Key definitions
- Health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (the World Health Organization's definition).
- Fitness: the ability to meet the demands of the environment.
- Exercise: a form of physical activity done to maintain or improve health and/or fitness. It is not competitive sport.
- Performance: how well a task is completed.
How they are linked
- Exercise improves fitness, and fitness helps performance, because a fitter performer can meet the demands of their sport.
- Exercise also improves health, for example by lowering the risk of heart disease.
- You can be fit but unhealthy: a marathon runner with a cold can still run, but is not healthy.
- Being ill or injured can reduce fitness, because you can't train, so poor health can lower performance.
Examples
- A county netball player who trains three times a week may be very fit for netball but have high stress (poor mental health) before exams.
- An office worker who walks 10,000 steps a day may not be sports-fit but can still be healthy.
Key terms
- Health
- A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
- Fitness
- The ability to meet the demands of the environment.
- Exercise
- Physical activity done to maintain or improve health and/or fitness.
- Performance
- How well a task is completed.
- Well-being
- Feeling well physically, mentally and socially.