Components of fitness

• Fitness


  The ability to meet the demands of the environment
• Physical fitness


  • A person is able to carry out all of their daily tasks without being fatigued
• Sport fitness


  • Requires a much higher level of fitness than needed for everyday tasks
• Components of fitness

  • Agility
  • Balance
  • Cardiovascular endurance
  • Coordination
  • Flexibility
  • Muscular endurance
  • Power/explosive strength
  • Reaction time
  • Speed
  • Strength
• Agility


  The ability to change direction quickly with speed
• When agility is used

  • Trying to lose a defender by dodging, dribbling in hockey
• Agility test

  Illinois agility test
• Balance


  The ability to maintain the centre of mass over the base of support
• When balance is used


  • When performing headstands, skiing
• Balance test

  Stork balance test
• Cardiovascular endurance


  The ability of the heart & lungs to supply oxygen to the working muscles
• When cardiovascular endurance is used


  • When running a long distance
• Cardiovascular endurance test

  Bleep test
• Coordination


  The ability to move 2 or more parts of the body together and controlled
• When coordination is used


  • Hitting a cricket ball with a bat
• Coordination test


  Wall toss
• Flexibility


  A range of movement possible at a joint
• When flexibility is used


  • A gymnast performing the splits, hurdling
• Flexibility test


  Sit and reach test
• Muscular endurance


  The ability of a muscle or muscle group to undergo repeated contractions avoiding fatigue
• When muscular endurance is used

  • Rowers performing repeated contractions, swimmers, cyclists, middle distance running
• Muscular endurance test


  Abdominal curl conditioning test
• Power/explosive strength


  The ability to move the body with strength and speed
• When power/explosive strength is used


  • Generating power while kicking football to score into the goal
• Power/explosive strength test


  Vertical jump test
• Reaction time


  The time taken to initiate a response to stimulus
• When reaction time is used


  • Reaction time to a shot of a gun, Receiving a pass
• Reaction time test


  Ruler drop test
• Speed


  The maximum rate at which an individual is able to perform a movement or cover a distance in a period of time, speed=distance divided by time
• When speed is used


  • Olympic sprinter racing during 100m, change of pace
• Speed test

  30 metre sprint test
• Strength


  The ability to overcome a resistance, related to the force produced by the muscle groups
• When strength is used


  • Dynamic=tackling, Static=pushing in rugby scrum, Max=throwing a punch, Explosive=pushing out of the blocks in 100m
• Strength tests

  Vertical jump, one rep max, hand grip dynamometer
• Middle distance running

  1. Speed

  2. Muscular endurance

  3. Cardiovascular endurance
• Middle distance runners need speed

  To complete the distance faster
• Middle distance runners need muscular endurance

  To run for a long time
• Middle distance runners need cardiovascular endurance

  To supply oxygen to working muscles quickly