The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) agrees that fitness is not a one-size-fits-all thing. Every person has unique factors that affect their health, fitness level, and fitness goals.
That's why trying to fit into someone else's fitness profile doesn't usually work and, in fact, often causes injury. ACSM says everyone has a unique fitness ID they must discover, develop, and change throughout their lifetime.
Helping people find that fitness ID is the reason why ACSM recently published their Complete Guide to Fitness & Health (Human Kinetics, 2011). Edited by Dr. Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM Certified Program Director and ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, the book describes how to evaluate personal fitness, set fitness goals, meet and exceed recommended exercise guidelines for aerobics, strength, flexibility, balance, and how to accommodate special health needs.
It also discusses nutrition, weight loss, weight maintenance, age-appropriate fitness standards and a wealth of health and wellness guidelines for every body. It details how to design your own personal exercise program to fit your fitness ID and guides readers through the how-tos of aerobic activity, resistance training, flexibility, and balance exercises.
ACSM emphasizes that exercises in each category should be customized according to personal preference and skill level. "A balanced exercise program is like a sturdy three-legged stool. If one leg is weak or too short, the stool isn't stable," Dr. Bushman explains. "In the same way, ignoring one of the exercise components will put your fitness program out of balance."
Your personal fitness ID evolves over time and changes as your health and strength change. No matter where you start out, physical activity will impact your health and well-being in positive ways. It's important to set realistic, achievable goals that can be accomplished through consistent, step-by-step effort.
"Understanding what it means to be fit, active, and healthy is the first step toward discovering your personal fitness ID," Dr. Bushman says. "With specific information on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility, and nutrition, people of all ages and health conditions can take charge of their fitness and develop a fitness ID unique to their needs."
Sources:
American College of Sports Medicine
What's Your Fitness ID?
http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/what's-your-fitness-id-
