ENERGY SYSTEMS & FITNESS COMPONENTS
THE 10 COMPONENTS OF FITNESS Aerobic Capacity (stamina): This is the ability of your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen through your blood to your muscles, to produce energy. Example: long distance running, cycling
Anaerobic capacity (speed): This is the ability to get your body moving quickly. Example: 100m sprint, 50m swim
Muscular strength: The ability of your muscles to exert a force. In practice, strength is performing an action that requires large amounts of force and can only be completed a maximum of 10 times. Example: weight training
Flexibility: This is the ability of your muscles, ligaments and tendons to stretch so that your joints allow large movements. Example: gymnastics, follow through when kicking a football.
Muscular endurance: This is the ability of your muscles to produce small efforts that are repeated over and over again. Example: push ups, paddling a canoe.
Coordination: This is the ability to time your movements so that you perform skills smoothly and accurately. All activities require some sort of coordination. Example: soccer, tennis
Muscular power: This is the ability to use strength quickly to produce an explosive effort. Example: long jump, shot put.
Balance: This is the ability to stay upright or in control of your body position when you are moving or stationary. Example: surfing, gymnastics.
Agility: This is the ability to accelerate quickly, dodge, weave and turn. To be agile, you also need muscular power, speed and flexibility. Example: team sports netball, football etc.
Body composition: your body consists of many different types of tissue, such as muscle tissue and fat tissue. Too much fat tissue can cause a vast range of health problems.
HEALTH RELATED FITNESS If you want to develop general fitness to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, you need to develop these health related fitness components. Aerobic capacity Muscular strength & endurance Flexibility Body composition
SPORT RELATED FITNESS For successful sports performance, you need to develop a good level of fitness in all components. You need to develop a good level of fitness for that specific sport. Example: flexibility and balance.
ENERGY SYSTEMS Anaerobic energy (without oxygen) ATP-PC system: (Adenosine TriPhosphate (ATP) and PhosoCreatine (PC) no oxygen goes for up to 10 seconds explosive energy, e.g. sprints, jumps, throws energy is stored in your muscles from carbohydrates in food you have eaten
Lactic Acid system: no oxygen goes for 10-60 seconds slightly longer duration, e.g. 400m run lactic acid builds up in your muscles, which causes fatigue
Aerobic energy (with oxygen) Oxygen is needed Goes for any exercise over 60 seconds This is when your muscles need energy for long periods of time, e.g. jogging Muscles use carbohydrates and fats from foods you have eaten and the oxygen you breathe to make energy Fatigue is caused by running out of fuel (food), dehydration or not being able to take in enough oxygen
F for FREQUENCY F.I.T.T Formula To achieve the most from your fitness, you must do three or four exercise sessions each week. I for INTENSITY To improve your heart rate and lung (aerobic) efficiency, your pulse must reach 140 to 180 per minute during your exercise.
T for TIME To get any real benefit, you must exercise for at least 30 minutes and continuously (no rests) T for TYPE The best aerobic activities include running, cycling, swimming, rowing, boxing etc.
Interval Training Interval training exercise which consists of high intensity activity for a period of time, followed by low intensity exercise for a period of time. These sets are repeated. Sprint Intervals This is the high intensity portion of exercise. Sprint intervals are measured either by time or distance.
Rest Intervals The period of recovery is called rest intervals. During a rest interval athletes do not stop the activity, they keep exercising but at a lower intensity. This allows the body to recovery from the sprint interval. Intensity The intensity of the sprint interval is determined by how hard you push yourself during the sprint. E.g. 1 10 with 1 being no effort at all and 10 representing the maximum effort possible.