PHYSICAL EXERCSISE

Physical aspects of fitness Skill related fitness factors

Cardiovascular
fitness
Coordination

Muscular strength
Physical Agility
Condition
Speed i Balance

Flexibility

 Cardiovascular fitness is the ability to exercise the whole body for long
periods of time and is sometimes called stamina.
 Muscular strength is the amount of force a muscle can exert against a
resistance. It helps sports people to hit, tackle and throw.
 Speed is the differential rate at which an individual is able to perform a
movement or cover a distance in a period of time or how quickly an
individual can move. This helps all games players to move into position or
get away from opponents quickly.
 Flexibility is the range of movement possible at a joint. It helps performers
to stretch and reach further.

 Co-ordination - the ability to use two or more body parts together. This
helps all athletes to move smoothly and quickly especially when also
having to control a ball.
 Agility - the ability to change the position of the body quickly and with
control. This helps team players dodge their opponents.

 Balance - the ability to retain the centre of mass above the base of
support when stationary (static balance) or moving (dynamic balance).
This helps gymnasts maintain their position and prevents games players
from falling over at speed.
 Cardiovascular fitness:
Training can be aerobic or anaerobic:
 In aerobic exercise, which is steady and not too fast, the heart is able to
supply enough oxygen to the muscles. Aerobic training improves
cardiovascular fitness.
 Anaerobic exercise is performed in short, fast bursts where the heart
cannot supply enough oxygen to the muscles. Anaerobic training improves
the ability of the muscles to work without enough oxygen when lactic acid
is produced.

Methods of training:

 Continuous training involves working for a sustained period of time

without rest. It improves cardio-vascular fitness.
 Fartlek training or 'speed play' training involves varying your speed and
the type of terrain over which you run, walk, cycle or ski. It improves
aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
 Interval training involves alternating between periods of hard exercise
and rest. It improves anaerobic fitness.
 Weight training uses weights to provide resistance to the muscles. It
improves muscular strength (high weight, low reps), muscular endurance
(low weight, high reps, and many sets) and power (medium weight and
reps performed quickly).
 Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in a special order
called a circuit. Each activity takes place at a 'station'. It can be designed to
improve speed, agility, coordination, balance and muscular endurance
 Altitude training is aerobic training high above sea level, where oxygen
levels are lower. It is used to quickly increase aerobic fitness.

Calculating target zones and thresholds of training

You can use your maximum heart rate (MHR) to calculate how hard you
should work your heart to develop either aerobic or anaerobic fitness.
To calculate MHR:
 220 - age = MHR
For example, sprinters use mainly anaerobic training and marathon
runners use mainly aerobic training. You can use your maximum heart
rate (MHR) to calculate how hard you should work your heart to develop
either aerobic or anaerobic fitness.

Aerobic fitness is another way of describing cardiovascular fitness, or

stamina. You can improve aerobic fitness by working in your aerobic
target zone. This is found between 60-80% of your MHR. You cross your
aerobic threshold, the heart rate above which you gain aerobic fitness, at
60% of our MHR.

You can improve your anaerobic fitness, which includes strength, power
and muscular endurance, by working in your anaerobic target zone. This is
found between 80-100% of your MHR. Anaerobic threshold is the heart
rate above which you gain anaerobic fitness. You cross your anaerobic
threshold at 80% of your MHR. Below 60% MHR you do not improve your
aerobic or anaerobic fitness at all.

When working anaerobically you create an oxygen debt and can only keep
going for a short time. Oxygen debt is the amount of oxygen consumed
during recovery above that which would normally be consumed during
rest. This results from a shortfall of available oxygen during exercise.

You can monitor your fitness levels by recording your recovery rate after
exercise. The recovery rate is the time it takes for the pulse rate to return
to normal after exercise.

Remember that percentages of MHR are approximate and personal levels

of activity and fitness will cause differences in the thresholds.
NUTRITION

A balanced diet really is essential for good health. There are seven building
blocks for a healthy diet, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins,
minerals, fibre and water. We take energy from food in the form of kilojoules.
How much energy you need depends on your body type and the amount of
physical activity you do. How you use or store energy influences your weight,
shape and sporting performance.
• We all need to eat a balanced diet to maintain good health. It is vital that
athletes have all the nutrients they need to help them perform at their
best.
• There are 7 components (food types) in a balanced diet:
•

Food type How does it When do we Where do

help? need it in we get it?
sport?

Carbohydrates Provides quick Running. Pasta,

energy. 60% of Athletes in cereals and
our diet should training will eat potatoes,
comprise more 'carbs'. fruit.
'carbs'. Marathon
runners will
'load' before
the event.

Fats Provides slow Walking and Unsaturated

energy. 25% of low impact fats:olive Oil,
Unsaturated fats are healthy. Too our diet should exercise - it nuts, salmon,
much saturated fat (bad cholesterol) be fat. produces avocados.
from animal products can lead to energy too
heart disease:fatty meats(sausage) slowly to be
,cream, cheese,butter, eggs yolks, used when
prepared foods, pastry, whole milk. working hard.
Food type How does it When do we Where do
help? need it in we get it?
sport?

Protein Builds and When training Meat, pulses

repairs muscle. hard and and fish
We only need recovering
15% of our diet from injury.
to be protein. ‘Power’
athletes such
as weight lifters
will eat more
protein.

Vitamins Helps the body Staying calm, Fresh fruit

work. Helps making quick and
concentration. decisions vegetables

eg
A - for vision
B - for energy production and stress
reduction
C - to keep skin healthy
D - to help bones and teeth

Minerals Helps release When training Fruit,

energy from hard and vegetables
food. Helps competing and fish
decision
making
Food type How does it When do we Where do
help? need it in we get it?
sport?

eg
Calcium - to strengthen bones
Iodine - for energy production
Iron - prevents fatigue

Fibre Can't be Healthy Fresh fruit,

digested. Fills digestion, (no vegetables
you up and constipation) and
keeps you helps in sport. wholegrain
'regular' Also helps with cereals
weight control.

Water Maintains fluid Whenever you The tap! It's

levels sweat. It all you need
prevents most of the
dehydration time.
 1. Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
2. Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other carbohydrates; choosing
wholegrain versions where possible.
3. Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks); choosing lower fat
and lower sugar options.
4. Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2
portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily).
5. Choose unsaturated oils and eat in small amounts.
6. Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day.
7. If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less
often and in small amounts.

Energy requirements
The energy the body takes from food is measured kilojoules or kilocalories.You
need enough energy to meet the demands of your BMR and PAL.
BMR stands for Basic Metabolic Rate; the number of kilojoules you use to stay
alive each day.
PAL stands for Physical Activity Level; the number of kilojoules you use to fuel
all of your physical activity.
BMR + PAL = your daily energy requirement.
Big people need more energy for BMR. Athletes in endurance events and hard
training need more energy for PAL.
If you eat more energy than you use you will put on weight. If you eat less
energy than you use you will lose weight.
People who under-eat will not have enough energy to perform effectively.
Being overweight may not be a problem. It may be due to a person having a lot
of muscle, rugby players for example, so it's not always harmful. However,
people who are overfat or obese will not be effective sportspeople.