Physical Fitness and Wellness Fitness reduces absenteeism in offices,

increases productivity, reduces medical cost,

Physical fitness is the ability of well being to
increases networking possibilities, makes
perform day to day activities including
company energy efficient etc.
occupation and for sportsperson to do
training and practices of his/her game/sports
without undue fatigue and to meet emerging
PHYSICAL FITNESS AND THEIR COMPONENTS
situations which can be achieved through
vigorous physical exercise, proper nutrition Health Related Physical Fitness
and sufficient rest.
This fitness is important for health and
performance of daily functional activities.
Components of health related physical fitness
are cardiovascular endurance, muscular
endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and
body composition.

a. Cardiovascular endurance - Ability of the

heart, vessels and lungs to deliver oxygen
to the working muscles and removal of
waste products during activity. Examples
are long distance running, cycling,
swimming, aerobic activity etc.
b. Muscular endurance - Ability of the
muscle to exert continuous force against
Importance of Physical Fitness resistance or sustain muscular contraction.
Activities with low intensity and high
Moderate, vigorous, regular exercise slows
volume (long duration) are common like
down the process of aging and also increases
push-ups, sit-ups, etc.
the energy to do work. Exercise keeps weight
c. Muscular strength - Ability of the muscle
under control, improves posture and physical
to exert maximal force against resistance.
appearance. Strong bones, better immunity,
Activities having high intensity and low
low frequency of any disease occurrence are
volume (short duration) are suitable
the indicators of fitness.
example like lifting heavy weight, 100
Physically fit individual has alertness, meter sprint, long jump, throwing etc.
concentration and positive thought about life. d. Flexibility - Ability of the joint to move
He/ She motivates himself/herself to develop around in full range of motion. It is an
good personal habits regarding smoking, essential component which prevents injury
alcohol, tobacco etc. and ensures smooth and efficient
movements. Women have more flexibility
Regular exercise is a strength booster, relieves
than men. Examples are sit and reach and
tension and controls emotion swings of an
toe touch.
individual. A fit individual has improved self-
e. Body composition - It refers to the
image, self-confidence and self-esteem.
amount of fat free mass (muscle mass) and
Fitness helps to strengthen the relationships fat mass in body. The ratio of fat and fat
with family and friends. It also increases the free mass is an indicator of health. Excess
opportunity for social contacts. amount of fat is bad for our health that
may lead to heart problems, diabetes,
cancers etc. to assess the fat we apply BMI
 (body mass index), height and weight chart, d) Flexibility - The ability to move joints
skinfold methods etc. through full range of motion is known as
flexibility. The sit and reach test is a good
measure of lower back hamstring muscles.

e) Coordinative - Ability to quickly and

purposefully doing group of movements with
better quality and effect. It is regulated and
controlled by the central nervous system. Skills
performed by the sportsperson of different
games/sports are examples of coordinative
abilities.

Wellness - is a process of continuous and

prolonged growth and achievement in the
physical, social, emotional, spiritual,
intellectual, occupational and environmental
dimensions. Wellness is a way of life that an
individual designs to achieve optimal health.
Wellness has seven dimensions: physical,
Performance Related Fitness
social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual,
Performance related fitness is the occupational and environmental which are
combination of motor and skill related fitness interrelated.
and is also important for better health.
Physical Dimension - focuses on functional
Components of motor fitness are strength,
health of the body. It involves regular exercise,
endurance, speed, flexibility and coordination
eating a balanced diet, maintaining
abilities.
recommended weight, sufficient sleep, avoid
a) Strength - Ability of the muscle to act or smoking, alcohol, tobacco etc., medical self-
overcome the resistance; resistance may be care, regular testing, proper medications etc.
against a person or an object. It is an important Physically healthy individual should have the
component; role of the strength is to maintain ability to carry out day to day activity and
good posture, good health, prevention of having enough energy for recreational and
injuries etc. Weightlifting, throws, jumps are emergency work.
strength building sports.
Social Dimension - Individual should have the
b) Endurance - Ability of the muscle to do
ability to get along with others, appreciate the
activity, for long duration continuously with
uniqueness of others, and feel connected with
desired speed without fatigue. Long distance
others. Having good friends, bond with family
race, swimming are the examples of endurance
members, volunteerism, community services,
sports.
trusting relationship etc. are indicator of
social wellness. Individual feeling of loneliness
c) Speed - Ability to complete the task in
and isolation are linked with ill health and
minimum possible time. Quickness of
connected with people, group etc. are health
movement of limbs in 100m sprint reflects the
boosters.
speed in 100 m sprint.
Emotional Dimension - Emotional wellness 1. Improved overall health: Regular
includes awareness, acceptance and exercise and a healthy diet can help
management. Emotional awareness means prevent a range of health conditions,
recognizing one’s own and other’s; feelings, including heart disease, diabetes, and
emotional acceptance includes understanding obesity.
your personal limits and ability in terms of 2. Increased energy: Regular exercise
emotions and emotional management means and a healthy diet can boost energy
control of an individual’s feelings and having levels and help you feel more alert
adequate coping mechanism. An emotionally and focused throughout the day.
well person should have the ability to express 3. Improved mood: Exercise has been
emotions, adjust to change, coping with shown to release endorphins, which
stressful environment, accepting the can improve mood and reduce
limitations, achieving, emotional stability and feelings of stress and anxiety.
enjoying life happily.
4. Increased strength and flexibility:
Spiritual Dimension - does not focus on God
Regular exercise can help increase
or religion as people assume. That involves
muscle strength and flexibility, which
personal search for meaning and direction of
can help reduce the risk of injury and
life. It focuses on beliefs, principles, values
improve overall physical performance.
that provide guidance and strength during all
5. Increased strength and flexibility:
life’s experience.
Regular exercise can help increase
Intellectual Dimension - It is an individual’s muscle strength and flexibility, which
ability to learn, think critically, analyzing, can help reduce the risk of injury and
evaluating, applying knowledge and improve overall physical performance.
interacting with the world. Intellectual person 6. Better sleep: Regular exercise can
is open minded, having ability to accept improve sleep quality, which can have
others instead of being threatened by people a positive impact on overall health
who are different from others. They have and well-being.
faith in their own ideas and philosophies. 7. Improved cognitive function: Regular
exercise has been shown to improve
Environmental Dimension - refers to cognitive function, including memory,
preserving of natural resources, protection of attention, and decision-making.
plants and wildlife. An individual should form
habits such as recycling, conservation of
water electricity, petroleum products, organic Philippine Traditional Games
agriculture, etc. Traditional Games and Sports
Occupational Dimension - The occupational Upon the desire of the Bureau of Physical
dimension involves with personal satisfaction Education and School Sports (BPESS) to foster
of an individual from job or career. An patriotism, nationalism and appreciation of
individual spends lots of time on career or job traditional games among the youth, it
in his/her life, so before choosing job or embarked on a difficult but fruitful task to
career an individual must understand its search and record the traditional games from
internal and external rewards. Occupationally the different regions of the country.
well prepared people are able to maximize
their skills and also have verity in it. Their patience, dedication and untiring effort
Importance of Physical Fitness and Wellness to identify these games based upon their
popularity and competitive quality paid off.
 5. Have participation restricted to either
The successful launching of the first "Palaro boys or girls or men or women.
ng Lahi" on February 10, 1984 at Laoag, Ilocos 6. It lack of precise boundaries or special
Norte through the combined efforts of MECS, facilities.
Office of the Provincial Governor and Office of 7. Use little or no equipment.
the Municipal Mayor, prompted the BPESS to 8. It is controlled by players rather than
include these "Laro ng Lahi" as an activity for referee.
physical education. 9. Give men the opportunity for
competition and self-testing, but give
Games are a universal phenomenon. Adult
women the opportunity to practice
and children alike maintain their own kind of
cooperation.
games played at certain points in their lives.
10. Use simple skills.
THE FILIPINO ‘LARO’

In the book ‘A study of Philippine Games’ Benefits of Traditional Games

(1980), author Mellie Leandicho Lopez noted
1. Physical development of the players.
that ‘laro’ is the Filipino generic term for all
2. Skills training and Skills maintenance
forms of recreational play.
for adult behavior. Traditional game
Traditional Filipino Games or traditional play develops physical and cognitive
games in the Philippines are games commonly skills, social decorum and respect for
played by children, usually using native others.
materials or instruments. 3. The enhancement of the community
values about age and gender roles.
In the Philippines, due to limited resources of 4. Create opportunities for interaction
toys of Filipino children, they usually come up within a community and between
on inventing games without the need of communities.
anything but the players themselves. With the 5. Perpetuation of heritage and sense of
flexibility of a real human to think and act origin. Traditional game offer
makes the game more interesting and continuity and contextuality of
challenging. ethnicity. Knowing these games helps
in understanding ones symbolic,
Dickie Aguado, Executive Director of Magna social and physical culture.
Kultura Foundation (a Philippine NGO for Arts
and Culture), confirms that the Traditional
Filipino Games are very much alive in the Types of Traditional Games
Philippines.
GAMES OF PHYSICAL SKILLS
Characteristics of Traditional Games The outcome is determined by
physical and motor skills of the players. E.g.
1. It is locally organized. endurance, strength, coordination, agility etc.
2. Have a few rules. The rules are not These games can be divided four types:
written and enforced.
3. Have few roles and positions for a. Games that require only physical skills
players. e.g. running a race.
4. Utilize the observation and imitation b. Games that combine physical skill
methods of learning rather than any with strategy e.g. wrestling.
kind of sophisticated teaching or c. Games that combine physical skill
coaching. with luck.
 d. Games that combine physical skill RHYTHM GAMES
with rhythm , e.g. clapping games. The outcome is determined by
players’ musical skills combined with skills, e.g.
GAMES OF STRATEGY
chanting, clapping, hands or playing an
This game is determined by the
instrument to provide the beat or cadence for
success achieved through the rational choices
performance.
of the players. Many games of strategy are
combined with physical skills, however there VERBAL GAMES
are two types: The outcome is determined by
a. Games where elements of luck is absent players’ ability to combine their memory with
b. Games of chance where the element of their use of words. Verbal games are
luck is a factor in the outcome. considered especially important means for
practicing oral skills in those societies where
GAMES OF CHANCE
writing has yet to develop. Perceptive
The outcome is determined by players
awareness, association logic are components
luck (good or bad). These games combine luck
of cognitive skills. These skills are extremely
with physical skills and/or strategy. It is
important. However, verbal games combine
usually played with money or stakes, in which
memory and strategy skills.
the winner is determined by a chance event,
as by drawing numbers or throwing dice. The SIMULATION GAMES
two types of these games are Guessing and The outcome is determined by
Gambling game. players’ ability to copy either one another or
some other person or thing. This type of game
a. Guessing game – is a game in which
is an attempt to simulate the decisions and
the object is to guess some kind of
processes inherent to some real-world
information, such as word, a phrase, a
situation. Most of the mechanics are chosen
title or the location of the object.
to reflect what the real-world consequences
b. Gambling games – the games played
would be of each player action and decision.
or stakes in the hope of winning
There are three different types of simulation:
including the payment of a price for a
chance to win a prize.
i. Mimicry games, where players copy actions,
GAMES OF MEMORY
sound or appearance of people, object or
The outcome is determined by
animals from their environment.
player’s ability to remember. This challenger
ii. Imitation games, where players copy the
to memory is usually found combined with
skill performance of others, usually in an
verbal game, rhythm games and even
effort to become skillful themselves.
physical skills game.
iii. Dramatic plays, where players act out
situations and to try different ‘roles.’