Physical Activity

Towards
Health and Fitness I
(PATH-FIT I)

Health & Wellness, Movement Education and

Exercise Program
 Unit I
Physical Education

Introduction
Physical Education as a subject in the curriculum has been dejectedly uncared for in
the past and has suffered many setbacks due to misconceptions among the
teachers and administrators who, perhaps, never had the chance to be acquainted
more about the field. It is, therefore, necessary that this subject is be properly
defined and interpreted so that it will receive its rightful emphasis in the
educational program.
In this unit, the students taking PATH-FIT 1 – (Physical Activity Towards Health and
Fitness) as a required subject will comprehend better about the meaning of Physical
Education and the coverage of the course. There is almost undisputed agreement
that optimum health is one’s most esteemed possession. Schopenhauer, the
German philosopher expressed this thought when he wisely remarked, “the
greatest of follies is to neglect one’s health for any advantage of life.”
A study of history of nations shows that advancement is directly related to the
physical, mental, and emotional health of the people. In the process of improving
and maintaining optimum health, it is necessary for all people of all ages to
participate in physical exercise; there is an ample variation in the types of exercise,
which are recommended for different age groups.
General Objectives:
At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
 Define physical and interpret its meaning in relation to life situation;
 Analyze fitness as the major goal of physical education;
 Discuss the general objectives of PE as a part of educational system and its
legal bases;
 State the purposes of Physical Education in a developing country; and
 Participate actively in the discussion.

Physical Education: Definition, Goals, Objectives and Functions

Specific Objectives:
 Explain the meaning of Physical Education;
 Define fitness as the major goal of Physical Education; and
 Differentiate the objectives of Physical Education
Definition of Physical Education
Physical Education has undergone many vicissitudes and numerous changes
of path in the Philippine schools. There was a time when Physical Education was
considered as education of the physical, hence, a muscular physique was
considered as a physical educated body. The activities then were termed as “drill”,
“physical training” and “calisthenics”. This old concept of physical education would,
in all respect, mean today as strengthening the muscles.
The newer and modern perception of physical education is that it is education
through physical activities. In modern physical education idiom, it is education
through “movement”. Wunderlich (1967) describes of movement as follows:
1. It provides sensory data.
2. It broadens the perspective horizon.
3. It stimulates function and structure of all bodily organs.
4. It is the means by which an individual learns about himself in relation to his
ambient environment.
What “education through movement” more particularly entails is the taking of
that culture-based family of activities and processes, games, dance, gymnastics,
athletic sports, and outdoor pursuits as a means “through” which the teacher can
help effect enviable outcomes, despite the consequences of whether or not those
activities have essential worth of their own. Moreover, Physical Education focuses
on the concept of “learn to move, move to learn”. An individual must know how to
move in order to learn on how to move in order to acquire and learn the needed
knowledge in a certain activity.
Physical Education
Physical Education is an integral part of the education program purposely to
promote optimum development of the individual physically, socially, emotionally,
and mentally through total movement in the performance of properly selected
physical activities (Andin 2002).
Phase of education concerned with the teaching and learning of skills and attitudes
in play activities.
It is an aspect of education that may be appropriately described as education
through physical exertion.

Legal Bases of Teaching Education in the Philippines Setting

1901 Physical exercise was one of the subjects introduces in the public schools and
regular program of athletics was developed.
1920 Physical Education was made a required subject in the curriculum of all public
schools.
1937 Physical Education was made curriculum subject in the secondary school
curriculum.
1969 The School of Physical Education and Sports Development Act of 1969. A
program of activities included among others:
1. A program of health education and nutrition,
2. A program of physical fitness for all pupils,
3. A program of competitive athletics,
4. A program of intramurals and inter-unit athletic competition within schools,
district, and provinces; and
5. An annual athletic competition within and among regions.
1982 MAPE was introduces and the learning area involves music, art and physical
education.
(Foundation of Physical Education by Carmen Andin)
Article 1 of the International Charter of Physical Education and Sports,
UNESCO, Paris (1975) and Recommendation 1, Interdisciplinary Regional Meeting of
Experts in Physical Education and Sports, UNESCO, Brisbane (1982). The practice of
Physical Education and Sports is a fundamental right of All. . . and the right should
not be treated as different in principle from the right of adequate food, shelter and
medicines.
Article XIV Section 19 (1) & (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates that:
The state shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs,
league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international
competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the
development of a healthy and alert citizenry.
All educational institution shall undertake regular sports activities throughout
the country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other sectors.

Functions of Physical Education

Physical Education performs three functions which are:
1. Biologic Function – refers to the enhancement of the individuals’ growth and
development through body movement.
2. Integrative Function – refers to the personality integration achieved through
participation in properly selected physical activities.
3. Social Function – refers to the transmitting values and standards that are
consistent with the needs and ideals of the society.
All in all, Physical Education as education “through” movement is best conceived of
as being that component of the educational process which aims to improve and
complement the individual chiefly through professionally selected and directed
physical activities.

Fitness – Major Goal of Physical Education

Different people differ in their notion of fitness. In the field pf Physical
Education, the concept of fitness has implications for physical, social, emotional,
and mental well-being. In view of these four aspects, it can be said that FITNESS is
the ability to live a healthy, satisfying, and useful life. This type of life is what the
educational philosophers and thinkers term as the “good life”. This is the ultimate
goal of education.
To live the “good life” means that an individual satisfies the basic needs as
physically well-being, love, affection, security and self-respect. He lives blissfully
with other people and is interested in them. He has an interest and yearning to
serve humanity and believes in and exemplifies high ethical standards. Because of
his secure relationship with people and future events, he lives a remarkable and
stimulating life.
Physical education as a component of the educational system strives to aid or
facilitate the development of an individual so that he can achieve total fitness to
allow him to envoy’s the “good life”. Therefore, a major goal of physical education is
FITNESS.
Objectives of Physical Education
The following objectives of Physical Education are viewed and stated interms of
their contributions to the outcomes of education and in the curriculum.
Physical Development
Through cautiously selected physical education activities, and individual who
participates energetically will develop and maintain good health and a high level of
physical fitness. The attainment of physical skills can motivate and individual who
participates further in physical activities; hence, his growth and development will be
improved.
Social Development
Involvement in Physical Education activities provides opportunities for the
development of enviable social traits needed for adjustment to the social life in
general.
Some worthwhile traits are:
1. Friendliness
2. Cooperation
3. Respect for the rights of others
 4. Good sportsmanship
5. Good leadership and followership
6. Honesty in group competition
Emotional development
The informal nature of physical education activities offers opportunities for self-
expression and emotional mastery. Examples of worthwhile emotional traits are:
1. Self-confidence
2. Self-control
3. Self-reliance
4. Courage
5. Determination

Mental Development
Through participation in physical education activities, the individual develops his
mental capacities as he learns the mechanical principles of underlying movements,
as he obtains knowledge and understanding of the rules and strategies of the
games and sports, as he discovers ways of improving his movement in gymnastics
and dance. Likewise, it enhances critical thinking how activities are done according
to rules, regulations and strategies.

Objectives of Physical Education

1. Knowledge – it enhances critical thinking how activities ae done according to
the rules, regulations and strategies.
2. Physical Fitness – improves and maintains the workload of the individual
without staggering and undue fatigue after which have time or energy to
meet some more emergencies in life.
3. Social – to understand oneself; to get along with others for effective living.
4. Motor skills – it is the learning of the fundamental skills necessary for
participation in sports and games.
5. Aesthetic – relating or responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to
the senses.
6. Nationalism – preservation of cultural heritage through revival of indigenous
games, dances and sports.
7. Conservation of natural environment such as protection of forest and aquatic
resources.

New Directions for Physical Education

“All our educational efforts must be directed towards the development of our
national goals as a developing country”. This focus, contained in the Presidential
Decree No. 6-A, is entitled “Educational Development Decree of 1972, the goals of
which are”
1. To achieve and maintain an accelerating rate of economic development and
social progress;
2. To assure the maximum participation of all the people in the attainment and
enjoyment of the benefits of such growth; and
3. To strengthen national consciousness and promote desirable cultural values
in the changing world.
The foregoing development goals must itself offer direction to the teaching of
physical education. How will Physical Education lend significant to these goals?
What can the Physical Education teacher do to contribute to the attainment of the
goals? The answers to these questions will come to the fore when the purposes of
physical education have been well understood.

Purposes of Physical Education

The physical Education specialists in our country have identified the following
purposes of Physical Education:
1. To develop optimum physical fitness and health of the individual so that he is
capable of living the “good life” and contributing his maximum capacity to
the attainment of the goals of the “New Society”;
2. To produce individuals who can contribute to the economic well-being
through:
a. The improvement of proper work habits and work attitudes such as
punctuality, cooperation, reliability, precision and accuracy, and open-
mindedness; and
b. Proper emphasis on problem-solving skills such that an individual can
identify a problem correctly and master the skills necessary or useful
in the business world;
3. To train good leaders with moral integrity of the highest order, and develop
other desirable traits necessary for effective group participation or group
living essential to the New Society through;
a. An adequate system of values by equipping the individual to be able to
make moral choices or decisions needed in daily living; and
b. Offering group participation in such experiences as intramural,
extramural, play days or sports fests;
4. To develop creativity and innovativeness inspired by an abiding faith in God
and love of country and fellowmen; and
5. To install a love and pride for their preservation, and develop and
understanding of the culture of other for a feeling of international
brotherhood and unity.
Unit II
Introduction

Physical Fitness is but one part of the total fitness that includes the mental,
emotional, and social aspects of the individual’s total well-being. Physical fitness is
the result of the following factors:
1. Good medical and dental care;
2. Proper nutrition;
3. Adequate rest and relaxation; and
4. Regular physical activity and or exercise.
However, no single factor can suffice for meeting the needs of our society.
Physical fitness is not permanent. The fitness level of an individual deteriorates
once he stops his regular regimen of routinary exercises and physical activities.
Also, this activity will be useless without the other factors contributory to the total
fitness of an individual.
General objectives:
At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
 Define and explain Physical Fitness;
 Differentiate the components/concepts of Physical Fitness;
 Make generalizations on the concepts of Physical Fitness;
 Make general concepts of a physically fit person; and
 Discuss the benefits derived in executing the Physical Fitness Test.

Physical Fitness Defined

The Meaning, Concept and Components of Physical Fitness
a. Health-related Fitness
b. Performance-related Fitness
c. Benefits and Parameters of Physical Fitness
The Meaning, Concepts and Components of Physical Fitness
Physical Fitness is the ability to perform one’s daily task efficiently without
undue fatigue but with extra “reserve” in case of emergency.
Being physically fit mean being able to perform one’s daily task efficiently
without undue fatigue and still have an extra energy to enjoy leisure activities
and/or meet emergency demands.
 Based on this definition, there are (3) three important aspects that an individual
should be able to meet in order to be considered physically fit. These include:
1. Being able to perform one’s daily tasks without getting too tired before the
end of the day. These daily activities include:
a. Waking up in the morning to prepare for school or work
b. Going to school or office on time
c. Attending classes regularly
d. Doing assignments in the library
e. Meeting other individual, classmates and peer groups
f. Going home
g. Doing homework and household chores
2. Enjoying leisure time in some form of recreational activities. Leisure time is
the amount of time that is left after the daily routine activities of an individual
have been accomplished. Recreation, on the other hand, refers to any activity
that is participated in by the individual during leisure time on voluntary basis
because it provides an immediate satisfaction to the individual. Recreation
takes place in the form of:
a. Watching TV or movies
b. Talking to friends over the phone
c. Reading books and magazines articles
d. Doing arts and crafts
e. Listening to radio
f. playing sports
3. meeting emergency demands such as:
a. doing important errands
b. performing social obligations
c. attending to visitors
d. attending to household problems
Concepts of Physical Fitness
1. Organic Vigor – refers to the soundness of the heart and the lungs, which
contributes to the ability to resist diseases.
2. Endurance – is the ability to sustain long-continued contractions where a
number of muscle groups are used; the capacity to bear or last long in a
certain task without undue fatigue.
3. Strength – is the capacity to sustain the application of force without yielding
or breaking; the ability of the muscle to exert effort against the resistance.
4. Power – refers to the ability of the muscle to release maximum force in a
shortest period of time.
5. Flexibility – it a quality of plasticity, which gives the ability to do a wide range
or movement.
6. Agility – is the ability of an individual to change direction or position in space
with the quickness and lightness of movement.
7. Balance – is the ability to control organic equipment neuromuscularly; a state
of equilibrium.
 8. Speed – is the ability to make successive movements of the same kind in the
shortest period of time.
Components of Physical Fitness
The components of Physical Fitness are divided into two categories the health-
related components (Flexibility, Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular Strength,
Muscular Endurance and Body Composition) and the performance-related
components (agility, balance, coordination, power, and speed).
I. Health Related Fitness
Health-Related Fitness is a function of body’s adaptation to exercise. It
could be developed and maintain through the regular and proper exercise
program. These are at least five (5) components Health Related Fitness.
They are as follows:
a. Muscular Strength refers to the ability of the muscle to exert
maximum effort in brief duration. It may be developed through
isotonic, isometric or isokinetic contractions.
Isotonic Contractions are voluntary contractions in which muscles
shorten and lengthen alternately. The muscle contracts at varying
speed against a resistance. These contractions are two types:
1. Concentric Contraction – refers to muscles that shorten during
exercise. There is no movement that occurs and the length of the
muscle remains unchanged.
2. Eccentric Contraction – refers to the muscle that lengthens
during an exercise. Muscles exert force due to an outside
resistance.

The most common example of isotonic contraction is calisthenics

exercise. This makes use of body segment or the entire body
weight as a form of resistance during an exercise. Some of the most
traditional calisthenics exercises that are being performed to
increase muscular strength are push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
Another approach to develop muscular strength involving isotonic
exercise is through the use of weights.

Isometric Contractions are another type of contractions in which

the muscles are contracted against an immovable resistance. The
exercise provides maximum contraction of muscle; however, there
is no observed movement during the exercise. This is done for
about 5 seconds.
Isokinetic Contractions are similar to isotonic contractions but
the muscles are exposed to fixed machines with variable degrees of
resistance. Through the range of movement, resistance is equal to
the force applied.

Two physiological benefits derived from strength training:

1. Increase muscle strength by 10-25% within 6-8 weeks;
 2. Increase muscle size or muscle hypertrophy
b. Muscular Endurance refers to the ability of the muscle to endure a
sub maximal effort for a prolonged period of time. Performing a
strength exercise such as push-up over o long period of time or
performing the same exercise for many continuous repetitions is
demonstration of muscular endurance. One basic requirement in
achieving muscular endurance is muscular strength. Muscle strength is
developed by employing the different strength training exercises
mentioned above either for longer period of time or an increased
number of exercise repetitions.
c. Cardiovascular Endurance refers to the ability of the heart, blood
vessels and the lungs to adapt to physical exertion for a prolonged
duration. Usually, the heart rate is increased from the resting pulse
rate to target heart rate that the individual has to sustain for a period
of 20 to 60 minutes. With high levels of endurance, an individual has
more energy and has the ability to sustain different types of activities.
It is also likely that coronary heart disease (CHD) is prevented.
There are important variables to consider when engaging in any
cardiovascular endurance program. These are:
1. Intensity which refers to how stressful the exercise is.
2. Duration which refers to how long will the exercise be performed.
3. Frequency which refers to the number of times the individual will
exercise each week.
4. Mode which refers to the kind of activity, selected such as brisk
working or jogging.

Physiological Benefits of Cardiovascular Training Program

1. Decreased resting heart rate;
2. Decreased recovery time from a bout of exercise;
3. Increased blood volume and red blood cells to transport oxygen
throughout the body;
4. Stronger heart muscle allowing it to eject more blood (stroke volume) with
each heartbeat. If this occurs, the heart can rest longer between beats;
5. Increased number of capillaries for efficient exchange of oxygen, carbon
dioxide and nutrients between blood and body cells;
6. Decreased rate of respiration;
7. Increased aerobics capacity which allows the body cells to utilize oxygen
for better work efficiency; and
8. Prevent and/or reduction of the risk of developing coronary heart
diseases.
Activities that develop cardiovascular endurance
1. Prolonged brisk walking
2. Prolonged jogging
3. Stationary bicycling
4. Prolonged skipping rope
5. Playing basketball
6. Continuous swimming
7. Rowing
8. Aerobic dancing
9. Hiking
10.Playing football
d. Flexibility is the ability of the muscles and joints to gi through a full
range motion. Flexibility reduces the risk of injury, enhances
performance and prevents muscle soreness. It is achieved through
stretching designed to lengthen or elongate soft tissue structures and
thereby increase the range of motion. Flexibility is influenced by three
factors:
i. Structure of the joints;
ii. Amount of tissues surrounding the joint; and
iii. Extensibility of the ligaments, tendons and muscle tissue that
connects the joints.
It involves four basic movements, namely: flexion (bending of a body
segment), extension (straightening a body segment), abduction
(moving a limb away from the body), and adduction (moving a limb
toward the body).
Body flexibility is achieved through stretching specific segments of the
body. To achieve good flexibility, exercise should be performed daily.
For very tight muscle-joint area, it is highly recommended that
flexibility exercises be done at least twice a day.

Types of Stretching (Basic Methods Used to Develop Joint Flexibility)

1. Ballistic Stretching. Ballistic stretching uses muscle contractions
to force muscle elongation bobbing (i.e. up and down) movement
quickly elongates the muscle with each repetition; the bobbing also
activates the stretch reflex response (Nelson & Kokkonen, 2007).
Usually this type of stretching uses in sports like gymnastics and
performs in a controlled manner.
Example: Ballistic Stretching – forward bending done in rapid
bouncing movement
2. Static Stretching. This involves slowly stretching a segment of
the body to the farthest point and holding that position for at least
15-30 seconds. This type of stretching is fairly endorsed by many
physical educators and exercise psychologists because stretch is
easy and pain free and the risk of injury is very minimal.
It is performed without a partner and each stretch is easy and pain-
free. Once the stretcher has achieved its full range of movement
and begins to feel a mild discomfort (muscle tension) in the body
part being stretched, the position is held statically.
Example: Static stretching – seated hamstring stretch.
 3. Dynamic Stretching. Dynamic Stretching is the use of a muscle’s
own force production and the body’s momentum to take joint
through the full available range of motion (Clark & Lucett, 2010a).
Dynamic stretching is beneficial for any sport that involves dynamic
movement, especially in sorts like athletics, football etc. that
prepare the body to move better specifically before start of an
exercise or competition. Mason (2011a) suggested that in
performing this stretching the movement should be in a slow,
controlled way, relaxed and breath steadily to execute properly.
Example: alternate lunges (right & left)

4. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). It involves

the contract-relax approach to stretching. During the contract-relax,
the partner attempts to move the limb at its lengthened range of
motion and isometrically resists the partner’s attempt to move the
limb into a deeper stretch. Then, the stretcher relaxes the limb and
the partner slowly moves the segment into a new range. This type
of stretching can be done active (i.e. w/o partner) or passive (i. e.
w/ partner).
Example: PNF – hold-relax hamstring stretch

Fitness Benefits of Flexibility Exercise

1. Increased range of muscle joint motion;
2. Reduced muscle stiffness and increased body relaxation;
3. Improved blood circulation in specific body segment;
4. Reduced incidence of injury during a major sport event; and
5. Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems in exercise.

e. Body Composition refers to the proportion of lean body mass to fat

body mass. It stresses one’s relative fatness or leanness in relation to
height. In recent years, body composition has gained wide acceptance
in exercise science as one of the components of health-related fitness.
Its inclusion was earlier opposed since supporters believe that fitness
is for everyone, including the slim and overweight. In addition, being
fat has some genetic predisposition that may be quite difficult to alter.

Somatotypes
Somatotyping or body typing is system of classifying an individual
according to the shape of the body. It was developed by Sheldon
during the 1940’s and 1950’s. he noted that the physique of the body
may be categorized into three distinct types: a) Ectomorph, b)
Mesomorph, and c) Endomorph.
 1. An Ectomorph body type is characterized as lean and small body
build with greater surface are to mass ratio. Bone size is relatively
small with slender limbs and low muscle mass.
2. A Mesomorph body type has a relative predominance of muscles.
The bone is usually large and heavy with massive limbs, thus
contributing to greater weight than the Ectomorphic body type.
3. An Endomorph body type is characterized by a relative
predominance of soft roundness and large digestive viscera. There
is a greater percent of body fat when compared to lean body mass.
Somatotypes are of special interest to fitness enthusiasts and
athletes. It helps the individual understand the extent of weight
reduction or weight gain he/she expects to achieve given a well-
defined exercise program. Among athletes, somatotype is highly
correlated to excellent sport performance depending on the type of
sport event. For instance, it has been found that among track and field
athletes, physical characteristics of those successful in shot put differ
from those successful in marathon. This suggests that for one sport
event, a specific body type may dictate one’s superior performance
over another. However, some body type is not only limited to one
particular shape but can be combination of two body types (e.g.
ectomorph and mesomorph) for instance, a high jumper athlete in
athletics.
II. Performance Related Fitness
It refers to the quality of one’s movement skill. It includes 5 general
components namely:
1. Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium in relation to changes in
body position. Balance can be categorized into static and dynamic
balance. Static Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium in a fixed
position such as standing on one foot or on a balance beam. Dynamic
Balance is the ability to maintain one’s equilibrium while the body is in
motion. Walking on a balance beam is one example of this type of
balance.
2. Coordination is the harmonious working relationship between the
skeletal muscle and nerves in one aspect of movement. Hand-eye
coordination is demonstrated in certain sport skills such as catching,
passing, dribbling or volleying a ball.
3. Agility is the ability of an individual to quickly shift or change direction
of the body from one point to another.
4. Speed is the ability to perform a task or move from one point to
another in the shortest possible time. It is also the time spent finishing
or completing a performance after the initial movement has been
made. Speed is influenced by the reaction time which is the time
elapsed when the “go” signal has been made by an official of the first
motor response.
 5. Power is the ability to perform one maximum effort in a short period
of time. It is a product of both strength and speed as seen in many
sport activities such as track and field and weightlifting.

Benefits of Physical Fitness

1. Vitality. Muscles are basic for all body action. They increase in strength with
activity and deteriorate from lack of it. Fit muscles use less energy to perform
the same task, leading to an increase in vitality.
2. Posture. A physically fit person is able to maintain his general postural
alignment better than one-week musculature. Good fitness as a program
stresses the development of anti-gravity muscles, which maintains good
abdominal wall and the arm and shoulder girdle.
3. Relieves low back pain. A lack of physical activity has been found to be
major cause for some cases of pain in the lower back. Most adults who suffer
from low-back pain are relieved from this pain by exercises that strengthen
the back and abdominal muscles.
4. Retards Aging Process. Continued participation in regular exercises of the
proper amount and severity is of considerable value in postponing that
usually takes place as a person grows old.
5. Physical Fitness and Ability to Meet Emergencies. The body that is
accustomed to sedentary living habits can usually operate ineffectively even
though it is operating at near maximum effort.
6. Neuromuscular skill. The smooth, efficient coordination of the muscular
system is improved as a result of regular participation in physical activity.
7. Relaxation. Overactive minds in underactive bodies often need physical
outlets for accumulated emotional and muscular tensions that seem to be
relieved by actions of the skeletal muscle.
8. Improvement of personality and Social Skills. Participation in games
nad sports aids in improving the personality and in developing desirable
social skills.
9. Mental fitness. Because of the mental and physical relaxation that often
results from physical activity, regular exercise is thought by many to be of
considerable value in aiding the natural mental processes to function with
increased efficacy.
10.General growth. The physically fit person usually possesses a high degree
of general resistance, which enables him in successfully avoiding minor
illness.
The Parameters of Physical Fitness
Many proponents of physical education have various ideas on how to
measure physical fitness. Educators on physical education today separate the
various disciplines into four measurable parameters, which are:
1. Muscular endurance
2. Muscular Strength
 3. Cardio-respiratory Endurance
4. Joint Flexibility
The above parameters are considered the hard core of physical fitness. Without
strength, participation in physical activity is not possible and the fitness of the
individual is limited. When muscles are weak or lack endurance, all movements are
curtailed, since all movements depend on the strength of the muscle or groups of
muscles.
A fit individual can maintain a lower heart rate during activity which can supply a
greater volume of blood with each contraction of the heart and can recover more
quickly after exercise than a less fit individual.
As the late president Johnn Fitzgerald Kennedy said, “Physical Fitness” is not only
one of the most important keys to healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic, creative
and intellectual activity in that intelligence and skill can function at the peak of their
capacity when the body is healthy and strong.’

Main Subdivision of the Human Body:

For convenience of description, the human body is divided into a number of major
parts.
Many parts bear names with which the students are already familiar, but even some
of these require more precise definition.

 Head - the uppermost part of the body. The face is part of the head (includes
the region of the forehead, the eyes, the nose, the cheeks, and the chin)
 Neck - part of the body below the head. The junction of the head with the
neck is oblique because the neck extends higher up on the back than in front.
 Chest - part of the body below the neck. In anatomical terminology the chest
is referred to as the thorax. The thorax is in the form of the bony cage within
which the heart and lungs lie.
 Stomach or belly - part of the body below the thorax. Its proper name is the
abdomen. The abdomen contains several organs of vital importance to the
body. Traced downwards, the abdomen extends to the hips. A part of the
abdomen present in the region of the hips is called pelvis.
 Trunk - part of the body which refers to the thorax and abdomen together.
 Upper limbs - part of the body that are attached to the trunk in the upper
region. Also referred to as upper extremities. In relation to the upper limbs,
the terms shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, palm, fingers and thumb are familiar.
 A lay person frequently refers to the entire upper limb as the arm, but in
anatomy we use this term only for the region between the shoulder and
elbow. While from the elbow to the wrist is referred to as the forearm.
 Lower limbs - part of the body that are attached to the trunk in the lower
region. Also referred to as lower extremities. In the lower limbs the term, hip,
knee, ankle, foot and toes are familiar. The region between the hip and the
knee is the thigh and that between the knee and the ankle is the leg. Like the
fingers, the toes are also called Digits.