Last week we defined the various components of fitness. This week we'll look at some exercises that address each of the four basic fitness components with suggested amounts of activity necessary for the average healthy person to maintain a minimum level of overall fitness.

Each workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. Your warm-up should be 5 to 10 minutes of activities such as walking, slow jogging, knee lifts, arm circles, or trunk rotations. For cool-down, take a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes of slow walking or other low-level exercise combined with stretching.

• For muscular strength: at least 2 20-minute sessions a week that include exercises for all the major muscle groups. Lifting weights is the most effective way to increase strength.

• For muscular endurance: at least 3 30-minute sessions each week that include exercises such as calisthenics, pushups, situps, pull-ups, and weight training for all the major muscle groups.

• For cardiorespiratory endurance: at least 3 20-minute periods of continuous aerobic rhythmic exercise each week. Popular aerobic conditioning activities include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, jumping rope, rowing, cross-country skiing, and some continuous action games such as racquetball and handball.

• For flexibility: 10-12 minutes of daily stretching exercises performed slowly without a bouncing motion. This can be included after a warm-up or during a cool-down.

As a general rule, space your workouts throughout the week, and avoid consecutive days of hard exercise.

NOTE: If you are over 35 and have been inactive for several years, you should consult your physician before undertaking a vigorous exercise program. Other conditions that indicate a need for medical clearance are: high blood pressure, heart trouble, family history of early stroke or heart attack deaths, frequent dizzy spells, or extreme breathlessness after mild exertion.