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- Dictionaryexercise/ˈɛksəsʌɪz/
noun
- 1. activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness: "exercise improves your heart and lung power" Similar
- 2. an activity carried out for a specific purpose: "an exercise in public relations"
verb
- 1. use or apply (a faculty, right, or process): "control is exercised by the Board" Similar
- 2. engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness: "she still exercised every day" Similar
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EXERCISE definition: 1. physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy: 2. an action or actions…. Learn more.
- English (US)
EXERCISE meaning: 1. physical activity that you do to make...
- Znaczenie Exercise, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary
EXERCISE definicja: 1. physical activity that you do to make...
- Exercise Price
EXERCISE PRICE definition: the price at which someone who...
- English (US)
How to use exercise in a sentence. the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : use; the discharge of an official function or professional occupation… See the full definition
- Overview
- Prehistoric period
- Agricultural period
- Industrial period
- Technological period
- Types of physical fitness
- Health-related physical fitness
exercise, the training of the body to improve its function and enhance its fitness.
The terms exercise and physical activity are often used interchangeably, but this article will distinguish between them. Physical activity is an inclusive term that refers to any expenditure of energy brought about by bodily movement via the skeletal muscles; as such, it includes the complete spectrum of activity from very low resting levels to maximal exertion. Exercise is a component of physical activity. The distinguishing characteristic of exercise is that it is a structured activity specifically planned to develop and maintain physical fitness. Physical conditioning refers to the development of physical fitness through the adaptation of the body and its various systems to an exercise program.
Hominids—human beings and their immediate ancestors—have existed on Earth for at least two million years. For more than 99 percent of that time, hominids lived a nomadic existence and survived by hunting and gathering food. It is obvious that this way of life was enormously different from the way people live today in developed countries. Thus, evol...
As civilization developed, nomadic hunting and gathering societies gave way to agricultural ones in which people grew their own food and domesticated animals. This development occurred relatively recently, approximately 10,000 years ago. Although many aspects of life changed during the agricultural period, it is likely that energy demands remained high, with much of the work still done by human power. Even in cities—which had evolved by about midway through the agricultural period—individuals expended more calories than do most people today.
Britannica Quiz
The industrial period began during the mid-18th century, with the development of an efficient steam engine, and lasted to the end of World War II (1945). This relatively brief time span was characterized by a major shift in population from farms to cities, with attendant changes in many areas of lifestyle. Even though the internal-combustion engine...
The post-World War II period has been a technological age, a period characterized by rapid growth in energy-saving devices, both in the home and at the workplace. As an example, longshoremen in the late 1940s worked hard loading and unloading ships; by contrast, most longshoremen in the late 20th century had much lower energy demands from the job, because of the containerization of cargo and the mechanization of the loading and unloading process. Also during this period, the use of labour-saving devices in the home and in yard and garden work became much more widespread. Physical activity became less and less common in industrialized countries, especially among the urban population. Although the level of general physical activity has declined, most observers feel that there have been increases in exercise participation in many countries since the late 1960s. Jogging, racket sports, cycling, and other active recreational pursuits have become much more common. In a sense this is simply humankind’s returning to the more active lifestyle of its distant ancestors.
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Physical fitness is a general concept and is defined in many ways by different scientists. Physical fitness is discussed here in two major categories: health-related physical fitness and motor-performance physical fitness. Despite some overlap between these classifications, there are major differences, as described below.
Health-related physical fitness is defined as fitness related to some aspect of health. This type of physical fitness is primarily influenced by an individual’s exercise habits; thus, it is a dynamic state and may change. Physical characteristics that constitute health-related physical fitness include strength and endurance of skeletal muscles, joint flexibility, body composition, and cardiorespiratory endurance. All these attributes change in response to appropriate physical conditioning programs, and all are related to health.
Strength and endurance of skeletal muscles of the trunk help maintain correct posture and prevent such problems as low back pain. Minimal levels of muscular strength and endurance are needed for routine tasks of living, such as carrying bags of groceries or picking up a young child. Individuals with very low levels of muscular strength and endurance are limited in the performance of routine tasks and have to lead a restricted life. Such limitations are perhaps only indirectly related to health, but individuals who cannot pick up and hug a grandchild or must struggle to get up from a soft chair surely have a lower quality of life than that enjoyed by their fitter peers.
Flexibility, or range of motion around the joints, also ranks as an important component of health-related fitness. Lack of flexibility in the lower back and posterior thigh is thought to contribute to low back pain. Extreme lack of flexibility also has a deleterious effect on the quality of life by limiting performance.
Body composition refers to the ratio between fat and lean tissue in the body. Excess body fat is clearly related to several health problems, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes mellitus, and certain forms of cancer. Body composition is affected by diet, but exercise habits play a crucial role in preventing obesity and maintaining acceptable levels of body fat.
Exercise is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. [1] [2] It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic skills, improve health, [3] or simply for enjoyment.
EXERCISE meaning: 1. physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy: 2. an action or actions…. Learn more.
bodily or mental exertion, especially for the sake of training or improvement of health: Walking is good exercise. Synonyms: gymnastics, calisthenics, activity. Antonyms: inaction. something done or performed as a means of practice or training: exercises for the piano. a putting into action, use, operation, or effect:
Jun 27, 2019 · Exercise involves engaging in physical activity and increasing the heart rate beyond resting levels. It is an important part of preserving physical and mental health.
