Physical training

Health A state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Fitness The ability to meet or cope with the demands of the environment

Advantages of good fitness - better cope with daily demands of the environment -reduces chances of being affected by illness -more likely t fell happy -better chance of improving social life

Agility The ability to change direction with speed while keeping control

Balance The maintaining of the centre of mass over the base of support

Static balance Balance maintained while being still

Dynamic balance Balance maintained while moving

Cardiovascular endurance(power) The ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the working muscles

Co-ordination The ability to use two or more body parts together smoothly and efficiently

Flexibility The range of movement possible at a joint

Muscular endurance the ability of your muscles to perform physical tasks over a period of time without tiring

Reaction time The time taken to respond to a stimulus.

Speed The maximum rate at which an individual can make a movement or cover a distance in a period of time (speed \= distance/time)

Strength The ability to overcome resistance

Maximal Strength maximal force a muscle can produce in a single contraction

Dynamic Strength Ability of a muscle or muscle group to undergo repeated contractions, without tiring out

Explosive Strength the combination of strength and speed

Static strength the ability to hold a body part in a static position

Reasons for fitness testing -highlight strengths and weaknesses, -prevent tedium, providing variety in a training programme -tracking progress -set baselines, a starting point of fitness -to compare against norms of the group/national averages -motivational tool

Limitations of fitness testing -tests are often not sport specific/too general -they do not replicate movements of activity -they do not replicate competitive conditions required in sports -many do not use direct measuring- therefore inaccurate/some need motivation/some have questionable reliability -they must be carried out with the correct procedures to increase validity.

Measuring agility Illinois agility test (8 cones, tape measure and a stopwatch) -place 4 cones in an 10/5m rectangle and 4 cones down the middle -the performer starts face down on the floor -the performer then runs around the cones in the fastest time possible -time the test in seconds, then compare with the results against a general rating scale

Sports for the Illinois Agility Test - suitable the Tennis as they need good agility to reach their opponent's shots -not suitable for 100m sprinters as they don't change direction

Measuring balance Stork balance test (stopwatch) -the performer starts on two balanced feet -then they place their hands on their hips and lift one foot so that the toes touch the inside of the knee of the standing leg -the performer needs to balance for as long as possible until they lose balance and move the toes that are resting on the inside of the knee -record the time in minutes and seconds and compare with the results against a general rating scale

Sports for the Stork Balance Test -suitable for gymnasts as they need to hold their balance during performances -less suitable for badminton players as they are constantly moving when they play

Test for cardiovascular endurance Multistage fitness test (cones, CD player, CD with the test, sheet to record scores) -performer must run back and forth over a distance of 20m in time with the bleeps -the performer continues until they can not keep up with the bleeps -a progressive test, meaning the test gets harder the longer it goes on -the score is recorded as a level and a bleep (e.g. Level 9 Bleep 2) -You compare the score against a general rating scale that can provide a conversion to predict a performer's maximum oxygen consumption during exercise)

Sports for the Multi Stage Fitness Test -suitable for basketball players and they run up and down the court in a similar pattern -not suitable for golfers as they do not run back and forth during play

Test for coordination Wall toss test (a tennis ball, a stopwatch, a flat wall, an observer) -performer stands with both feet together 2m from the wall -the performer holds the tennis ball with one hand, throws the ball against the wall with that hand and catches it with the other -if the ball is dropped, the time will continue

Sports for the wall toss test -suitable for cricket and rounders players as they need to be able to catch with both hands\# -less appropriate for rowers as although they need co-ordination of both arms and legs, catching a ball is not the appropriate way of testing the skills they need

Test for muscular endurance Sit up bleep test (partners for each performer, CD with test, CD player and a gym mat) -performer lies on mat in sit up position while the partner holds their ankles to stop them from moving -the performer has to sit up on the bleep and lie back down the next bleep, the aim is to do as many as possible in time with the bleeps -the test is scored by the number of sit ups done and compared against the score of national averages

Sports for the sit up bleep test -suitable for goalkeepers as they have to use their core to get up and down to save shots repeatedly -not suitable for marathon runners as they do not need this kind of muscular endurance for running long distances

A test for power and explosive strength Vertical jump test (a wall and a 2m ruler) -performer stands with their feet flat against the wall and pushes the ruler with their fingertips as high as possible, creating a "zero" point. -the performer rubs chalk on their fingertips and performs a standing jump as high as possible, whilst they make a mark with their fingers on the wall -the observer records the height jumped in centimetres and the scores can be compared against a general rating scale

Sports for the vertical jump -suitable for basketball as they use this explosive power to jump and score points -less suitable for kayakers as kayaking involves no vertical leg power

Test for reaction time Ruler drop test (1m ruler) -one person holds the ruler at the 0 point vertically above the performer's hand. -the performer places their thumb and index finger of their dominant hand on each side of the rule without touching it -without any warning, the ruler is released and the performer must react and catch the ruler as quickly as they can -the score is recorded in centimetres and compared against a general rating scale

Sports for the ruler drop test -suitable for cricketers as the need to react quickly with their hands to an oncoming ball -less suitable for snowboarders because catching a ruler does not test their reaction time in the same way as snowboarding does

Test for maximal strength One rep max test (appropriate resistance machine- bench press) -performer must do one repetition at the highest weight possible -they must keep adding weights until they can no longer lift it, the last successful attempt is the one rep max -it is recorded in kg

Sports for one rep max test -suitable for boxers as they exert a huge amount of effort in one punch -less suitable for middle distance runners as they never need to exert such a huge single force

Test for strength Hand grip dynamometer test (hand grip dynamometer-measures force) -performer holds the dynamometer in their dominant hand, arm has to be 90 degrees with the elbow tucked in against the body -the performer needs to squeeze the device as hard as they can to record their score, and the score can be compared against a general rating scale

sports for the hand grip dynamometer test -suitable for performers in judo as they need to have good holds -less suitable for sprinters as they don't need hand grip strength

Test for speed 30m sprint (two cones 30m apart, stopwatch, tape measure) -using a flying start, the performer must complete the 30m sprint in the quickest time possible -the score is recorded in seconds and can be compared against a general rating scale

Sports for the 30m sprint -suitable for 100m sprinters as they need to be quick -less suitable for discus throwers as they don't need running speed

Test for flexibility Sit and reach test (sit and reach box, slider) -performer sits on the floor with their feet against the box, their legs must be fully straight and their shoes must be removed -the slider should be set at 14cm in line with their toes. The performer reaches forward and pushes the slider as far as they can -the score is recorded in cm and can be compared against a general rating scale

Sports for the sit and reach test -suitable for gymnasts or dancers as they need good flexibility in their legs during a performance -less suitable for swimmers as they don't need this kind of flexibility when swimming