A joint is where two ore more bones connect. We have joints in our head, in our neck, shoulders, spinal column, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles and in our toes and fingers.

 

We have three kinds of joints in our body:

 

– Fixed joints, which do not permit any kind of movement. Our skull bones are connected by a fixed joint.

– Semi-mobile joints, which permit some movements. Our vertebrae are connected by semi-mobile joints.

– Mobile joints, which permit a large variety of movements. The elbow, knee, hip and ankles are mobile joints.

 

When we exercise and warm up to make our body more flexible we prepare our joints for the activities we are going to do. Some of the movements we can make are, for example, bending, stretching, separating, approaching and rotating.

 

When we have strength, it means that we are strong. In all the many different activities we do in life, we use our muscular strength all the time, for example, when we:

 

– Stand upright and the strength of our back muscles holds our chest bones in an upright position.

– Drive our body forward when we take part in races, jumping or throwing activities.

– Compete against obstacles or external forces, for example, when we swim, climb mountains or run against the wind.

 

 

Many different factors such as the climate, our diet, the way we train, our heart, our age and whether we are male or female play an important part in the way we develop our strength. In Physical Education there are a lot of activities that can make us stronger, for example, pulling and pushing, transporting objects, climbing and throwing. If you want to be stronger, you can play the «Wheelbarrow Race» or the «Piggyback Race«.

 

We all move at different speeds when we walk, run or make gestures:

 

1) Walking or running speed. This is the time it takes us to go from one place to another in the shortest time possible and where we can see four different phases:

– The reaction phase, which is the time it takes us to start moving.

– The acceleration phase, which is when we start moving faster.

– The maximum speed phase, when we are walking or running as fast as we can.

– The maintenance phase, which is the time we can keep up our maximum speed.

 

2) Reaction speed. Is the time it takes us to react when our senses capture an external stimulus and the following occurs:

– Our senses and nervous system react to the stimulus.

– We analyze and react to the stimulus in a short period of time.

– The nervous system sends an order to the muscles to make the movement we want to make.

– We carry out the movements we want to make.

 

When we are exercising hard, our body needs more oxygen than usual. This extra amount of oxygen will depend on the intensity and the length of time we are exercising.

 

We know that our stamina is our body’s capacity to respond to strenuous activities. Depending on the amount of oxygen it needs, our body reacts with two different kinds of stamina:

 

– Aerobic stamina: When we are exercising normally and our body can give us all the oxygen our muscles need to move about.

– Anaerobic stamina: When we have to make an extra effort and our body cannot send all the oxygen that our muscles need fast enough. 

 

 

When we force our body too long, we use too much energy and don´t have enough energy to replace it. This make our heart beat faster and we get breathless. Sometimes, we carry on exercising and use the energy our body has stored. Sometimes, we carry on exercising and use the energy our body has stored. This means that we owe our body oxygen and it takes time to recuperate what we have last. If you want to improve your stamina, play with a skipping rope. 

Nuestro cuerpo es capaz de realizar una gran cantidad de movimientos. Desde muy pequeño has ido experimentando nuevas formas de moverte y has perfeccionado poco a poco habilidades como: gatear, rodar, girar, andar, correr, saltar, trepar, lanzar, etc. Pero para mejorar esas habilidades es necesario poseer unas buenas CAPACIDADES Y CUALIDADES FÍSICAS, como son: la fuerza, la flexibilidad, la resistencia, la velocidad, el equilibrio, la coordinación o la agilidad.

 

Muchas personas han desarrollado esas capacidades y cualidades de una forma especial y son motivo de nuestra admiración. Piensa en los personajes de circo, las chicas de gimnasia rítmica, los atletas y tantos otros. Ten en cuenta que todas estas capacidades y cualidades se pueden mejorar practicando ejercicio de forma habitual y adecuadamente.