Components Of Fitness Flashcards
Aerobic endurance
The ability of the heart and lungs to supply enough oxygen to the required muscles during a physical activity for a prolonged period of time.
• Necessary to last the full game, the ability to keep going over a specified distance.
- In training, the cardiovascular system needs to
be fit to keep the body working so the skill level will be reached.
- In competition, fatigue and breathlessness would prevent a person playing to the required standard or continuing in the activity. (Therefore, the better the heart and lungs – the better the athlete’s cardiovascular endurance and stamina – the more efficiently the body will get oxygen to the working muscles and remove waste products from the body.)
Anaerobic endurance
Muscular endurance
The ability of specific muscles/group of muscles making repeated contractions over a significant period of time.
• Necessary in activities were the body is producing energy under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, continuous sprinting and repetitive movements in physical activity.
Example: Muscular endurance is essential for long-distance events such as 10,000m racing. The body is able to keep going for a long time without tiring and so the performer has more chance of winning.
General strength
The maximum force exerted by a muscle/muscle group to overcome a resistance, or during one repetition maximum.
• Necessary to push hard against the opposition, to hold a weight, accelerating when sprinting. Strength can be used to overpower an opponent.
Speed
The maximum rate at which a person is able to move their body to cover a specific distance.
• Necessary to move quicker and beat an opponent when competing for a ball in a match.
• As sporting activities vary so too do the areas of the body requiring speed – a sprinter will need leg speed whereas the shot- putter’s arm speed is vital to success.
Flexibility
The range of movement around a joint.
• Necessary to change the body in different positions. Prevention of injury, when participating in games or physical activity.
- Controlled use of the full range of movement available at a joint can allow for the full execution of the correct technique, improving performance and lessening the risk of injury.
- It allows the muscles to be strong enough to prevent overextension beyond the fullest range.
Body composition
Balance
Power
The ability to use strength quickly (strength × speed)
• For power to be applied successfully to a sporting action there has to be a well-balanced level of strength and speed.
Examplw: Power is necessary to throw further, jump during takeoff, aiding a powerful shot being taken, accelerating in a game situation.
Agility
The physical ability that enables a person/athlete to quickly change body positions in a precise manner.
• Necessary in activities as athletes continually change positions where they must combine balance, co-ordination, speed and flexibility.
Example: Rugby players need great agility as they weave in and out around the opposition. In netball, the players are constantly dodging to escape a marker on court.
Co-ordination
The ability to perform smooth and accurate motor tasks, often involving the use of senses.
• This is necessary in activites where the athlete is required to use two or more parts of the body at the same time, such as striking the shuttle in badminton.
Specific strength
Reaction time
The time taken to initiate a response to a given stimulus.
- The stimulus may be visual, necessary in sport where a batsman is responding to the release of the ball from the bowler. The stimulus may be aural as in the reaction time between the starter firing the gun and the athlete moving out of the starting blocks.
Specific endurance
