal amounts, fitness gains defined by the well-known phrase use it or lose it. Within two weeks
occur. This is the principle of overload. When you overload, you are of the time you stop exercising, your body begins to adapt to the
temporarily increasing the amount or intensity of an exercise. As lack of activity. Cardiorespiratory and flexibility losses occur more
your body adapts, you experience a training effect, and the exercise rapidly than strength and endurance losses. Nobody is protected
becomes easier. To continue to improve your physical fitness, you from these negative adaptations. The only way to be fit is to keep
have to continue to overload. active.
THE PRINCIPLE OF PROGRESSION The principle of progression is THE PRINCIPLE OF OVERUSE Overuse results from violating the
an extension of the principle of overload. Basically, this principle principle of overload. When you overdo (which is the essence of the
means that you should gradually increase your overload over a principle of overuse), you create problems. Injuries, especially
period of time. Too rapid of an overload can make you really stiff and chronic injuries like shin splints and tendinitis, start to appear.
sore or even result in injury. Overload and progression are so Some people actually become addicted to exercise, a sign of which
interrelated that fitness professionals usually speak in terms of is the refusal to exercise fewer than seven days a week. Addiction
doing appropriate progressive overloads. Beginners will want to leads to over-training. Signs of overtraining are the previously
progressively overload by increasing the duration and frequency mentioned chronic injuries and an elevated resting heart rate.
with which they perform activities before adding intensity. Overuse may also be the result of a violation of the principle of
THE PRINCIPLE OF INDIVIDUALITY Everyone is unique, and this individuality. A person trying to keep up with another person may
includes people's responses to exercise. The principle of overload too quickly. One hundred push-ups may be an appropriate
load for one individual but may be overuse for another.
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PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
KNOWLEDGE TIPS
1. The five health-related fitness components are cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular
endurance. The six skill-related components of fitness are coordination, agility, balance, reaction time, power, and speed; strength is often
included as a skill-related component as well.
2. Aerobic dance exercise is designed to improve all the health-related components of fitness and some of the skill-related components of
fitness.
3. To overload, you must go just beyond the point of comfort by increasing frequency, intensity, or time.
4. A progressive overload occurs gradually over time.
5. Individuals respond to exercise differently.
6. The body makes specific adaptations in accord with the demands placed upon it.
7. Deconditioning occurs with disuse.
8. Overuse results in undue fatigue, chronic injury, and other problems.
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Body Weight Training: Balance
Balance
Standing Crunch with Under-the-Leg Clap This balance
exercise improves your stability, as it's difficult enough to balance
on one leg. Your core will burn if you add movement while in a static
hold, using these claps.
Sumo Squat builds strength in your quads and glutes, which is
important for a whole bunch of things, including power
development. Strong quads and glutes help you run and jump
more efficiently, as well as lift more weight in other lower-body Curtsy Lunge with Oblique Crunch Works the quadriceps,
exercises hamstrings, and adductors, promoting overall lower body strength.
The diagonal movement challenges stability, enhancing balance
and coordination. Offers a lower-impact alternative to some other
lower-body exercises, making it suitable for various fitness levels.
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Plank With Flying Plane Arms Keep your hips stable and core Arm Sequence with Lifted Heels a balance exercise that will
engaged as you lift one arm straight out in front of you. Keep engage your entire. body, working your biceps and shoulders all of
holding this arm up and fan it out to the side. Return your hand to which. will help improve your posture.
the front again, then lower it to the ground. Repeat this sequence
on the opposite side.
T-Stand WIth Hinge and Side Bend targets the external and
internal obliques and strengthens the side ab wall. This exercise
Rolling Forearm Side Plank The primary muscles used are the helps to sculpt the waist, tightens the core, and improves your
obliques, along with the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus to posture and stability.
stabilize the hips. Your shoulder stabilizers keep you aligned as
well.
AMMB 2024
PATH FIT 2-EXERCISE-BASED ACTIVITIES
References
Bishop. (2005). Fitness Through Aerobics (Sixth Edition). Daryl Fox.
https://www.self.com/gallery/balance-exercises
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