Physical activity is any kind of movement that causes your body to use energy. Walking the dog, vacuuming the carpet, and raking leaves are all physical activities, and so are playing basketball and swimming laps. Being active makes you feel better physically and gives you more energy. Regular activity also helps you think and concentrate better, which can improve your performance in school and work.
To be healthy, we should all move our bodies at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes each day. What is "moderate intensity"? If you are able to have a brief conversation, but not to sing, your body is working at moderate intensity. If you can sing, you are working at low intensity. If you are breathing hard enough that you cannot have a conversation, you are working at high intensity.
Different kinds of physical activity benefit your health in different ways. Learn more below.
Cardiovascular fitness
Strength
Endurance
Flexibility
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability to exercise your entire body for long periods of time. It requires a good heart and healthy lungs. Running, walking fast, and swimming are ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Strength is the amount of force your muscles can produce. Strength is often measured by how much weight you can lift. People with good strength can perform daily tasks easily. You can build strength by lifting weights at a gym, but you can also build strength by digging in a garden or loading building supplies into a truck..
Another part of fitness is endurance. Muscle endurance is the ability to use your muscles many times over without tiring. People with good muscular endurance are likely to have better posture and fewer back problems. They also do not get tired as quickly as others who lack muscle endurance. For example, a mountain climber who lacks endurance won’t make it to the top of the mountain. Or a soccer player who lacks endurance won’t play well by the end of a match.
Flexibility is the ability to use your joints fully through a wide range of motions. People with good flexibility have fewer sore or injured muscles. You can improve your flexibility by stretching your muscles and joints. Dance, gymnastics, and volleyball are a few sports that can help you build your flexibility.
