Fitness isn’t just ONE thing; it’s the sum of many things…

And you need to understand what those things are. The difference between “training” and “working out” is that:

  • Training is specific and purposeful
  • Working out is general and unsystematic

If you REALLY want to get in, and stay in, shape, you need to pay attention to the various components that come together to create a healthy, holistic body, mind and spirit.

Sarah Aguilar is one of our Arena Fitness staff in charge of the Encino and Northridge personal training programs. In this video, she breaks down the 5 Components of Fitness that you need to be minding if you want to look and feel fantastic and perform well, too.

Component #1: Cardiovascular Endurance

The ability of your heart to transfer oxygen to your working muscles (aka stamina/cardio). How long can you keep going?

Component #2: Muscular Endurance

The length of time your muscles can endure repeating the same movement over and over, or how long you can hold an isometric position (like a plank).

Component #3: Muscular Strength

The amount of force you can produce, the amount of weight you can lift at once.

Related: Wanna change your body? Then you need to lift heavy stuff!

Component #4: Flexibility

The range of motion you have at each joint.

Component #5: Body Composition

The ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass (lean muscle tissue, bones, blood, etc.). Or, more simply, how lean you are.


It’s important to try to find balance among these components.

Be aware of the area of greatest need for you! By improving your weakest component you will enhance and improve the other components because they are interrelated. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine which component to address first:

  • Do you need to challenge your cardiovascular endurance more by taking more cardio intensive classes?

Related: What 5 questions must you ask when buying running shoes? Click here to find out!

  • Do you need to increase load (lift heavier weights) to improve strength? If you’ve been doing all cardio at the expense of strength, is that something you need to look at?
  • What about flexibility? Is it time to realize that you’re never going to stretch in front of the TV like you said you were going to and you need to add a yoga class in every week?
  • If your body composition isn’t where you want it to be, is it time to take a closer look at nutrition and maybe get some help with a systematic nutrition plan?

Related: What is the hierarchy of fat loss? Click here to see!

Everything is interrelated! Find your weakest component and work on improving it. Elevate your game from the bottom up and you’ll be amazed by your progress.


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Jonathan Aluzas is the Membership Director for Arena Fitness, a fitness center that offers group training in Northridge as well as personal training in Encino.