Meaning and Importance of Physical Fitness

Before defining physical fitness it is essential to separate three terms that are often used interchangeably but do not mean the same thing: exercise, physical activity and physical fitness.

• Exercise is planned, structured and repetitive bodily movement aimed at improving one or more components of physical fitness. For example, swimming done as exercise aims to improve cardiovascular endurance.
• Physical activity is any bodily movement that is not specifically designed for fitness but that significantly increases resting energy expenditure. For example, walking raises energy expenditure but does not by itself build a particular fitness component.
• Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities. It is the body's working capacity for the demands of everyday life.

So all exercise is physical activity, but not all physical activity is exercise; and both contribute, in different ways, to physical fitness. A physically fit person can meet the ordinary demands of the day with energy to spare.

Why physical fitness matters

Physical fitness is important far beyond sport. A physically fit body copes better with the physical demands of any occupation - a nurse on a long shift, a delivery worker climbing stairs all day, or a student carrying a heavy school bag all draw on the same underlying fitness. Fitness also acts as a buffer against illness and injury: a fit person recovers faster from a cold, a minor injury or a long day of travel, because the heart, lungs, muscles and joints all have reserve capacity to draw on.

Physical fitness also has a two-way relationship with the other two ideas in this unit. It is one of the seven components of wellness (Section 5.1.1) and one of the four dimensions of health (Section 5.1.2) - a person cannot be optimally well or completely healthy without an adequate level of physical fitness, and in turn, regular pursuit of wellness and healthy habits (diet, sleep, avoiding tobacco) is what builds and sustains fitness in the first place. …