Chapter+1

Physical activity and exercise among the UMP students

__1.1 Background information__

Introduction

In general physical activity or exercise or fitness is same meaning and all of these terms are routinely used to refer to being physically active. Many people perform physical exercise with a different reason. There are many descriptions about the physical activity depending on different activity options, from team and individual sports, dancing, walking, gardening, and martial arts, to doing household chores and just playing with friends. In addition, there are three types of exercise, which are flexibility exercises, such as stretching that can improve the range of motion of muscles and joints. Another type is aerobic exercises, such as cycling, swimming, walking, rowing, running, and hiking or playing tennis which focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance. Lastly, the type of physical exercise is anaerobic exercises, such as weight training, functional training or sprinting that can increase short-term muscle strength. Usually, physical activity is the activity of exerting muscles in various ways to keep fit and to build


 * Like most people, we probably have heard that physical activity, including exercise, is good for us. If we are already active, keep up the good work and keep continue into our daily lifethe ** UMP students, usually in the evening around 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm they will be ready to do the physical activity and exercise. Usually, we can see more male students than female students are doing physical activities and exercise. Why does this happen? There are many types of physical activities and exercise that students in UMP do during their leisure time such as playing football, playing basketball and jogging. In that time, we can see more a group of male students are playing football and jogging. But we can see only a little group of female students is walking together while chatting and some of them just do a little exercise using facilities around theUMP.

Meanwhile, there are some problems will be appeared among the student UMP that related with the topic of physical activity and exercise. We have identified that male students are more interested in doing physical activities and exercise than female students. Beside that, we as a student UMP can see the less of facilities to do exercise. It is because the UMP places in Gambang for a meantime. Other source that make it is become problem is an individual factor, that is a possibility associated with physical activity and exercise among student include confidence in one ability to engage in exercise. In other factor is a demographic, which includes a sex, age, race or ethnicity. For example we can see is participation of female students less active than male students. The other factors are interpersonal and environment factor. The support from the surrounding like the friends, parent or lecture is a positively associate in a participate student for physical activity and exercise among the student.

There are many great things we can earn about the physical activity and exercise among the UMP student. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doing some kind of physical activity or exercise on a regular basis helps to increase strength and flexibility, improve endurance, control weight, increase bone mass, and improve self-esteem, as well as reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and the risk of developing high blood pressure. A healthy living is a person who keep planner as a daily routine for the healthy in their life with gets the entire nutrient in food pyramid and does at least three times a week do the physical activity and exercise for 20 minutes. That person can make their life grow older with the healthy life.

The best way to encourage the student to do physical activities and exercise as a permanent part of their life is make it excitement, having fun and enjoyable. There are many sources we can get a lot of tips about a physical activities and exercise like a pamphlet, surfing internet and read article. It will help us to be active in the ways that suit for the lifestyle, interest, health, and keep our budget for saving.

__1.2 Definition of term__

a) Physical activity Physical activity is a general term used to describe movements of the skeleton and skeletal muscles that expend energy. Physical activity can include: - Traditional exercise, such as walking, running, biking, and doing aerobics - Participation in team sports and activities, such as football, hockey, or soccer Other tasks that keep your body moving and your heart rate up, such as climbing the stairs, carrying groceries, and sweeping the floor

b) Exercise Exercise is a term that describes activities that have or improve the following features: aerobic capacity (your oxygen intake), muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

c) Student UMP The person who studies in Diploma and Degree level in Universiti Malaysia Pahang.

__1.3 Research Questions__

1) Why male students more interested to do physical exercise than female students? 2) Does student will participate on physical activity and exercise during leisure time? 3) What types of physical activity and exercise that usually male students and female students get involved?

__1.4 Objectives__

- To find out which gender are more interested to do physical exercise. - To find out student participation on physical activity and exercise after class hour.