The Components of Fitness Fitness is made up of many components. These components are used in sporting settings and can be trained to improve performance

FITNESS COMPONENTS

The Components of Fitness

Fitness is made up of many components. These components are used in sporting settings and

can be trained to improve performance and fitness levels.

These components can be broken down into two groups; Health related and motor-skill.

VCE Physical Education - Unit 4

Health and Motor-Skill Components

Health relatedCardio-respiratory

endurance p.153-4Muscular Strength

p.154-6Local Muscular

endurance p.156-7Anaerobic power

and speed p.157-8Flexibility p.158-

160Body composition

p.160-161

Motor-skillMuscular power

p.162Agility p.163Coordination

p.163Balance p.164Reaction time

p.164-5


Fitness Components and Energy Systems

Anaerobic energySports which rely on rapid

and explosive movements obtain their energy anaerobically.

1. Anaerobic power and speed

2. Local muscular endurance

3. Muscular strength4. Muscular power5. Agility6. Balance7. Reaction timeSee figure 7.5 p.152

Aerobic energy Prolonged and sub

maximal activities longer than 60 seconds rely on aerobic energy production.

Uses stored carbohydrates and fat.

The maximum amount of oxygen that the body can use during aerobic activities is called VO2 max.

Aerobic sports require;Cardio respiratory

endurance.


Health Related Components of FitnessFitness definitions and components

Cardio-respiratory EnduranceFitness level of the cardiovascular

system. It delivers oxygenated blood to

working muscles, and nutrients, while performing and removes wastes.

Also know as aerobic endurance, aerobic capacity, aerobic fitness or aerobic power.

Most essential component at rest and during recovery.

Examples: Team sports netball, football, hockey, soccer, volleyball, water, polo, basketball, lacrosse and rugby. Racquet sports such as tennis and squash. Extended athletic events such as the marathon, triathlons and cross country skiing.

Improvements: Cardio-respiratory endurance is developed through the use of continuous and interval training. Thus improving VO2 max (continuous), tolerance lactic acid raising the Lactate Inflection Point (LIP) and improving efficiency of the heart as a pump (interval).


Muscular StrengthThe force or tension a muscle

or muscle group can exert against a resistance in one maximal contraction (1RM)

It is an integral part of anaerobic power, muscular power and local muscular endurance and is rarely used in isolation.

Improvements; Circuit and weights training improves the explosive acceleration required for muscular strength.


Factors Affecting Strength1. Age – Max strength obtained at 25-30 years of

age and decreases thereafter.2. Gender – Same pre-pubescent, however

females 2/3 strength of males thereafter.3. Size (Cross-sectional area) – The larger the

muscle, the more force it can apply4. Muscle shape – Strength is specific to specific

muscles /groups. See picture next slide.5. Muscle fibre type – FT produce more force than

ST. A muscle biopsy can determine percentage of FT fibres.

6. Muscle fibre recruitment – The stronger the nerve impulse, the greater the amount of fibres contracted. Eg. 1RM all fibres recruited.

7. Joint angle and muscle length – Max strength at 120o. See fig 7.8 p.155

8. Speed of contraction – As speed increases, strength decreases.

9. Type of contraction - isometric (static), isokinetic, isotonic (concentric and eccentric) VCE Physical Education - Unit 4

Local Muscular EnduranceThe ability of a muscle or

group of muscles to sustain an activity for a short time in the face of considerable local fatigue (eg push-ups).

Tasks may require anaerobic energy in addition to aerobic because contraction of the muscle may occlude (block) the blood vessels that supply the muscle tissue.

Closely linked with muscular strength.

Improvements; Continuous training or weight training


Factors Affecting LME fatigue1. Inorganic phosphate – Rising levels of

Pi is considered the major cause of fatigue. Note. Lactic acid is not directly associated with muscular fatigue.

2. Age – Fatigue levels increase with age.3. Temperature – Optimal muscle

temperature is 37oC. Temperatures outside this range will affect fatigue levels

4. Circulation – Improved circulation as a result of training can reduce fatigue levels. New clothing such as ‘Skins’ can also help.

5. Cross-education effect – Training one limb has the same effect in the other limb.


Anaerobic Power and SpeedAnaerobic PowerAnaerobic power is required for most sports. It is explosive movements

performed quickly. It produces its energy in the absence of oxygen. An athlete’s power

is a measure of their anaerobic pathways.SpeedSpeed is the ability of the body to perform a task or movement quickly. Power and speed are very closely related.Improvements ; In sprint or high-level interval training (at least three times per

week), keep the heart rate in the ‘training zone’ for at least 20 minutes.

Undertake 20–80-metre interval running sprints, starting with a ‘walk back’ recovery and progressing to a ‘jog back’ recovery.

Undertake 300–600-metre running ‘cruises’ The same interval concept will produce anaerobic gains, when used

for related sports such as cycling or swimming. Weight training can also improve anaerobic power.


Factors Affecting SpeedSpeed can be affected by an athletes;

Acceleration levels, initial velocity, strength and fatigue tolerance levels. Reaction time is an indirect factor.

Speed is also influenced by our genetics; Bone size, angle of joints, position of ligament and tendon attachments, muscle fibre types.


FlexibilityFlexibility is the ability to gain

the range of movement required for a particular sport.

Flexibility is based on skeletal and muscular interaction.

It is very important for injury prevention, ease of movement and aesthetic appearance.

Flexibility can be static (Eg. Sit and reach test) or dynamic (Eg. Range of motion during a skill).

Improvements; Flexibility training.


Factors Affecting Flexibility Joint Structure and capsule– The greater

the stability of a joint, the less flexible it will be.

Length of muscle at rest – Inactive people have shortened muscle length which reduces flexibility levels.

Muscle temperature – Warming of the muscle to 37oC and stretching will assist with flexibility.

Specific flexibility - for particular sports Age – Lose flexibility with age Gender – Females more flexible than

males Body build – Leaner people are generally

more flexible Injury – Prior injuries reduce flexibility levels Skin and bone resistance Disease


Body CompositionProportion of bone, muscle and fat in

an athlete. Body composition can be measured

three ways;1. Somatotypes Endomorph – Short/fat Mesomorph- muscular Ectomorph – Tall/thin2. Body fat determination Densitometry – Submerging the

athlete in water to determine lean body mass (LBM) in comparison to fat mass (FM)

Skinfold measurements – Skin thickness is measured at various sites on the body.

3. Body mass index (BMI) Height / weight2


Motor Skill Related Components of FitnessFitness definitions and components


Muscular Power Powerful movements lasting for a few

seconds only. It is the ability to exert a “maximal”

contraction in one explosive act. Dependant upon speed and strength. Max power is generated when the

speed of contraction is around 35% of its max and the force contraction is about 35% of its max.

Power is required for most sports Eg, field events such as shot-put, discus, javelin, high jump, long jump and hammer throw, tackling in football or rugby, a spike in volleyball etc.


AgilityAbility to change direction with maximal speed and control Combination of; power, speed, flexibility, balance and

coordination.Important in sports which require sudden changes of

direction.Improvements; Training can improve speed, reaction time,

flexibility, coordination and balance – thus improving agility.


CoordinationAbility to link muscle groups to

appear well controlled and efficient.

Involves the nervous system and muscular system working harmoniously in hand-eye and foot-eye coordination activities.

Improvements; Can be developed through specific skill training and through enhancement of core stability and balance.


Balance & Reaction TimeBalanceThe ability to remain in a

state of equilibrium while performing a desired task.

Dynamic – movingStatic – Not moving Relies on core stabilityImprovements; Training

methods such as Pilates and Swiss balls.

Reaction TimeAbility to react to an outside

stimulus Improvements; Practice with

starter guns, overload with quicker stimuli (eg quicker squash balls).

http://www.pilates.net/Images/pilates/BallSaw_w.jpg

Documents

The Components of Fitness Fitness is made up of many components. These components are used in sporting settings and can be trained to improve performance