Complete Fitness: What’s Healthy Exercise?

Frederick C. Hatfield II, MS, MFS, CSCS

In a previous article (“Exercise And The Press”) I reported on research noting that higher amounts of exercise had higher benefits then lesser amounts. The point of that article was how the media still sang the praises of low intensity exercise despite the findings of the study. Five months later, new research notes that a little exercise may not be worthwhile at all. Do you think this may finally change the minds of the “light fitness crowd?” It doesn’t appear so!

Amanda Dunn of the “Health Reporter” (“Walking for Heart May be an Exercise in Futility”, April 16, 2003) reports that the “even a little exercise is good” line of thought is being challenged by research in the British Journal, “Heart”.

To summarize the findings, “light” fitness activities such as walking, bowling and sailing do very little to protect from cardiovascular disease and to reduce the risk of death. For the record, moderate exercise was described as golf, digging and dancing, while heavy exercise was described as climbing stairs, swimming and jogging.

Even though this study claims that light fitness activities do very little, Dunn’s article notes that other scientists STILL claim that it’s beneficial or as they put it, “better than none”. A cardiologist quoted in the article, David Hare, suggests the most beneficial level of exercise occurs when breathing is elevated, but a normal conversation can be held.

What could possibly keep these fitness experts (are cardiologists “fitness experts?”) from the idea of vigorous exercise? The answer is clear: in their field they are worried about the heart. Their fear is that people will over exert themselves and have a heart attack. Of course, that is a reasonable concern; however they are still ignoring that their “light exercise” isn’t doing the job. Furthermore, is this the only fitness concern?

The International Sports Sciences Association has identified 16 components of fitness. These are:

1. Limit strength

2. Starting strength

3. Explosive strength

4. Agility

5. Flexibility

6. Static Balance

7. Dynamic Balance

8. Local Muscular Endurance

9. Speed Endurance

10. Cardiovascular Endurance

11. Muscle Mass

12. Percent Body Fat

13. Freedom from stress

14. Freedom from disease

15. Preventive lifestyle (includes proper nutritional habits and reducing risk factors)

16. Mind/Body/Spirit Connection – Being “at peace” with yourself

Even for the average “Mr. And Mrs. Jones”, all components of fitness have an effect on preventing cardiovascular disease. With this in mind, the following table charts how the components of fitness help prevent cardio vascular disease. The effects of “light exercise” has on each of the components (based on the studies documented in recent studies) is also noted.

How The Components of Fitness Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Component	How	Benefits of Light Exercise?
Cardiovascular Endurance	Promotes heart, respiratory, vascular fitness.	Low or Non-existent
Freedom From Stress	Lowers the daily demands placed on the heart.	Possible
Freedom From Disease	Obvious benefits.	Low or Non-existent
Preventive Lifestyle	Improves vascular functioning as well as direct benefits to the heart and respiratory system	Low or Non-existent
Body Composition (Reasonably Increased Muscle Mass and Decreased Body Fat)	Lowers the demands on the heart by increasing vascular functioning.	Low or Non-existent
Limit Strength, Starting Strength, Explosive Strength	Factors involved in improving Body Composition	None
Local Muscular Endurance	Improves cardiovascular and Cardiorespiratory functioning	Low or Non-existent
Mind/Body/Spirit Connection	Lowers Stress Level	Possible

Agility, balance and speed endurance may play an indirect effect by providing components needed for enjoyable activities.

What Are We Doing About It?

According to SGMA International here are the top 30 fitness and outdoor activities in the U.S. (age 6 and above). Below is a listing of the activities (in order of their popularity) and the possible (even if it’s remotely possible) benefits of each. Of course, many are dependant how vigorously you engage in them. For example, fitness walking could be a brisk walk (getting your heart rate up to acceptable levels) or it could be a simple leasure walk. The components involving stress levels are not listed as it is assumed you enjoy doing them.

Components of Fitness In The Most Popular Fitness and Outdoor Activities

Rank	Activity (participants in Millions)	Possible Fitness Components Affected:
1	Bowling 53.2	Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance
2	Treadmill Exercise 43.4	Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat Speed Endurance
3	Freshwater Fishing (not Fly) 42.6	Depends on the fight in the fish and if you fight back!
4	Tent Camping 40.3	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Speed Endurance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat (But only if you encounter a bear!)
5	Billiards/Pool 39.5	None
6	Stretching 38.4	Flexibility
7	Fitness Walking 38.0	Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
8	Day Hiking 36.8	Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
9	Basketball 36.6	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
10	Running/Jogging 35.9	Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat Speed Endurance
11	Stationary Cycling (Recumbent, spinning, upright) 29.1	Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat Speed Endurance
12	Dumbbells 28.9	Limit Strength Starting Strength Explosive Strength Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Muscle Mass Percent Bodyfat
13	Hand Weights 28.5	Local Muscular Endurance
14	Weight/Resistance Machines 27.8	Limit Strength Starting Strength Explosive Strength Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Muscle Mass Percent Bodyfat
15	Golf 27.8 (WALK THE COURSE)	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Dynamic Balance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
16	Calisthenics 26.9	Flexibility Static Balance Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Muscle Mass Percent Bodyfat
17	Barbells 24.8	Limit Strength Starting Strength Explosive Strength Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Muscle Mass Percent Bodyfat
18	Inline Skating 21.6 (assuming you are not speed skating)	Dynamic Balance Static Balance Local Muscular Endurance Speed Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
19	Darts 19.7	Static Balance
20	RV Camping 18.7	Bears generally won’t attack RV’s!
21	Target Shooting (Pistol, rifle) 17.6	Static Balance
22	Soccer 17.6	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
23	Abdominal Machine/Device 17.4	Limit Strength Starting Strength Explosive Strength Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Muscle Mass (but only for the abominal area)
24	Hunting (Shotgun/Rifle) 16.5	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Speed Endurance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat (But only for the bear!)
25	Tennis 16.4	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
26	Touch Football 14.9	Starting Strength Explosive Strength Agility Dynamic Balance Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat
27	Saltwater Fishing 14.9	Depends on the fight in the fish and if you fight back!
28	Horseback Riding 14.6	Dynamic Balance
29	Fitness Swimming 14.5	Local Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat Speed Endurance
30	Ice Skating 14.5	Dynamic Balance Static Balance Local Muscular Endurance Speed Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Percent Body Fat

Concluding Thoughts:

I am in full agreement that exercise and fitness must be viewed on a case by case basis. For some individuals getting out of a chair is not “light” exercise, but rather a difficult task. If fitness levels are going to increase in any individual, they must go beyond what is “light” exercise for them. Furthermore, using cardiovascular guidelines as standards of fitness is inadequate. Heart rates and respiratory rates do play a part in detecting levels of fitness, but all 16 components play a part in prevention of cardiovascular disease to some extent. Furthermore, in terms of quality of life and actually exercising, they are all important as the second table shows (though some parts are a bit tongue-in-cheek).

The media and the scientists whose research I quoted should carefully reconsider singing the praises of “light” exercise. The intensity of the exercise should be increased over time and should be monitored by a competent exercise expert. Staying in the “light” exercise category and saying it’s “good” is like staying educated at the middle school level (never going to high school or beyond) and claiming that IT is good.

I have no doubt media trends will continue to focus on cardiovascular health as it is important. However, it is the prescription of what is needed that should be considered.