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Part Five Other Aspects of Wellness
You will learn the benefi ts an exercise
program can have for your body and
your life. You will also study what
makes a good exercise program. If
you follow the ideas discussed here,
you can look forward to enjoying an
improved sense of well-being.
Peak Athletic
Performance
A third goal for some physically active
people is to reach their highest potential in
sports performance. Achieving this goal
requires a good level of overall fi tness. It
also requires intense training designed to
develop specifi c sports skills. For instance,
the football team does drills to build speed.
A gymnast does exercises intended to
develop balance. A tennis player’s workouts
are devised to strengthen coordination.
Athletes who truly want to be the
best in their sport spend many hours
each week in training. They know there
is always room for improvement. They
also know they will not continue to
improve if they do not practice nearly
every day.
The Benefi ts of
Physical Activity
Becoming physically active at any
level can positively affect your total
health and performance. Not only will
you feel physical benefi ts, but your
mental health will improve, too. These
benefi ts can have positive short-term
and long-term effects.
Improved Appearance
One benefi t of physical activity
that inspires many people to exercise
is improved appearance. Exercise can
positively affect your appearance by altering
your posture, movements, and weight.
Exercise can help you develop
strong back and abdominal muscles,
15-3 The intensity of an activity can vary depending on the amount of effort you put
into it.
Examples of Aerobic Activity Intensity Levels
Type of Physical
Activity
Age Group
Children/Teens Adults
Moderate-
intensity aerobic
• Hiking
• Skateboarding
• Bike riding (10 mph)
• Brisk walking
• Pushing lawn mower
• Raking leaves
• Brisk walking (3 mph, but not
racewalking)
• Water aerobics
• Doubles tennis
• Bike riding (10 mph)
• Ballroom dancing
• General gardening
Vigorous-
intensity aerobic
• Bike riding (10 mph)
• Martial arts
• Sports such as soccer,
basketball, or swimming
• Cross-country skiing
• Singles tennis
• Racewalking, jogging, running
• Aerobic dancing
• Swimming laps
• Heavy gardening
Source: 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services