FITNESS COMPONENTS Week 1

What you need to know… All fitness components Definition Sporting examples Energy system use Factors affecting How to train

Fitness Components Aerobic power (aerobic capacity, cardio-respiratory endurance) Muscular strength Local muscular endurance Anaerobic power (associated with speed) Muscular power Flexibility Agility Balance Reaction time Coordination Body composition

Aerobic Power Also known as aerobic ____________ and cardio-respiratory endurance Ability of the ____________, blood vessels and lungs to deliver oxygen to the working muscles High aerobic power = Greater production of ____________ Increased capacity for ____________ of anaerobic systems

Aerobic Power Sporting examples How it is trained Team sports (netball, football, hockey) Racquet sports (tennis, squash) Extended athletic events (marathon, triathlon) How it is trained Continuous training (>20mins sub-maximal activity) Aerobic activities: cycling, swimming, running Improves VO2 max (oxygen delivery and use by muscles)

Muscular Strength Force exerted by muscle/s for 1RM (one repetition maximum) Rarely used in isolation in sport Often combined with anaerobic power, muscular power and local muscular endurance Sporting examples Attempting a static hold against an opponent in wrestling Pushing opponents in a rugby scrum

Muscular Strength How is it trained Weight training (<5RM) Circuit training Factors affecting muscular strength Speed of muscle contraction ____________ the muscle contracts, the more force it can create Length of muscle fibre If a muscle is slightly stretched it is in the best position to create maximum force Age of performer Strength peaks 20-30 years

Muscular Strength Factors affecting muscular strength (cont.) Muscle fibre type Fast twitch (white) capable of greater strength Cross-sectional area Larger the muscle, the greater the strength Sex of performer Males have greater ____________ mass Joint angle around the muscle There is an optimal angle for strength depending on the joint Number of muscle fibres recruited Not all muscle fibres contract every time (eg: lift a glass v. dumbbell)

Local Muscular Endurance Is the ability of a particular muscle group to keep working at the desired level of effort for as long as the situation demands ____________ is often related to hydrogen ions and phosphates (not lactic acid) Closely linked with muscular strength Sporting examples Arms in 200m swim Abdominals in a 1min sit-up test

Local Muscular Endurance How is it trained Continuous training trains specific muscle groups Weight training (>20RM) Factors affecting muscular endurance Inorganic phosphate Resulting from breakdown of ATP & PC (major cause of fatigue) Age Older people fatigue more rapidly than younger Sex No significant difference if strength factor is equal

Local Muscular Endurance Factors affecting local muscular endurance Temperature > or < 37C increase fatigue Circulation Greater blood delivery increases LME Cross-education effect Training one limb brings benefits to other limb Accumulation of lactic acid May inhibit key enzymes, but not directly associated with muscular fatigue

Anaerobic Power (and Speed) Ability to produce energy (without use of ____________) quickly Speed: ability to move the body or a body part from one point to another in the ____________ possible time ATP-PC and lactic acid systems vital to anaerobic power Sporting examples 100m sprint Javelin Basketball rebound Uphill cycle for 30-60sec in a triathlon

Anaerobic Power (and Speed) Factors affecting anaerobic power (speed) Reaction time Acceleration Initial velocity Strength Tolerance to fatigue (phosphates and hydrogen ions) Genetic factors (size of bones and angle of joints, proportion of fast twitch fibres)

Muscular Power A powerful movement is achieved as quickly as possible, while imparting as much strength as possible A combination of ____________ and ____________ ATP-PC system vital A muscle that contracts very quickly has insufficient time to develop maximum force, whereas a very forceful contraction takes time, resulting in slow movement Trade off between the speed and force

Muscular Power Sporting examples How to train muscular power Field events (shot put, discus) Tackling in football Spike in volleyball Drive in golf How to train muscular power Weight training (8-12RM) Plyometrics

Flexibility Refers to the range of possible movement about a joint Can be dynamic (moving) or static (stationary) Sporting examples Gymnastics events Goalkeeping in hockey Kicking long goal in football

Flexibility How to train flexibility Best when the body is warmed up Static stretching (stretch muscles and hold for 20-30sec) Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching (using a partner to provide resistance) Ballistic (dynamic) stretching (moving the body parts in game-like actions)

Flexibility Factors affecting flexibility Age Sex Skin resistance Bone Increasing age decreases flexibility Sex Females more flexible (hormone differences) Skin resistance Bone Injury Scar tissue forms, decreasing flexibility Body build Extra fat or muscle will limit flexibility

Flexibility Factors affecting flexibility (cont.) Muscle temperature Warmer muscles have greater flexibility Length of muscles at rest At rest muscles shorten, leading to decreased flexibility Type of joint The more stable a joint the less flexible (eg: hip) Joint capsule Connective tissue and ligaments can be stretched, but decrease stability

Agility Ability to change ____________ with maximal speed and control Includes speed, balance, coordination, flexibility, muscular power Sporting examples Evading an opponent in soccer Reacting to a player’s baulk in football Dribbling around an opponent in basketball

Agility How to train agility Specific courses that replicate game movements Regular sprint training Improved flexibility

Balance The ability of the body to remain in a state of equilibrium Dynamic balance: while moving Static balance: whilst not moving Sporting examples Running a bend in 200m sprint Handstand Standing on one foot when shooting in netball

Balance How to train balance Weight training to improve muscular strength Repetitively practising the required movements Pilates Swiss ball training (core training)

Reaction Time The speed with which an individual can react to an outside stimulus Time taken for the brain to react to a stimulus, process them, select a response, then activate the muscular response Sporting examples Reacting to starter’s gun in a sprint Judging the speed and spin of the ball in table tennis

Reaction Time How to train reaction time Practise specific moments depending on sport Sprint start Tennis volleys

Coordination Linking together a series of muscular movements so that they appear to be well controlled and efficiently executed Sporting examples Tennis serve Arm-leg action in breaststroke How to train coordination Practise the relevant movements for the particular sports Begin with basic activities and progress to more complicated movements

Body Composition Proportion of bone, ____________ and ____________ within body Measured BMI Somatotyping: endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph Body fat: skinfolds, densitometry