The article is titled “Training Program for Athletes: Build Muscle and Improve Performance”. It explains how athletes can optimize their training to build muscle and improve performance. The article states that athletes must focus on compound exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows, that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The reason is that compound exercises are more efficient at building muscle and strength compared to isolation exercises.
In addition, compound exercises like squats and deadlifts, for example, work for multiple muscle groups at once, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, which allow the athlete to lift heavier weights and create a more significant stimulus for muscle growth. It also recommends that athletes work with heavy weights and low reps to build muscle. Moreover, the article suggests that athletes should also focus on progressive overload, which is the gradual increase of weight, reps, or sets.
It also highlights that it is essential for athletes to have a strong core, which is achieved by performing exercises such as planks, Russian twists, and deadlifts. In addition, the article recommends that athletes include some form of cardio, such as interval training, to improve endurance and cardiovascular health. The article also suggests that athletes should incorporate some form of flexibility and mobility work into their training programs. This can include stretching, yoga, and foam rolling to help increase the range of motion and prevent injuries.
In summary, the article provides a general guideline for athletes to build muscle and improve performance by focusing on compound exercises, progressive overload, core strength, and flexibility. It highlights the importance of cardio and mobility work for overall fitness and injury prevention. Thus, following these recommendations, athletes can form training programs to achieve the best results. However, the suggested tips can be used in other types of daily workouts.
Sport plays an important role in the maintenance of people health. However, the sport and fitness activities can be harmful if people do not adhere to the specific regimes, pace, or do not know about the contradictory evidence for certain sport activities.
That is why the specialized literature can help a lot to know how to engage in sports without harm for your health. The book Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness by Thomas D. Fahey, Paul M. Insel and Walton T.Roth is one of the best guides for the followers of the healthy way of life.
The Brief Content of the Book
The book Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness encompasses a broader look at the physical activity and its specific features than many other works on the topic. In particular, the authors of the book tried to explain the causes of major diseases and to describe the necessary sport activities to prevent and overcome them.
hey expressed the medical point of view in the book. Besides, they referred to the statistical data making their conclusions and advice more persuasive and valuable. In particular, the presented summary of the leading clauses of the death in the United States in 2009 were characterized by the lifestyle factors contributing to them. The analysis allowed formulating the principles of the healthy way of life to which everyone should adhere.
The behavior approach to wellness is one of the main concepts introduced in the book. It can be described as “moving in the direction of wellness means cultivating healthy behaviors and working to overcome unhealthy ones” (Fahey et al. 12).
This concept applies even to the fitness activities and the authors of the book explain how to create a Behavior Change Workbook and to make daily fitness enjoyable for you. Fitness can be defined as a good state of the organism and healthy physical condition, primarily due to the proper nutrition and exercise (Fitness par. 1).
The benefits of physical activity are numerous: the increase in the muscles strength, the reduction of the risk of depression, the improvement of the circulation of the blood, and many others (The Benefits of Physical Activity n. pag.).
Thanks to the conception developed by the authors of the book, I used to manage my wellness more effectively. After reading the book, I became more conscious towards my health and the advice presented by the authors helped me to recognize that all you have to do is to have a system in training and physical exercise. In my opinion, the Daily Fitness and Nutrition Journals are really useful as it allow me regulating my daily allowance and fitness.
Conclusion
The book Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness by Thomas D. Fahey, Paul M. Insel and Walton T.Roth represents a modern view on the physical exercises. The authors introduced their behavior approach to the wellness which focuses on the psychological aspect of management of the daily activity.
In addition, they suggested the effective tools of implementing the proposed system including the Daily Fitness and Nutrition Journals and Behavior Change Workbook. In my opinion, Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness will be useful for everyone who is not indifferent to their own health and wellness.
Works Cited
Fahey, Thomas D., Insel, Paul M. and Walton T.Roth. Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.
This paper discusses my experience with exercising and the results I have achieved over the past year. It also studies several evidence-based investigations presenting the benefits of fitness for physical and mental health. The paper discusses how physical activity can reduce proneness to diseases and unhealthy behavior, improve adverse psychological aspects of individuals’ lives, and change the way brain functions. It concentrates on the benefits for both physical and mental health state. The paper also suggests the strategy that can elevate adherence to exercise based on personal experience. The study proves that fitness is crucial for individuals’ functioning and well-being.
Personal Fitness Experience
I have always been interested in fitness but only started to exercise recently. Most of my family members have been doing sports for a long time and have inspired me to follow their example. I believe that my grandparents have excellent health because they have been exercising for the past thirty years. However, for a long time did not understand why fitness could be significant for my body and mental state. To gain knowledge in the field of exercise, I have conducted a study on the topic and implemented its results in my daily practice. Below, I will discuss the data I have discovered, as well as personal experience with fitness.
The primary reason for me to start exercising was being in good physical shape. I used to be overweight because I did not pay enough attention to my nutrition. I consumed a lot of sugar in my food and drinks and enjoyed unhealthy foods, such as potato chips, and pizzas. However, even after I had changed my eating habits, I could not lose weight. I have quickly realized that the reason for it was the lack of physical activity, which motivated me to start exercising. To stay consistent with training and inspired to continue doing fitness, I began to surround myself with people that were interested in sports and physical training. They explained to me what exercises were the best to meet my needs, and helped me develop a training program. I have chosen to include both aerobic and heaving exercises in my fitness routine, as I believe that such a combination of physical activities works best for my body. Later, I have developed a strategy of adherence to fitness that I will discuss below. This strategy along with the findings from the studies has helped me improve my physical health.
However, it is necessary to point out that exercise is highly beneficial to an individual’s psychological state too. Even before I had conducted my research using evidence-based sources, I noticed several shifts in my mental health. Firstly, I do not feel as tired as I had been before. Sometimes intensive training exhausts me, but it only affects my body, while the tiredness I had often experienced in the past was primary emotional. Prior to exercising, I had not been motivated to do my work and complete necessary tasks, even though it was unreasonable to defer them. Moreover, I often felt anxious about my past and my future. Sometimes it was impossible for me to focus on my activities because of rumination. I lacked concentration and often felt angry or upset for no reason. After I had started exercising, I noticed that my anxiety eliminated during the first two weeks of regular training. I have begun to think positively and concentrate on negative thoughts less. Moreover, I do not feel overwhelmed by emotions anymore. I always feel energetic and motivated to do necessary tasks or exercise; I am passionate about much more things that I had been before. I believe that fitness has caused this positive shift in my mental state.
Evidence-Based Benefits of Exercise
Effects on Physical Health and Appearance
Additional research has helped me realize that exercise and fitness are crucial for human’s health. Neufer et al. suggest that evolutionary, physical activities have played a vital role in defining “normal” physiology, while the lack of them is one of the primary risk factors of global mortality (4). Humans had to lead an active life to survive, so it is natural that exercise can make a significant contribution to health. According to Febbraio, even short periods of activity can make a difference, as they can initiate the disruption of metabolic homeostasis (72-73). It means that fitness reduces the risks of developing many diseases including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular illnesses. For the same reason, exercising has a protective effect against dementia and improves memory (Febbraio 73). Consequently, individuals should start doing sports as early as possible to prevent unlikely health conditions in the future.
It is essential to understand why fitness has such a significant impact on the evolvement of various diseases. According to Cerdá et al., exercise initiates several processes in the brain that include activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, the promotion of an anti-inflammatory state, the release of cytokines, and reinforcement of neuromuscular function. It means that physical activities cause structural and functional changes in the human brain and lead to permanent positive shifts in health state (Mandolesi et al.). The structural changes include brain volumes and measures of white matter integrity, which can improve cognitive functioning (Mandolesi et al.). Functional changes are based, for example, on modification of functional properties of a neural circuit (Mandolesi et al.). As a result, the human brain transforms, providing an opportunity for a shift in an individual’s reaction to stimuli and proneness to illnesses. It is notable that cardiovascular and aerobic fitness can result in better academic achievements of individuals (Berchicci et al. 211). It implies that exercise can be significant for students wanting to improve their performance.
It is clear that for many people the primary benefit of regular physical activities is that their bodies become fit. I have noticed that three fitness sessions per week have made my muscles more defined; my body has grown stronger. I can lift more weight than I had been able to before implementing physical activities into my life. I can also admit that running has become more comfortable for me; I have stopped experiencing the shortage of breathing. It is necessary to mention that I have been able to improve my sleep schedule and its quality because of exercise. I have started to wake up earlier without feeling tired. My sleep has become more profound, and I feel more rested after it. I believe that there is a direct connection between these improvements and my physical activity.
Effects on Mental State
The positive effects of exercise on an individual’s mental health are described in several studies. Knapen et al. suggest that the impact of fitness can be comparable to the results that antidepressants and psychotherapy can provide in treating mild and moderate depression (1490). In case of severe mental health problems, exercise can be considered an additional treatment used along with traditional methods. Researchers note that physical training can have the most significant contribution to the treatment of patients experiencing a combination of physical and mental health problems (Knapen et al. 1490). Physical activity improves individuals’ body image, coping strategies with stress and undesirable circumstances, and general quality of life. Exercise can also help in treating unhealthy and addictive behaviors including smoking, alcohol use, and gambling (Mandolesi et al.). The reason for it is that proneness to these actions is caused by low activity, volume, and oxygenation of the lower prefrontal cortex (Mandolesi et al.). Such behaviors can be successfully eliminated by regular exercise. Due to changes in the lower prefrontal cortex, fitness can also reduce tobacco and cigarette use, which results in the quality of life improvement.
There are several parameters that can be used to evaluate the effects of physical activity. For example, high intensity of exercise improves the speed of information processing while moderate intensity can increase working memory and cognition (Mandolesi et al.). Duration and frequency of physical activity are significant parameters as well. For example, training programs that last longer than one month with sessions exceeding thirty minutes are more likely to eliminate anxiety and depression compared to the shorter ones (Mandolesi et al.). Researchers also report that aerobic exercise can significantly reduce mental health problems with exercise intensity between 30% and 70% of maximal heart rate (Mandolesi et al.). Anaerobic activities that involve abdominal breathing and rhythmic and repetitive movements can affect mood changes as well. Some of them, such as yoga, can be done at home, which makes them available to a large number of individuals.
Improving Adherence to Exercising
I have developed several strategies for improving adherence to exercising based on the reviewed studies. I have used the following recommendations as a motivation to continue doing fitness. For example, Knapen et al. suggest that exercise programs should be created according to individuals’ preferences and expectations considering their emotional and psychological capacities (1494). The goals of fitness should be realistic and relevant to the physical and mental state. I aim to achieve good physical health and want my body to look fit. However, I realize that I cannot do several activities due to my health issues, so I try to keep my objectives realistic. Another strategy I use it scheduling a regular exercising time. For example, I do sports every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Planning helps me feel responsible for improving my health and motivates me not to miss workouts. Lastly, it is crucial to combine exercising with proper nutrition. I always cook for myself and never eat unhealthy foods. It helps me to stay in shape and have a varied and well-balanced diet.
It is necessary to have a clear vision to achieve the best results. When I am exercising, I try to focus on how my body will look like several months later and what aspects of it I want to improve, as well as the process of accomplishing my goal. Concentrating on the sense of control over my muscles also motivates me to continue doing fitness, as the more I exercise, the better my body functions. I also measure my results every week to see how much progress I make and how close I am to my ultimate objective. I believe that it is crucial to document how the body shape changes with time as it proves that exercise can make a significant positive impact on the way individuals look and feel.
Conclusion
Fitness is beneficial not only because it keeps individuals in shape but also because it can have a significant impact on physical and mental health. To me, physical activity has become the routine that I enjoy as I can see the positive changes in the state of my body and mind. I have noticed that I have become more strong and fit. I have also stopped experiencing anxiety, as well as lack of concentration, motivation, and energy. The research I have conducted provides significant insight into the benefits of fitness as well. The findings show that physical activity can prevent the development of many diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, improve memory, and expand functional properties of a neural circuit. The correlation between fitness and good mental state is also crucial. Intense physical activities can substitute antidepressants and psychotherapy, or be a valuable part of a treatment plan. Notably, exercise can reduce unhealthy behaviors and addictions. The more intensive the activities are, the more significant the impact on mental health is. I believe that all individuals should exercise as it is crucial for brain and body functioning and can improve the quality of life significantly.
Works Cited
Berchicci, M., et al. “From Cognitive Motor Preparation to Visual Processing: The Benefits of Childhood Fitness to Brain Health.” Neuroscience, vol. 298, 2015, pp. 211-21.
Febbraio, Mark A. “Exercise Metabolism in 2016: Health Benefits of Exercise—More Than Meets the Eye!” Nature Reviews Endocrinology, vol. 13, no. 2, 2017, pp. 72-74.
Knapen, Jan, et al. “Exercise Therapy Improves Both Mental and Physical Health in Patients With Major Depression.” Disability and Rehabilitation, vol. 37, no.16, 2015, pp. 1490-1495.
Neufer, P. Darrell, et al. “Understanding the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Physical Activity-Induced Health Benefits.” Cell Metabolism, vol. 22, no.1, 2015, pp. 4-11.
Regular activity is the only approach to maintaining a proper physical health state for an individual. Apart from that, exercises have a positive effect on the mental well-being of people. It is essential to understand the components that contribute to proper training to ensure that the chosen program presents benefits. This paper aims to describe cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.
Main body
Firstly, cardiorespiratory endurance is connected to long training sessions that engage large muscles. Such exercises can be performed at moderate or high intensity, depending on a specific goal. The factor impacts both the heart functioning and the metabolism of an individual. Secondly, muscular strength can be described as the force that a particular group of muscles can execute. The program that enables improvement of the component should include at least two sessions per week and be nonconsecutive.
Next, muscular endurance is an essential factor because it enables an individual to overcome fatigue during exercising. Furthermore, this helps avoid injuries and maintain correct posture outside training. The fourth component is flexibility, and it describes joints and their motions during various physical activities. Exercises that target this factor should be performed at least two or three times a week and be either static or dynamic.
Conclusion
Finally, body composition describes the amount of fat that a person has in his or her body in proportion to other components, for instance, muscles or bones. The factor is important because people who have excessive levels of fat in their bodies are subjected to various health problems. Therefore, the element predetermines the need to exercise to improve the overall health state and mitigate the risks of diseases. Ideally, an individual should have a low amount of fat with a significant fat-free mass. Overall, the described psychical fitness factors should be considered when preparing a training plan.
Over the past decades, there has been a steady increase in the workload of employees. In the multi-tasking world of the 21st century, Every person is expected to be some sort of super being who can manage to function on very little to no sleep in order to perform in the global community. Somehow, we have been able to find a way to function in such a manner; combining our work, social, home life, and other duties within a 24-hour time frame. This is well and good for most people and I applaud the people who can do this. However, such accomplishments come at a great price to most people. The price that these people pay? In exchange for using the human body in a manner that we would use say a gym treadmill, our physical health and fitness status suffers a tremendous blow. The human body is like a car that we use every day. It requires daily maintenance and checkups in order to continue serving the purpose that we use it for. By neglecting to keep ourselves physically fit and healthy, we neglect our body maintenance and pay the price once we get sick.
As mentioned above, the world now relies on 24 hours of activities in order to keep our lives running. This leads to a stressful condition for the mind and body. Our physical and mental health is directly affected by the stress that exists in our daily lives. Having said that, it is important to note that such constant pressure on the body and mind will create a negative impact on our bodies health-wise. This is why medical professionals suggest daily exercise routines in order to help us find a balance of stress and release in our daily lives.
Having acknowledged this problem, we now see an influx of personal fitness-based stress management techniques that transitions the negative effect of stress in our lives into a positive one. This positive effect is achieved by encouraging the body to produce and release endorphins, adrenaline, and dopamine during the exercise process. It has been scientifically proven that these “sense of well-being” chemicals within the body are released during significant amounts of exercise periods. In a way, these chemicals help the mind to relax. Of course, everyone knows that a relaxed mind is a stress-free mind and leads to more effective performance in the workplace.
But these chemical reactions do not reach all the way into the physical aspect of our body, the muscles. Therefore, physical exercise, specifically cardiovascular regimens encourages our muscles to relax and release tension. There are also times when people who have irregular sleeping patterns report that exercising corrects their sleeping problems. Therefore, we can say and believe that by catering to the needs of one’s health and fitness, we can see and feel a change occurring within ourselves both physically and mentally.
Further evidence of the positive effects of physical conditioning has also shown that 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise on a daily basis provides the most effective physical and mental benefits for the exerciser. On average, people who exercise as little as 3 times a week regularly tend to live about 2 years more than those who do not exercise at all in their daily lives. There are also documented reports that by simply keeping up a regular aerobic exercise routine, most illnesses such as high blood pressure and cholesterol problems can be placed under control without the need for maintenance medication.
Most people, myself included, agree that there seems to be an integrated effect between exercise, psychological, physical, and an overall sense of well-being. Therefore, we can conclude and be persuaded to believe that exercising has a long-term positive effect on our lives. People who exercise have been proven to live longer, more productive lives.
Fitness is the best weapon we have in our quest to fight aging and premature death. I have to point out that one does not necessarily have to do a formal exercise regimen in order to keep fit and healthy. Little changes in our daily physical activity can also encourage the same fitness effects that exercising does. Simply washing the car is equivalent to a heavy 30-minute cardiovascular workout that will benefit our heart and brain by forcing our body to pump and produce more oxygen for various body parts that work hard during the activity.
At the end of it all, there are simply no negative effects on our body once we take care of our health and fitness. Nobody has ever died from not exercising, but there have been deaths due to inactivity and obesity, and nobody wants to become a death statistic under that heading. So go ahead, get off your cushy seat, and strap on the sneakers. It’s time to exercise.
People all over the world are becoming fitness conscious as they have realized that it is the most important and have shifted their priorities from everything else to keep them fit and fine as healthy with wealth. Regular exercise has several benefits it helps the body to get into the desired shape and develops resistance power from gaining additional and excessive weight. It helps a person safe from diseases such as obesity, blood pressure, heart diseases, and high cholesterol. Furthermore, an activity also helps in reducing depression and insomnia by enhancing sleeping routines. Also, such activity is known to produce positive vibes inside a person which in turn increases the person’s confidence. (Hardcastle, 2006)
Fitness training fine-tunes the muscles using and burning calories in the body which also increases the metabolic rate in the body. While an inactive person will have his or her body losing its muscles decreasing the metabolism of the body, resulting in concentration of calories and formation of fat and the person gains weight. Exercises like walking, jogging, running, swimming, doing push-ups and pull-ups, running up a flight of stairs, doing crunches, cycling, etc. not only helps a person maintain an outer strong and toned look but it also help the organs like heart, lungs, liver and other to function properly while giving mental peace. (Hasselfors, Hans, n.d.)
For the community, there can be several initiatives taken to help people exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet. Being a nutritionist advisor, I can guide people on what types of food are healthy and which types of foods should be avoided. As a social welfare worker, I can organize marathons for social causes where people can participate in the form of marathon exercises and also serve a more worldly cause. By adopting an educationist’s role, I can educate the positive aspects of personal fitness and make people aware of the negatives of not exercising. Also, I can start dancing lessons for young boys and girls where from an early stage not only children learn to dance but also learn to exercise. Furthermore, I can become a sport’s proponent where teaching people to play sports will also help them increase their activity and become fit. (Personal Health Zone, 2009)
The most common type of exercise is walking or running. From a casual stroll to a paced walk every day works the muscles relentlessly. Yet another popular exercise common amongst the younger people is playing sports since most sports involve running and stretching out the body muscles. Aerobics or even dancing is a type of exercise that is fun yet physically strengthening. Although swimming might fall under the banner of sports, most people swim to relax in the water and have a good time, and can exercise their body at the same time. For the more body-conscious people, bodybuilding is a set of exercises that strengthens the muscles by picking weights and putting regular pressure. Carrying excessive loads from to and fro also is a form of exercise. Furthermore, in a computer-related work environment, where repetitive strain injury (RSI) is quite common, people should take regular breaks and stretch out their muscles. People recommend the use of machines available in gymnasiums to flex their muscles. Yet another method of exercising is cycling either on a bicycle or a gymnasium machine. (ADAM, 2004)
Active people tend to outlive those who are inactive. In case of being physically inactive for a long time and then taking drastic measures to lose weight to achieve a good result is not an efficient way, as it will not have a lifelong effect on the body. It is rather recommended to consult the physician and go slowly and step-wise. Alongside maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy food, avoiding junk and fast food, and exercising regularly mainly in the early morning and late evening as these are the effective times for exercising.
The role of sport in education has long been underestimated by educators because most of students’ achievements are measured by their intellectual skills and abilities. In fact, physical education is as important as such discipline as mathematics, physics, biology, or literature. During the courses, my attention was attracted by Ken Robinson’s lecture on the role of kinesiology in shaping and developing students’ creativity.
More importantly, there are a variety of sport activities that made both human body and mind interact to gain new knowledge and experience. Being a former professional bicyclist, I admit that professional sport is both about physical fitness and about intelligence because there are many theoretical frameworks, as well as practical experiences that contribute to significant achievements in sports.
Other disciplines, such as dancing or gymnastics, also provide a solid foundation for developing memory of movements, as well as for improving physical and psychological wellbeing through workout programs.
Aside from educational purposes, professional sport also implies legal and ethical concerns that are controlled by such international organization as the World Health Organization. While examining social history of sports, I have learned important information about gender considerations, as well as legal and financial challenges surrounding them.
Apart from the regulations controlling fair and objective judgment of games and competitions, sport is closely associated with personal ethics and morale that make people much stronger and morally responsible. Specifically, I am convinced that people involved in professional sport activities are highly appraise honor and respect.
I am also supporter of fair, equal, and objective competition, in which talents, hard work, and experience should rather than political influence should be encouraged. I also insist that real sporting activities should be free from false stereotypes and prejudices that specifically refer to gender, ethnicity, and disabled people.
Moral stance is an important component of sport competition because winning at all costs does not justify the ends. Winning at all costs should be excluded from educational theories because it distorts students’ perception about actual goals in physical education. In fact, my personal experience proves that sport should bring in pleasure and health, as well as provide valuable knowledge about the techniques for harmonizing body and mind.
Indeed, participation in sport should be aimed at building stronger character rather than at achieving the highest results. It also focuses on the strong will and respectful attitude to rivals. Lack of awareness of these intentions can lead to a number of challenges. In particular, many parents strive to see their children on the top in football, basketball, or other kinds of sport.
In fact, this belief is mistaken because it does not only contradict the purpose of physical education, but also does harm to children’s individual perception of sport. Children who see sports as a means of proving its superiority often experience psychological pressure on the part of their educators and parents.
Changing perceptions in physical education should be a priority for children. Moreover, educators should introduce new concepts and paradigms in sport to produce positive influence on students’ physical and psychological welfare.
While conducting personal workouts, children should understand that sport shapes our way of life; it must be regarded as a science in which certain knowledge, skills, and experience could be gained that could later be used for professional growth and personal development.
Professional sport and physical education should premise on deep philosophical and ideological concepts. While studying the premises of kinesiology, my perception of sport activities has also been changed. So far, I used to identify sport with discipline, strength, and independence. In fact, this course has taught me that sport directly relates to creativity and widens my opportunities in intellectually driven spheres.
In fact, employing creativity in sports has allowed me to go beyond standards and discover new options for self-determination. Despite the fact that strict rules and discipline are prioritized, human mind is a multi-faceted entity that explores alternative paths in perceiving and cognizing the world.
Most of the theoretical and practical perspectives during the course have expanded my outlook on the role of sport in my life, as well as how it can enhance my professional fulfillment.
Philosophy on Physical Activity
Have you ever thought why people are so concerned with professional fulfillment? Probably, some of them are concerned with monetary reward whereas others strive for recognition in professional field. In my opinion, career development should not be a priority for people unless it brings in pleasure and satisfaction.
No doubt, interest can be regarded as the best teacher because lack of ambition and inspiration will turn people’s professional activities into subconscious, mindless, mechanical actions directed as earning money or promoting career. Many people fail to think over the actual ends in their life.
Will they still enjoy their profession as soon as they achieve what they want? My firm belief and the leading philosophy of life is that people should adhere to the favorite sports, and career development process should not be regarded as a monotonous routine, a duty that should be overcome. Rather, people should get pleasure from sport and believe in dreams coming true.
Being a former professional cyclist, I experienced both pleasure of victory and bitterness of defeat. Despite these hardship, I remained faithful to what I loved most of all – bike cycling. In my childhood and adolescents, I was keen on bicycling because it filled me with happiness and freedom.
Races always fascinated me and they do now, and I could not imagine my life without this sport. I joined the sport club and started mastering my physical skills to meet the requirements of professional sport. Despite the stereotypes that existed in China concerning sport as a professional occupation, I was determined to fulfill myself in this sphere. These recollections were the happiest ones in my life.
I have never been afraid of challenges, hard work, and constant training because it contributed to my experiences and professional advancement. As my career was developing, I joined the professional cycling team and later my popularity among other professional athletes increased. Newspaper and magazines on sport and cycling wrote my about me, and my professional club also recognized me as an outstanding and accomplished cyclist.
However, recognition and popularity were not among my prerogatives. I immediately understood that I forgot about the pleasant and exciting experience I enjoyed in my childhood when racing and feeling the spirit of freedom and independence. I did not have to prove my superiority over other cyclists or meet certain standards and requirements. Nevertheless, this professional sport was an important stance for me to master my skills in future.
Despite my passion for cycling, I decided to end my sport career and leave China to study abroad. In fact, China failed to provide me with the opportunities for continuing my sports career because of existing stereotypes and prejudices. While studying in the United States, my outlook on physical education has been changed dramatically. I have realized that sport is more than just physical fitness; rather, it is a new philosophical approach to life.
No matter how old you are and how many years have been spent on building professional career, sport will always be part of my life because it allows me to feel myself as a full-fledged and accomplished personality. Certainly, I could have proceeded with my career and China and I would have achieved good results, but it would contradict my actual objectives. I believe that sport activities should be associated with happiness, pleasure, and freedom.
Harmony of soul and body, as well as focus on creativity being part of physical education, is also among my priorities. I also agree with the idea that doing physical exercises should not be associated with routine workouts. Rather, it should be aimed at liberating my mind and advancing my personal spirituality and creativity.
In conclusion, despite the negative memories, I had to sacrifice my professional sports career to shape my personal philosophy of physical activity. While studying abroad, I have realized that interest, creativity, and enthusiasm should be guiding principles in mastering my skills and gaining experience in sports.
I have also understood that sport should not be underestimated in education because it also contributes to intellectual development. I am still fond of cycling because it provides me with spiritual freedom.
LA Fitness is an excellent online advertisement targeting college students. The advertisement promotes healthy living through its physical fitness programs (Fitness International, 2013). LA Fitness encourages online registration from students who have access to the internet.
LA Fitness advertisement exhibits a great deal of state-of-the-art physical exercise equipment. According to the advertisement, there are no charges for students who want to join group fitness classes.
Moreover, LA Fitness has other facilities across the United States, as well as in Canada. LA Fitness success is based on its facilities and reputation in south California. LA Fitness takes pride in its trainers. LA Fitness advertisement graphics are an indication that college students are their target audience. Online pictures of students doing yoga, riding bicycles, and participating in the gym club reveal the advertisement’s target audience.
Background information about physical exercise
Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that lack of physical exercise causes at least 3.2 million deaths worldwide. This information makes physical inactivity a major factor in global mortality. Therefore, laziness is a major problem for people who do not care about health.
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer are scary diseases to anyone. Inactive people are likely to acquire such ailments compared to physically active people. However, fear of contracting such diseases can be countered through physical exercises.
College students are vulnerable to sedentary lifestyles and stress. Attending classrooms and doing examinations, forms a stressful routine to any person. Also, there is always a tendency for students trying to acquire media-induced body ideals. In this regard, building healthy habits for college students is a necessity. The physiological concept behind exercising is that the human body is built for movement.
However, this does not mean that losing weight should be a priority. People misconceive the idea for physical fitness with weight loss, especially among female students. Female students are always obsessed with the idea of a slim body, just like media celebrities. Physical exercise helps college students reduce stress and improve mental health. Frequent attendance to physical exercise is of importance to a student who wants to improve on learning behavior.
Physical exercise is necessary for improving the overall wellbeing of a student. Reducing the occurrence of depression in a student through exercising is recommended in almost every institution. Inclusion of sports and physical exercise classes in learning institutions justifies the significance of exercise to students.
Background information about the audience
As indicated earlier, college students are vulnerable to lifestyle ailments and mental illness if they do not exercise. LA Fitness has physical exercise programs that are cost-friendly to college students. From this perspective, college students who shun exercising due to lack of enough money have a reason to join LA Fitness programs.
College students are likely to engage in lifestyle habits like drug abuse and alcoholism if they do not join physical exercise programs. In this case, students always require a deterrence technique to prevent them from such lifestyles. College students who suffer from mental distress, obesity, diabetes, and heart complications are encouraged to undergo physical exercises.
From research, it has been estimated that students who achieve good grades are physically and emotionally healthy. Research using a 4.0-grade scale would reveal that students who exercise score 0.4 points more than students who do not exercise (Parker-Pope, 2010). Moreover, students who study a lot tend to exercise regularly (Parker-Pope, 2010).
References
Fitness International. (2013). LA Fitness. Web.
Parker-Pope, T. (2010). Vigorous exercise linked with better grades. New York Times, pp.1A.
Statistical evidence indicates that fitness activities become more popular in the United States; in particular, approximately 50 million Americans attach importance to physical exercises (McClain 410). This is why they choose to join various health clubs. So, one can argue that this tendency is a very widespread phenomenon. It is possible to say that the main cause of this tendency is that many individuals associate fitness with physical attractiveness and success. They attach importance to the behavior of various celebrities who often set the standards of physical attractiveness. Apart from that, physical attractiveness is one of the factors that can contribute to their success in various areas of life.
Admittedly, in many cases, growing emphasis on fitness can bring several tangible benefits such as longevity and decreased risk of various ailments. Furthermore, such activities can significantly improve the wellbeing of people. This is one of the causes that should be considered. Nevertheless, the growing concern with physical attractiveness is one of the main forces that lead to obsession with fitness. These are the main questions that should be examined more closely.
Overall, contemporary culture sets rather high standards of physical attractiveness for both men and women. These standards are reflected in various films, musical and commercial videos, posters, fashion magazines, and so forth (Taylor 183). Many people are exposed to these media messages since childhood. In addition to that, they continuously pay attention to the examples set by famous athletes or movie stars who embody the ideals of physical attractiveness.
These individuals have been able to attain success and fame. Therefore, many people want to imitate their behavior. To a great extent, these celebrities act as role models, especially for adolescents. It should be mention that this argument is supported by the surveys of many people who note that their body image is the main concern for them; this is why they attach much importance to physical fitness (McClain 410). These examples show that popular culture can profoundly influence the opinions of people, including their attitudes towards physical fitness. It can affect the worldviews of people representing various age groups. This is one of the points that can be made.
Additionally, one should bear in mind that physical attractiveness is one of the factors that significantly increase people’s chances of success in various areas such as employment. The problem is that in many cases, some individuals can evaluate the character traits, values, or even professional qualities of other people on the basis of their physical appearance (Taylor 183). Those, who reach the standards of physical attractiveness, are more likely to become successful in terms of their social relations or their career (Taylor 183). So, these examples illustrate that there are external pressures that prompt people to focus on physical exercises. Certainly, they do not openly state that physical attractiveness is so important for them.
Moreover, they may admit that they attach importance to physical attractiveness while selecting employees or assessing the character traits of other people. However, empirical evidence shows that physically attractive people enjoy preferential treatment (Taylor 183). So, many individuals attach much importance to physical fitness in order to raise their status in the society. Nevertheless, even if this growing pre-occupation with physical exercises is driven only by this motivation, this tendency is a very positive phenomenon that can minimize the risk of various ailments. This is one of the details that should be identified.
Certainly, there are other important reasons that should be considered. In particular, many people understand fitness can bring several health benefits which have been described in many books or magazines. For instance, one can speak about the reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases and greater life expectancy. More importantly, this activity can significantly improve the experiences of these people.
For instance, they are less likely to be affected by fatigue or stress. So, there is internal motivation for pursuing healthy lifestyles. Such individuals are not necessarily driven only by popular culture. Nevertheless, one should not suppose that people focus only on health benefits since they often pay much attention to the opinions of their friends or relatives who comment on the benefits of physical activities for attractiveness of a person. For instance, they want other people to notice that they have been able to reduce their weight. This is one of the issues that should not be overlooked.
On the whole, this discussion shows that obsession with fitness might have been caused by several contributing factors. In particular, people pay more attention to the behavior of individuals who act as role models. They set the standards of physical attractiveness and success. So, in this case, one should speak about the strong influence of popular culture. Furthermore, people understand that physical attractiveness is one of the criteria according to which their personal or even professional qualities can be evaluated.
Certainly, one should mention that many individuals are better aware about the health benefits of physical exercises. Moreover, they are not always guided by the standards embedded in the popular culture. Yet, the concern with physical attractiveness is a more significant factor that contributes to this tendency.
Works Cited
McClain, Sheila. “The Fitness Culture.” The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. Ed. Rise
Axelrod. New York, Bedford, 2010. 409-414. Print.
Taylor, Jim. Your Children Are Under Attack, New York: Sourcebooks, 2015. Print.
The fitness industry in Australia has potential for growth in many sectors. The youth will constantly want to keep fit as the media bombards them with constant messages related to keeping fit. According to Australia bureau of statistics, many Australians are eating fatty and unhealthy foods (Australia Bureau of Statistics 2012). Additionally, the Australian population is aging. Hence, the need for fitness programs to cure this menace is immense. There are large groups of economically and socially disadvantaged Australians. They eat low nutrition foods, exercise less and pay little attention to their health (Fitness Australia 2012).
The synopsis presents major growth opportunities for both individual companies and the industry. The industry needs to have fitness programs designed specifically for different segments of the market. For example, the body builder who needs constant gym presence and specific nutrition, the elderly who need light exercises to relax and keep fit among others. In the segmentation, the industry needs to place attention on neglected groups such as low-income earners and rural areas (Australia Bureau of Statistics 2012). In these areas group exercises may prove economical. The focus should not be to make money. Rather, it should solve a social problem that is slowly creeping and becoming a death trap. However, making money should be the focus when it comes to other market segments.
Australians are relatively low spenders in non-resource areas. This effectively sidelines gym, fitness and wellness programs. Hence, the industry should collaborate with the media to make these programs core to the lives of Australians. Currently, only a small portion of the country attends these programs.
The delivery of these programs needs revolution. The current consumer of goods and services is sophisticated and complicated. The industry players need to study the consumer to fully understand their different needs and respond to them appropriately. Many emerging customers require personalized and customized services. This may mean that a fitness facility has special and mobile trainers. For example, customers whose needs vary from nutrition, fitness and image characterize high-end markets. Additionally, they would require that the rendering of the services be done at their convenience. Fitness industry and specific companies need to come up with such mixed solutions.
The attitude of Australians is another critical factor. A majority of Australians love swimming and aerobics. The success of a fitness program depends upon targeting. People would have positive results if they do what they love. Hence, the fitness industry should carry out customer surveys that adequately inform them about this. Training is a major factor in the success of fitness programs. The trainers, fitness instructors and nutritionists need to have adequate knowledge about the field. These stakeholders in the industry also need a standard work ethic. The industry can develop a quality and certification procedure that ensures only qualified individuals operate in the industry. This will improve confidence in customers and ensure employee work ethics are upheld (Leigh 2009).
The industry needs to offer one-off programs for specific individuals. Customer training will ensure that customers do not require presence of a trainer (Fitness First Club 2012). The customers can only consult when there is a problem. This strategy will increase sales of equipment in the fitness industry. Although integrated fitness centers are the most popular, sometimes customers need their own space. Longevity is vital to the success of this industry. Hence, the stakeholders need to go to education institutions at different levels to sensitize the youth on the needs for fitness. This will improve chances of an individual using the services of a fitness facility in the near future and possibly forever in their life (Australia Fitness Industry 2012).
Companies should also look into ways of having integrated membership. Although this may sound tricky for the purpose of competition, it will solve many customer problems. This includes those who go for visits outside their area of residence, business trips and vacations. Hence, they will enjoy similar services. This is possible because, as shown earlier, the three major fitness instruction companies in Australia control only 5% of the entire market. This shows a consumer behavior that makes them to visit the nearest and most convenient gyms (Solis 2011).
The major factor that determines usage of a fitness facility is price. The shareholders need to find ways to reduce costs of operations. They can do this by facilitating group fitness programs or attracting individual customers. Additionally, use of promotional incentives such as weekend rates, holiday reductions and product attachments may increase uptake by consumers. The companies can also use integrated business model to reduce the need to purchase the expensive gym equipments. For example, they may purchase or rent a large space where rival companies operate different segments. However, they pay all the base costs. Additionally, the industry can conduct a study to find out if the market can be segmented demographically according to specific needs with the view to reducing equipment purchases (Hartley 2001).
Reference List
Australia Bureau of Statistics 2012, Australia’s Population. Web.