Health-related fitness is typically described as a set of five key components that reflect overall health and the body’s ability to perform daily activities efficiently. These are:
- Cardiovascular endurance (cardiorespiratory endurance): the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen to working muscles during sustained physical activity.
- Muscular strength: the maximum amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort.
- Muscular endurance: the ability of a muscle or muscle group to sustain repeated contractions or to maintain a static contraction over time.
- Flexibility: the range of motion available at a joint or group of joints.
- Body composition: the relative amounts of fat mass and fat-free mass (including muscle, bone, and water) in the body.
Notes and nuances:
- These components are distinct yet interrelated; improvements in one area can influence others (for example, better cardiovascular fitness can support longer muscular endurance during workouts).
- The exact definitions and emphasis on each component can vary slightly by organization, but the five-component framework is widely taught in exercise science and fitness education.
- Some sources also discuss mobility as a related consideration, often grouped with flexibility and joint range of motion, but it remains conceptually aligned with the flexibility component in most health-related fitness models.
