General fitness refers to overall health. It means having the correct body weight and an ability to handle physical activity without wearing down too quickly. General health is being fit in a well rounded kind of way. Weight loss and maintenance of that loss is considered general fitness if varying activities were used to achieve good health. These activities include over all toning exercises or cardiovascular exercises. In other words, running or swimming at a moderate pace in order to get the heart pumping and increase oxygen to the rest of the body are the types of exercises used to gain and maintain general fitness. Lifting weights and strength training are also general fitness exercises.
However, when workouts are done to improve performance within a particular sport, then it becomes “specific fitness” as opposed to “general fitness.” As an example, hiring a personal trainer to help you improve your golf swing as a means of breaking onto the PGA circuit of professional golfers, is specific fitness training. Golfing itself falls into the general category of fitness.
General fitness workouts include walking, brisk walking or cardiovascular walking exercises. All of these forms of walking tone legs and arms in a general sort of way, meaning the muscle groups can be used to function in other sports and activities without specificity. These exercises contribute to overall good health. Good over all health reduces the risk of diseases associated with lifestyle and diet like heart disease, or adult onset diabetes, or obesity in general. A proper diet and regular exercise will all but eliminate certain “lifestyle-caused” diseases. This is general fitness functioning at optimum.
In addition, general fitness contributes to an improved mental outlook on life, it gives a sense of belonging and self confidence. Fitness helps to achieve healthy body weight, low body fat and better bone density, while improving circulation and heart function. This improved circulation will lower the risk of heart disease and regulate blood pressure and cholesterol. Regular workouts bolster the immune system and enable the body to heal itself faster.
However, is there a point when you’ve exercised too much? The American College of Sports Medicine says cardio should be done at a minimum of three times per week for at least 20 minutes per session. Ideally, anyone concerned about overall health and general fitness should workout everyday for at least 30 minutes per session. These general workouts should include a healthy amount of cardiovascular exercise like running or jogging or walking, combined with strength and weights training on alternate days. If you want to lose weight, adjustments in calorie intake should accompany the daily workouts.
It is important to vary your routine regularly to keep the muscle changing and challenged. It is also important to keep you challenged and motivated in continuing your workouts. Set goals and work toward the keep you going forward. When you reach a goal, set another one and start working toward the new one.