Factors Affecting Fitness

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Factors Affecting Fitness
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• How fit you are now depends upon several factors.
  None of them are under your control!!
• Factors that affect fitness are
• Age and Sex
• Body composition
• Physique
• Diet
• Exercise
• Physical Disability
• Illness and fatigue
• Drug taking
• Stress
• The environment

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Age

• You are usually at your fittest in you twenties.
• At thirty your
• Muscles get weaker
• Bones get lighter
• Heart rate decreases
• Joints get stiffer
• Movements get slower.
• Body fat increases.

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Sex/Gender

• Up to about 11, males and females are equal in
  terms of general fitness.
• Strength Males grow 50 stronger due to muscle
  mass.
• Cardiovascular Endurance Males are better at
  transporting oxygen as they have larger lungs.
• Bone Structure Males are usually larger and
  heavier than females. They also have a narrower
  pelvis.
• Speed Because they have longer bones and bigger
  muscles, males can move faster.
• Flexibility Females score higher for
  flexibility. Females of all ages tend to be more
  flexible.
• Body Composition- Females usually have more body
  fat than males.

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Physique

• Your build and shape makes you fitter for some
  sports than others.
• A tall thin person is probably more suited to
  basketball than boxing.

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Diet

• Your body needs certain substances for energy,
  growth and repair.
• You get them from food.
• If you dont eat healthy then your body will not
  function properly.

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Exercise

• No matter how unfit you are, regular exercise
  will make you fitter.
• Running and doing weights is not the only way.
• Walking the dog, cycling, gardening, etc.

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Physical Disability

• A disability means part of your body does not
  function properly.
• Exercise can keep the rest of the body very fit.
• Many disabled people are first class athletes.
  (Tanni Grey)

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Illness and Fatigue

• When you are tired or ill you are less fit for
  activity.
• If you work too hard and do not have enough rest
  you can become ill.

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Drug Taking

• Alcohol, cigarettes and many other substances
  lower your fitness.
• If you get caught for taking drugs in competition
  you get a large fine and a ban from your sport.

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Stress

• Exams, arguments, overwork, money problems all
  these lead to stress.
• Continual stress can lead to illness, causing
  high blood pressure and heart disease.
• It is also linked to cancer.

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The Environment

• Fumes from traffic and factories.
• The weather hot, cold, humidity.
• At high altitude the air is thinner and you need
  to breathe harder to get enough oxygen.
• For all, you need time to adapt.