Fitness. Definition of fitness COMPONENTS OF FITNESS Health Related - Cardiovascular endurance (aerobic capacity) - muscular strength - local muscular.

Fitness

Definition of fitnessDefinition – Fitness: the capacity to carry out everyday activities without excessive fatigue and yet have sufficient energy in reserve to cope with emergencies and to enjoy active leisure pursuits.

COMPONENTS OF FITNESS

Health Related

- Cardiovascular endurance (aerobic capacity)

- muscular strength - local muscular

endurance- Anaerobic power

(associated with speed)

- flexibility- body composition

Skill Related

- Muscular power

- agility- speed - balance- Coordination- Reaction time

MUSCULAR STRENGTH

Definition: the force that a muscle / group of muscles can exert against a resistance in a single contraction (1RM)

• Activities that require strength: jostling for position A rugby scrum field events / throwing weight lifting

Factors affecting the application of

strength: • Recruitment (motor units)- how many

have received the electrical impulse to contract. Governed by the strength of the impulse from the brain.

• Cross sectional area – the larger the CSA the greater the strength (a direct linear relationship)

• Joint angle and muscle length – greater strength 120 degrees

• Fibre types – FT have greater strength than ST

Factors affecting the application of strength:

• Age and gender of the person – males are generally stronger than females, as they have a larger CSA and higher levels of testosterone. Strength peaks between 20-30.

• Speed of contraction – the slower the muscle contracts the more force it can generate.

• Muscle shape and location – muscle fibre arrangement: pennate arrangements generate more force than fusiform.

MUSCULAR POWER

Definition : ability to use strength to produce an explosive effort

Depends on trade-off between strength and speed – slower contractions have more time to produce force (max power occurs when speed and force of contraction are 35% max)

Relies on phosphate anaerobic energy production and a high % FT fibres

Activities : throwing a shot put, leaping for a rebound

MUSCULAR ENDURANCE Definition : ability to work a muscle for

extended periods, or repeated contractions below maximal effort Activities : long distance running / swimming,

gripping a tennis racquet

Factors affecting muscular endurance:Temperature / circulationInorganic phosphate levels and ADPAccumulation of lactic acid and hydrogen ionsAge and sex – because of strength factorCross education effect – one limb brings about

improvements in musc endurance of other untrained limbs.

AEROBIC CAPACITY (CARDIOVASCULAR

ENDURANCE) Definition : capacity to perform tasks involving the whole body for extended time using aerobic energy Most important fitness component -

also called stamina or heart-lung fitness

Requires cardio-respiratory efficiency in delivering O2 to muscles and removing wastes such as CO2

Activities : most team sports, distance running, cycling, swimming

SPEED Definition: ability to move body quickly and to sustain

high intensity efforts using anaerobic energy (short duration / high intensity) Activities : sprinting, long jump, making a lead in

football Speed activities also require strength and power Factors affecting speed

Reaction time Acceleration Initial velocity Strength Tolerance of inorganic phosphates Also note – genetic factors

FLEXIBILITY

Definition – ability of muscles, ligaments and tendons to allow movements about a joint or sequence of joints

Static (passive) flexibility : ability to use a joint through a great range of movement in a stationary position e.g. splits

Dynamic (active) flexibility: ability to use a joint and muscle through full range of movement with speed and without resistance e.g. kicking a football

Flexibility (continued)

Factors Affecting Flexibility: type of joint / joint structure resting length of muscles Muscle temperature body build injury age and gender Skin resistance Bone disease

Flexibility (continued)

Specific Joint Flexibility and Sporting Activity

- Flexibility varies from joint to joint and different degrees of flexibility are required in different parts of the body for different sports e.g. gymnast

Problems linked with lack of flexibility:- more tears and strains- bad body posture- health problems e.g. lower back pain– players unable to fulfil their potential

AGILITY Definition. - ability to change position of the body

quickly and precisely, still maintaining balance

Relies on anaerobic energy for speed and requires muscular power and flexibility

Activities - dodging, baulking, weaving and recovery in team games

BALANCE Definition – ability to maintain

equilibrium whilst moving (dynamic balance)

or whilst stationary (static balance)

All activities require balance however it is more important in activities such as : surfing, cycling, gymnastics, horse riding

CO-ORDINATION Definition – ability of the senses (sight and

hearing), the nervous system and the muscles to work together to perform specific movements smoothly and accurately More complex tasks require greater

coordination. Different types of co-ordination :

Foot-eye – to time contact between foot and ball, e.g. in soccer & Aussie Rules

– Hand-eye – for correct position and timing between racquet/bat and ball e.g. tennis, baseball

BODY COMPOSITION Definition – ratio of fat to non-fat components in

the body Body fat – essential fat in and around organs + storage fat

in fat cells around the body. The amount of storage fat can be altered, assessed by skinfold tests.

Non-fat / Lean body weight – consists of muscles, bones, organs…Can be altered e.g. by weight training.

GENERALLY ASSESSED BY: Somatotyping Body fat determination (skin folds and

densiometry) BMI

Body Composition Body composition is basis for somatotyping

(classification of body type).Three classifications:

- Endomorph (round, soft, little muscle definition)- Mesomorph (triangular, hard, good muscle

definition)- Ectomorph (fragile, small bones, thin muscles)

Body composition can be altered- by diet and exercise. Athletes tend to be more mesomorphic than non-athletes as a result of training and genetic influence. Women carry more body fat than men, this explaining differences in athletic performance.

Exam Questions

• List the main fitness component required by a swimmer as he pushes of the blocks for the start of a 50m swim?

• Muscular power• Discuss one factor that affects the

above fitness component.• CSA, gender, fibre type, fibre

arrangement, age.

Exam Questions

• Lauren Burns won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in the sport of Tae Kwon Do. This sport requires participants to be able to complete head high kicks. What type of flexibility is required to display these sorts of kicks?

• Dynamic• Discuss one factor that affects flexibility in

general?• Joint structure, temperature, age, gender

Exam Questions

• State one of the main fitness components required by a soccer goal keeper.

• Speed, agility, muscular power, anaerobic power

• Give a definition for the above fitness component.

Exam Questions

• The Southern ’80’ water ski race requires skiers to stand with one foot in front of the other on a single ski for between approx. 35-55 minutes whilst being pulled at extremely fast speeds by a speed boat. What fitness component is being used by the skiers?

• LME – isometric contraction for long period of time