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What you want to know about your condition

Effortlessly sprint to the bus or run up five flights of stairs to your workplace:we all want such a good condition. But what exactly is fitness and why is it important?

What is fitness anyway?

Condition revolves around two aspects:the maximum oxygen uptake in the muscles and the acidification threshold. The maximum oxygen uptake stands for the amount of oxygen that can be absorbed in your muscles per minute. The greater this shot, the greater your stamina. The acidity threshold refers to the moment at which your muscles become acidic. The better trained you are, the higher this threshold is. And the higher the threshold, the longer you can train at the same level. For novice athletes the acidification threshold is around sixty percent of their maximum, for top athletes it goes towards eighty to ninety percent.

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What determines your fitness?

Your heart rate tells a lot about your fitness. In short:the better your condition is, the lower your heart rate remains during an effort. When you're working out hard, your heart has to work hard to pump enough blood to your muscles. Your blood contains oxygen that your muscles need to function. The better your heart can do its job, the easier it is to exercise and the longer you can sustain the effort.

Why is a good condition important?

There is a clear relationship between endurance and quality of life. Your chances of survival increase significantly if you are in good shape. A good condition has a positive influence on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, bone building and absorption of nutrients in your muscle cells. In addition, you are much more productive, energetic and happier if you exercise a lot. Recent research has shown that your cognitive performance also benefits from physical exertion.

Source:Santé February 2019 Text:Fleur Baxmeier