Exercise vs Physical Activity: Do they Mean the Same Thing?

We have different views on this, but in the article Exercise vs Physical Activity, we will get cleared.

Exercise and Physical Activity are terms that describe different concepts. However, they are often confused with one another, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Exercise vs Physical Activity

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorized into occupational, sports, conditioning, household, or other activities. Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or intermediate objective the improvement or maintenance of physical fitness.

Physical fitness is a set of attributes that are either health- or skill-related. The degree to which people have these attributes can be measured with specific tests. These definitions are offered as an interpretational framework for comparing studies that relate physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness to health.

Read Also: 61 Very important benefits of exercise

Also, according to the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association, the following are definitions of physical activity, exercise, and cardiovascular exercise, respectively:

• Physical activity is any movement that is carried out by the muscles that require energy. In other words, it is any movement a person does.
• Exercise is, by definition, planned, structured, repetitive, and intentional movement. Exercise is also intended to improve or maintain physical fitness.

The relationship is simple:

• All exercise is physical activity, but not all physical activity is exercise.

• Exercise is actually a subcategory of physical activity.

• Both contribute to overall health, but in slightly different ways.

Think of physical activity as the big umbrella that covers everything you do that moves your body. Exercise is a smaller but more focused section under that umbrella, aimed at fitness and performance.

Relationship Between Exercise and Physical Activity

Similarities Between Exercise and Physical Activity

1. Both involve body movement – They require the use of muscles and energy.

2. Both improve health – Whether you’re cleaning your house or doing push-ups, you are boosting cardiovascular health, reducing stress, and burning calories.

3. Both reduce health risks – Regular movement helps lower risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers.

4. Both can improve mental well-being – Movement of any kind helps reduce anxiety, depression and improves mood.

5. Both can be enjoyable – Whether planned or spontaneous, they can be fun if you choose activities you like.

Differences Between Exercise and Physical Activity

Why Both Are Important

• Physical activity keeps your body moving throughout the day, reducing long sitting times and maintaining general health.

• Exercise provides targeted benefits, improving endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness.

Combining both gives the best outcome. For example, you might cycle to work (physical activity) and then do a structured 30-minute strength workout in the evening (exercise).

Physical Activity And Exercise In Our Daily Lives

In our daily lives, we do a lot of physical activity like walking in the grocery store and pushing the cart, gardening, and carrying the laundry basket to the washer. These are common examples, while some examples of exercising are intentionally going for a walk every day, doing a group workout, or even walking your dog.

Read Also: 6 Safety Tips for Jogging You Should Always Apply

Research shows significant evidence that all physical activity contributes to overall health and well-being and that exercise assists with the improvement of physical fitness. While doing only one of these can be beneficial, the combination of both brings the greatest impact on our health.

While there are a great number of physical and mental benefits of exercise and physical activity, perhaps the most impactful is the strengthening of the cardiovascular system. Exercise physiologists such as those at Intensive Cardiac Rehab at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South can help patients fully reap these benefits by providing detailed exercise instructions that are safe, effective, and based on your individual needs.

Research provides significant evidence that ALL physical activity positively contributes to overall health and well-being. Exercise also assists with the improvement of physical fitness, which consists of five specific components:

• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Muscular strength fitness
• Muscular endurance fitness
• Flexibility fitness
• Body composition

NOTE: Not all physical activity is exercise. Exercise is considered planned, structured, and purposeful physical activity. The goal of exercise is to increase physical fitness.

Benefits of Exercise

• Exercise is shown to reduce the risk of recurrence of various cancers, such as breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
• Exercise also reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
• Exercise increases your physical fitness, which can improve your quality of life.

Types of Exercise

Different types of exercise serve different purposes.

Aerobic exercise

• Involves repetitive movements of large muscle groups done for a longer period of time
• Improves cardio-respiratory fitness and body composition
• Examples include walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming

Resistance training

• Involves movements with added resistance for a determined number of repetitions
• Improves muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition
• Examples include exercises with dumbbells, weight machines, kettlebells, and resistance bands.

I believe the topic “Exercise vs Physical activity; does it mean the same thing?” has been cleared.

Related Posts

List of Physical Activities in Schools

5 Physical Activities for Students Who Have No Gym in Their Dorm

6 Social Benefits of Physical Activity You Didn’t Know

13 Safe Exercise Routines You Should Always Practice

10 Safety Rules for Soccer Players