Being a Health and Fitness Professional, it is my job to comprehend terms and definitions which are commonplace to the industry, as well to help keep up to date with evolving trends. Through my experience, I have found that a amount of terms deserve a little more clarification than whatever they are granted.

Aside from clarifying this is of Health Related Fitness, this article intends to shed some light on a few of the associated terms, and to show their respective distinctions.

Is it simply all in a name?

The fitness world seems to use the concept Health Related Fitness like a generic fitness principle - interchangeable with others like "Physical Fitness", "Health" or just "Fitness."

While these terms can be included beneath the broad term Health and CONDITIONING, they individually make reference to different facets - both generic and specific. Unfortunately, references to these along with other fitness-related terms are often vague, while consistency in their intended use is meager at best; there is a sort of "generally accepted" use for them, but individuals often depend on own interpretation, and this can cause confusion.

With that said, does Health Related Fitness simply infer fitness through good health? Nearly. That is why we need to understand a bit more behind these words before digesting the definition.

How did the term Health Related CONDITIONING come about?

That is a good question. One could probably ask what is this concept about - can we not simply utilize the terms "Fitness" or "CONDITIONING" instead?" Why Health "Related"?

The main reason is due to the fact that most health terms are used inconsistently and often refer to different concepts or notions. After the 1996 report from the united states Surgeon General (PHYSICAL EXERCISE and Health; a written report of the Surgeon General), there is a move to try and address the alarming rise in obesity levels among the general American public. Studies and initiatives required standardization among clinicians, doctors and fitness trainers to grapple with the duty at hand. Enter "Health Related Physical Fitness", an operating term to address the overall state of health among the public.

The definition of Health Related Fitness

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the primary authority in this field, ineffective definitions with unclear and subjective wordings, along with definitions containing terms which themselves require defining, have contributed to confusing the term "CONDITIONING."

There exists no reliable guide for Health and Fitness Professionals to measure "CONDITIONING", as the term has been so loosely and inconsistently defined. It is therefore that one should think about the concept of MEDICAL Fitness. The definition therefore centers on the 5 Components of Physical Fitness which relate to "good health." These Components are:

Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Body Composition
Flexibility
Muscular Strength
Muscular Endurance

Alternatively, Skill Related Fitness Components are:

Balance
Reaction Time
Coordination
Agility
Speed
Power

In line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is of Physical Fitness emphasizes the difference between Health Related CONDITIONING and Athletic Ability Physical Fitness. Its point-of-departure is the "health" of the US nation, which is often referred to as the "public health perspective." Due to that, the 5 Health Related Fitness Components tend to be more important than those linked to Athletic Ability (or Skill Related Components).

Although the concept of Health Related Fitness comes with an integral association with "good health", the 5 Components are addressed individually by health professionals to allow for their measurement.

Now that we have a deeper understanding of the term, what purpose does it serve?

Continuing from where in fact the definition left off, the objective of measuring the 5 Components is to advise clients about their own particular MEDICAL Fitness, and to use data obtained from the tests to create appropriate exercise programs that may then be evaluated.

The 5 Components contribute evenly to make up a holistic Health Related Fitness, that is of direct interest to the fitness of the ordinary citizen, in that the concept is normative. Put simply, this can be a standard that allows for consistent application.

It is therefore important for those working in the health and fitness industry never to mistake "overall physical fitness" with "Health Related Physical fitness."


To conclude, let us consider this distinction between Physical Fitness and MEDICAL Fitness

One needs to be aware that regular physical exercise can improve overall Physical Fitness, as well as MEDICAL Fitness. However, overall fitness is a generic term and is up to subjective interpretation, while Health Related Fitness could be assessed.

The distinction therefore, between both of these terms, exists in that Health Related Physical Fitness can be measured according to a set of established comparative norms.

more info is where the "rubber hits the road." The guidelines set out by the ACSM enable medical researchers to work with clients to assess and measure their reaction to exercise and prescribe appropriate exercise programs. A client's progress may then be monitored and adjusted where necessary so as to obtain the desired workout goals.

Cleto Tirabassi is really a certified Fitness Trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).

His work centers on the "sensible approach" to MEDICAL Fitness, which entails the usage of practical, flexible and sustainable solutions to achieve optimal degrees of health and physical fitness.

His clientele belongs mostly to the group he calls "average everyday people", who in a nutshell desire to be in excellent shape, yet still lead a conventional life.