When I was going through school in the early 90′s studying for a bachelor’s degree in exercise science; the major fitness components were outlined as the following:

Cardiovascular fitness

Muscle strength

Muscle endurance

Flexibility

Nutrition

Body composition

Mental well being

With all the attention that core stability and strength has gotten, I think it is time to revise the major fitness components.   Core stability and strength have been proven to be vital to low back health, good posture and overall total body fitness.   The government has updated the food pyramid.  It is time to change the components of fitness.  My version would be as follows:

Posture- ability to stand erect in a biomechanically favorable position from head to toe.

Core stability- ability to maintain a biomechanically favorable position from head to toe, for an extended amount of time.

Core Strength – the ability of core muscles (muscles responsible for good posture) to get involved in daily activities.

Body composition – a healthy percentage of lean body weight to non lean body weight according to the guidelines set bey the ACSM. 

Total body strength – the body’s ability to perform daily tasks, and to be able to react to unforeseen emergencies without causing injury. 

Cardiovascular fitness -the ability of the heart, lungs and whole cardiovascular system to function during daily living, self induced stresses such as exercise, and unexpected stresses such as emergencies. 

Flexibility -the ability to move a joint or joints though their full range of motion.

Nutrition – meeting and discussing your body’s particular needs for nutrition with an expert is the best course of action to maximize the health benefits.

Mental well being – the state of cognitive or emotional well being.  Without mental disorder.

Life as we know it has changed in the 15-20 years.  If you think back to how important health and fitness was back in 1990 compared to today, it is night and day.  I graduated highschool in 1990 and don’t remember much emphasis on health and fitness for adults, or for any age group.  Today, we have reality TV shows, online programs, TV video exercise games (WIIfit) and so many different fitness and diet trends no one can possibly name them all.  Society changes, so should the guidelines we’ve created to follow.  

Check back for my next post on how to measure these components.