Fitness
Components of fitness
Physical fitness is the ability to function effectively in physical work, training, and other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any emergencies which may arise. To make fitness easier to measure and define it has been broken into separate components or elements that when put together give us a picture of an individual’s level of fitness.
Initially, exam board’s asked students to classify the components into physical (or health) related and skill related components and in some books (and websites) you may see them represented in these categories. Also lots of past exam questions have asked about the categories, for example:
“Using a sport of your choice, identify two main components of physical fitness required and explain their importance. (4 marks)”
or
“Explain the importance of two components of skill-related fitness other than agility and balance for any games player. (4 marks)”
or
“Which two components of health-related exercise is Tony most likely to improve through regular training sessions using Fartlek training? (2 marks)”
Now you don’t need to know the categories but it is a useful way to remember them.
BCRAPS for skill related
- Balance
- Coordination
- Reaction Time
- Agility
- Power
- Speed
Task:
Have a go at matching the components with the correct definitions and examples
Comp of fit task.pdfComponents of fitness.pdf
Use this method when asked to "PEEL" a response. It is a great way of accessing more marks and developing your answer.
Task:
Use PEEL to discuss which component of fitness is most important to the athletes in these video examples.
Watch each clip fully as there are examples where different components are being used.
Web link
Fitness Testing
The main reasons for fitness testing:
- Identifies strengths and/or weaknesses in a performance
- Identifies success of a training programme/show improvement;
- Identifies starting level of fitness
- Compared against norms of the group
- Helps motivate performer through sets goals
- Some (maximal) tests increase fitness so aid training
- Provides variety to training programme
Component: Speed
Suitability for table tennis players
No: 30-metre sprint test required you to run as fast as possible in a straight line, testing speed over a distance much longer than that required in table tennis.
No: test was not specific to table tennis.
No: just because you are fast at running doesn't mean you will have fast reactions/good coordination for table tennis.
Component: Strength
Suitability for a rock climber
Yes: grip strength is important to holding body weight whilst climbing.
No: It only focuses on forearm and hand strength, and does not consider the strength of other parts of the body. Climbing using a large amount of leg strength
Component: Flexibility
Negative: test focuses only on the flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings
When analysing a fitness test ask yourself:
- does it measure fitness that is used in the game/sport?
- does the result help predict performance in the game/sport?
- does the action used in the test match that used in the game/sport?
- does the test condition match those of the game/sport (e.g. terrain)?
- does the intensity used in the test match the intensity of the game/match?
- which sport is the test best suited to?
If the example and test is "mismatched" suggest a more suitable test.