2019 Case Study: The Future of Physical Fitness
Physical fitness as we know it today is a modern invention, however, since the beginning of time people have found ways to stay fit.
The life of a primitive man involved a lot of physical activities such as hunting, gathering and later even agriculture. Back then people were always on the move, so little significance was given to the physical fitness as we know it today.
Later, with the development of the technological advances, the levels of their natural activity decreased. Between 2500-250 B.C. in China, Confucius began to recognize the importance of physical activity since the lack of it was linked to poor health, internal stoppages and organ malfunctions.Because of this, Cong Fu was developed to keep the body in shape, and the Chinese also participated in other activities that were purely for the pursuit of physical activity – such as wrestling and badminton.
With the rise of civilizations, physical fitness was driven by art and military might. The ancient Greeks valued the beauty of the physical form. They believed that having a fit body means having a fit mind, and that physical wellness was necessary in order to be emotionally healthy. In this civilization, the main form of exercise was gymnastics.
Spartans, on the other hand, focused on fitness as a means of achieving military strength. They underwent vigorous fitness regimens – both the men and the women – for the purpose of defending Sparta.
Then came Romans and their hedonism, which meant that the accent was on good life and enjoying and indulging it, whereas physical fitness levels again decreased. Because of this, eventually the Roman civilization fell to those who were more physically fit – the non-agrarian Barbarian tribes from the North.
Fast-forward to the Dark Ages, where Greek ideals emphasizing the beauty of the fit human form made a comeback. It was during this time that physical education became a commonly taught subject. Many societies taught physical education in support of nationalistic ideals. This was the birth of the modern physical fitness history.
Gymnastics as a means of fitness became tremendously popular during this time, and was prevalent in many societies throughout Europe.
Modern Techniques used to improve Your Physical Fitness
In the modern era, once again, the advancement in technology has directed us to lead sedentary lifestyle and has resulted in marked decline in our regular physical activity and food habits. Physical inactivity over a longer period of time has been identified as a risk factor for the development ofdiseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity.
For all of these reasons, physical fitness and health should become our priority. However, a busy life filled with work, family and friends make it difficult to prioritize.
Luckily, technology has found a way to help us improve and maintain healthy lifestyle and physical fitness.
From apps to hardware, there are a lot of fitness aids that can help you get started. Some of the modern technologies that can help your physical fitness include:
- Calorie counters apps – these well-designed apps can really help you monitor your daily food needs and ensure you are eating a balanced diet that will help you reach your fitness goal. It should be able to track not only the calories you eat but the percentage of fats, sugars, and carbohydrates you consume too.
- Heart rate monitors – these measure your heart rate either with a band around your chest or via a wrist attachment. Heart rate monitors are important to understand how your body responds to physical activity.
- Muscle stimulation devices – these devices train your muscles via neuromuscular electrical stimulation by sending pulses to nerve fibers, creating involuntary contractions. You can check out Complex Muscle Stimulation here.
- Smart ropes – this high-tech piece of sports equipment not only counts your workout it provides with up to date calorie information.All you have to do is simply download the app, connect your rope to your phone and start your workout. The LED-embedded jump rope displays your fitness data in mid-air, as you work out.
Physical Fitness Recovery Systems
We did, by now, establish that physical fitness is an essential part of maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle, but it doesn’t come without risk of injury.
To minimize these risks and perform optimally during you exercise, you must allow your body to recover. Recovery involves a number of post-exercise steps that are essential for any exercise regime, regardless of fitness level, the type of physical activity or the exercise intensity. Itis often neglected even though it does not take long or require much effort. If you schedule recovery into your fitness routine, it will soon become a habit, and you will be helping yourself get the most from your exercise.
Some of the benefits of recovery include tissue repair, function restoration, muscle recovery and even psychological recovery.
Exercise recovery involves actions carried out immediately after exercise, such as stretching and warming down. It also involves certain drinking and eating patterns, as well as therapeutic actions.
Modern technology has also tinkered with how to better and speed up your recovery and now we have devices such as Normatec Recovery. It uses a dynamic compression device designed for recovery and rehab. These devices use compressed air to massage your limbs, mobilise fluid and speed recovery. It also helps improve sleep, circulation and provides pain relief, amongst other things.
Other recovery devices include sleep monitors and pain relief gadgets.
Sleep monitors – these devices help you understand how many hours of sleep you are getting and then working out what is optimal for you – the data you get back can help you makes good decisions and better rest.
Pain relief gadgets deliver electrical impulses that aid in circulation and reduce swelling. These devices are used by both amateur and professional athletes to help them recover and optimize performance.
Nutrition Planning
Nutrition plan and physical fitness go hand in hand with each other. Food provides energy for physical activity. As you get more active and more fit, your energy needs – how many calories you need – may change? To get the energy you require, you need to get the proper amount of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and water.
Eating a diet that is varied, balanced, and moderate can provide you with all the nutrients the body needs without getting too much or too little of any one nutrient.
Future of Physical Fitness Technologies
We delved into the past of physical fitness, now it’s time to turn towards the future and see what it holds.
It seems that the future of technology is to make emerging tech gadgets smaller and less visible. Wearable technologies that track your physical activity, heart rate and sleep patterns are now being designed into clothing. However, smart clothing could revolutionize not only fitness but injury prevention and physical therapy, as well.
And let’s not forget about cryotherapy. Cryotherapy, also known as “cold therapy”, is a technique where the body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for several minutes. It helps treat symptoms such as tissue damage, decrease inflammation, increase cell rejuvenation, improve skin tone and reduce signs of aging. The Cryosaunas intensely stimulate collagen production and the anti-inflammatory response, in addition to improving overall circulation. They enable better sleep, blood detoxification, revitalised mood, energy, and overall well-being.However, there is always place for improvement, even in the field of cryotherapy.
