HEALTHY Exercises FOR CHRISTIANS
The end result of developing strength or reaching a certain level of fitness is a healthy body. However, in the final analysis, we want strength to bring about goodness - the goodness of God. Jesus recognized the existence of evil forces who wanted to steal, kill, and destroy goodness in the lives of people. (John 10:10)
Jesus drove out evil spirits and He reminded his disciples that "....if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you". (Matthew 12:24-29)
Warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching should be a part of any exercise routine. Warm-ups allow the body to gradually adjust to more intense exercise. Cool-downs allow the body to return safely to a pre-exercise level. Stretching may be dynamic (moving) or static (in place) and should be included in warm-up and cool-down exercises.
The two types of fitness are health-related fitness and skill-related fitness. They are are usually defined by their components.
|
Health-Related Fitness |
Skill-Related Fitness |
| Cardio-respiratory endurance, Muscular strength, Muscular endurance, Flexibility, and Body Composition | Agility, Speed, Balance, Coordination, Reaction time, and Power |
| Cardio-respiratory - the capacity of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to deliver nutrients and oxygen to tissues and remove waste products. |
| Muscular strength - the capacity of a muscle or muscle group to exert maximum force against a resistance. |
| Muscular endurance - the capacity of muscle or muscle group to exert force over a period of time against a resistance that is less than the maximum you can move. |
| Flexibility - the ability to move the joints in an unrestricted fashion through a full range of motion. |
| Body Composition - the ratio of body fat to lean body tissues. (Body Mass Index measurement) |
| Agility - the ability to change direction of movement quickly while maintaining body control. |
| Speed - the amount of time it takes to travel from one place to another. |
| Balance - the ability to maintain body equilibrium in different movements. (static & dynamic) |
| Coordination - the ability to combine movements of various body parts at the same time. |
| Reaction time - the amount of time between one of the body senses recognizing a stimulus and the body moving in response to that stimulus. |
| Power - the ability to combine strength and speed. |
The formula that guides the implementation of the fitness components in any exercise program or routine is called the FITT formula for exercising.
| F = frequency of exercises per week (or day) |
| I = intensity or degree of effort |
| T = time or duration of exercise (20-60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity) |
| T = type of exercise |
The following links contain information on planning an exercise program.
www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi