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The Benefits of Core Workouts
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trouble with everyday activities like climbing the stairs or walking a
couple miles.
Of course, some people take physical fitness even farther. They run
marathons, they rock climb, and they play extreme sports. These people
have gone beyond the levels of physical fitness necessary for normal
life activities. They’re pushing their bodies to extremes.
People achieve physical fitness either through exercise or just gen-
eral physical activity. Some people have an active lifestyle. They do lots
of movements as part of the ordinary things they do every day. Physical
activity is any activity that involves significant movement. Reaching to
grab the remote control for the TV is not physical activity, but running
after little kids, yard work, walking around town, or swimming at the
beach definitely is. Other people, though, have more
sedentary
life-
styles. These people will need to make an effort to get exercise into
their lives.
Exercises are structured and deliberate movements. People who
want to improve their physical fitness may go to the gym, go for a run,
or go to a Pilates class. Physical activity is more general than exercise,
but also contributes to fitness.
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports offers an even
more in-depth definition of physical fitness that involves more factors
than just the ability to healthfully and safely get through everyday ac-
tivities. The Council includes things like bone integrity (strength), body
composition (fat versus muscle), heart health, flexibility, muscle strength,
agility, balance, coordination, reaction time, and more. Most people
struggle in at least one form of fitness as defined by the Council, which
doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not physically fit.
Some people include mental and emotional fitness in overall fitness.
Healthy thinking patterns and behaviors are an important part of living
a healthy and fulfilling life. Physical, emotional, and mental fitness are
all tied up with each other, so that a change in one may affect the oth-
ers. For example, a very active person who gets a serious injury and
must stop exercising might end up feeling depressed because she can’t
do what she loves most.