PE 3

BODY CONDITIONING

I. INTRODUCTION

Body conditioning exercises target your whole body, using lots of different muscles to strengthen, shape, and
tone your body. They may combine several types of exercise, such as flexibility, strength, and resistance
training.

Body conditioning improves endurance, increases flexibility, and establishes a balanced, stable physique.

These valuable exercises offer a wealth of positive benefits to your overall health and fitness level. Regularly
do these moves to build power, coordination, and speed. This allows you to improve your athletic performance
and feel better while going about your daily routine.
Body conditioning is, you guessed it, the act of improving the condition of your body. Essentially, it’s a fancy
term for enhancing your physical fitness.

Because there are many components of physical fitness and many different parts of the body, the term body
conditioning is often used to describe exercise classes and routines that attend to lots of the different areas in
one workout.

There are five main components of physical fitness. Cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular
endurance, flexibility/mobility, and body composition. Developing these types of fitness will lead to adaptations
and changes in the body in response to the exercise being done, which will improve the condition of the body.

What is body conditioning then?

Body conditioning is exercise that develops well-rounded and full-body physical fitness to improve the
condition of the body. Those looking to increase their strength, tone up, increase their heart rate, and generally
get fitter would benefit from a conditioning class.

That means conditioning classes won’t just work the muscles in your chest or your legs. It will work on your
whole body, including all the major muscle groups you can think of. It’s a total body workout. It also won’t just
test your cardiovascular or aerobic fitness. It will also develop your muscular strength, muscular endurance,
and flexibility.

There’s a lot to be done in a conditioning workout, so expect intensity.

II. BENEFITS OF BODY CONDITIONING EXERCISE

Body conditioning exercises are a form of anaerobic exercise. They’re immensely beneficial to your physical
health and overall well-being, making them a vital part of any fitness routine.

Since they don’t require equipment, you can do them anywhere. This is ideal when you’re traveling or have a
time constraint.

Student Handout 4: BODY CONDITIONING * Property of STI

Page 1 of 5
 PE 3

• Boosts cardiovascular health

The aerobic advantages of these exercises boost your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, lowering your
risk for developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

They strengthen your musculoskeletal system, slow down bone loss, and improve bone density, all of which
help prevent osteoporosis.

• Helps burn calories

Increased muscle mass helps you burn calories and stay fit. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells,
even while at rest. It’s especially important to do strengthening exercises, since aging causes muscle loss and
slows your resting metabolic rate.

• Prevents cognitive decline

Conditioning your body helps you feel better overall as you gain confidence, reduce depressive symptoms,
and feel better mentally.

According to a 2019 study, strength training may boost your mental function and prevent cognitive decline.

The study found that middle-aged and older adults who participated in 12 weeks of intense resistance training
showed improvement in their delayed verbal memory performance when compared to the control group, who
didn’t exercise.

• Builds muscle and strength

As you build muscle and trim fat, you’ll have more power, stamina, and agility while doing daily tasks, such as
lifting heavy items, carrying large bags, and climbing stairs.

Your muscles work faster and more effectively, making all kinds of movement easier, from reaching down
while in a seated position to jumping higher during a volleyball game.

• Increases flexibility

Moving through body conditioning exercises trains your body to open up and move in different ways.
Lengthening and extending your muscles is vital for improving flexibility, range of motion, and mobility.

You’ll also develop balance, stability, and coordination. All of these help prevent injury and falls that are
common as you age.

As you start to feel better in your body, you may feel more inspired, motivated, or confident. This can lead to
positive changes in other areas of your life.

You may be emboldened to try moving your body in different ways during a kickboxing, ballroom dancing, or
rock climbing course.

Student Handout 4: BODY CONDITIONING * Property of STI

Page 2 of 5
 PE 3

• Cautions

You should have a reasonable level of fitness, energy, and mobility to move through these positions with ease.
If you’re concerned you don’t, check in with your doctor.

If you’re new to fitness or have any injuries or medical concerns, use caution and begin slowly. Modify the
exercises to suit your body as necessary. This way you can get used to the movements before moving on to
more difficult moves.

Talk to your doctor if you have any medical conditions, take medications, or are concerned with a specific area
of your body.

Always do a warmup and cooldown before and after your workout session so your body is properly adjusted.
Use correct form, technique, and alignment while doing these exercises. Avoid any movement that causes you
pain or discomfort.

Listen to your body. Take a rest day, or choose a restorative activity on days you’re sick, tired, or injured.

BODY CONDITIONING EXERCISES

Get your blood flowing, heart pumping, and muscles flexing with these body conditioning exercises. For best
results, incorporate a few of them into your daily routine, or do a longer session two to three times per week.

Squat jumps

Instructions:

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width.

2. Slowly lower down into a squat position.
3. Engage your core and lower body as you jump explosively, extending your arms overhead.
4. Lower back down to the squat position as soon as you land.
5. Do 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Mountain climbers

Instructions:

1. Begin in a high plank.

2. Keep your spine straight as you engage your core and draw in your right knee toward your chest.
3. Extend your right leg back to the starting position.
4. Repeat on the left side.
5. Continue for 1 minute.
6. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

Burpees

To make this exercise more challenging, do 2 to 4 pushups in a row while in the plank position. Or try out
some of these variations.

Student Handout 4: BODY CONDITIONING * Property of STI

Page 3 of 5
 PE 3

Instructions:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Slowly lower down into a squat position.
3. Place your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders.
4. Walk or jump your feet back to come into a high plank.
5. Walk or jump your feet to the outside of your hands as you come back into a squat position.
6. Engage your core as you jump up as high as you can, and extend your arms overhead.
7. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.

Split jacks

This total-body cardiovascular exercise targets your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Instructions:

1. Stand in a lunge position with your left foot forward.

2. Extend your right arm overhead and left arm alongside your body.
3. Explosively jump and switch the position of your feet to bring your right foot forward.
4. At the same time, change the position of your hands by reaching your left arm overhead and your right
arm back.
5. Continue for 30 seconds.
6. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

Lateral lunges

This exercise utilizes the muscles along the sides of your legs, targeting your hips, glutes, and thighs.

Instructions:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Press firmly into your right foot as you take a big step to the side with your left foot.
3. Slowly lower your hips down and bend your left leg, keeping your right leg straight.
4. Raise back up to standing, and step your left foot back to the starting position.
5. Do the opposite side.
6. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to16 repetitions.

The bottom line

Do these body conditioning exercises to ensure that your whole body is fit, strong, and agile. Following a
healthy exercise plan has a positive effect on how you feel while exercising and moving through your daily
activities. It can even improve how you sit at your desk or while driving.

Along with your fitness plan, stay hydrated, follow a healthy diet, and get plenty of quality sleep each night.

Continue to challenge yourself to regularly learn new movements. Enjoy all of the advantages you stand to
gain from a well-rounded fitness plan.

Student Handout 4: BODY CONDITIONING * Property of STI

Page 4 of 5
 PE 3

*Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/body-conditioning#when-to-talk-with-a-pro

https://www.hussle.com/blog/what-is-body-conditioning/

https://www.livestrong.com/article/485546-what-is-a-body-conditioning-exercise/

Student Handout 4: BODY CONDITIONING * Property of STI

Page 5 of 5