Health, fitness & the components of fitness

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of illness. Fitness is the ability to meet the demands of the environment.

Fitness is made of separate components. Different sports need different ones:

• Cardiovascular endurance (aerobic endurance) — long, continuous work (distance running).
• Muscular endurance — repeated contractions without tiring (rowing).
• Strength — the maximum force a muscle can apply (a scrum).
• Power (explosive strength) = strength × speed (a sprint start, a smash).
• Speed, agility, flexibility, balance, coordination and reaction time.

Fitness tests — match the test to the component

Each component has a standard test:

• Multi-stage fitness (bleep) test → cardiovascular endurance.
• Illinois agility test → agility.
• Sit-and-reach test → flexibility.
• 30 m sprint test → speed.
• Vertical (Sargent) jump test → power.
• Handgrip dynamometer → grip strength.
• One-minute press-up / sit-up test → muscular endurance.
• Ruler drop test → reaction time.
• Stork stand test → balance.

Pick the right test

Put each one in the right group

Tap a fitness test, then tap the component of fitness it measures.

Principles of training — SPORT & FITT

To improve, training must follow key principles. SPORT covers the overall approach:

• Specificity — training must match the sport's demands.
• Progressive overload — gradually increase the demand to keep improving.
• Reversibility — fitness is lost if you stop training ("use it or lose it").
• Tedium — vary training to avoid boredom.

FITT shows how to apply progressive overload:

• Frequency — how often you train.
• Intensity — how hard you train.
• Time — how long each session lasts.
• Type — the training method used.

Which principle?

Methods of training

The right method depends on the component you want to improve:

• Continuous — steady, sustained work (long run) → cardiovascular endurance (aerobic).
• Fartlek ("speed play") — continuous work with changes of pace/terrain → aerobic and anaerobic.
• Interval / HIIT — bursts of hard work with rest → speed and anaerobic power.
• Circuit — stations for different exercises → can target many components.
• Weight / resistance — lifting loads → strength, power or muscular endurance depending on reps & load.
• Plyometric — bounding, hopping, depth jumps → power (explosive strength).
• Static stretching → flexibility.

Training thresholds & target heart-rate zones

To train the right energy system you work within a target heart-rate zone, based on your maximum heart rate:

Maximum heart rate

Top of the aerobic zone

Anaerobic threshold

Warm-up, cool-down & preventing injury

A good session starts with a warm-up and ends with a cool-down.

• Warm-up: gradually raises heart rate, warms muscles, increases flexibility and prepares you mentally — reducing injury risk.
• Cool-down: keeps blood circulating to remove lactic acid and gradually lowers heart rate, reducing stiffness.

To prevent injury: warm up and cool down, use correct technique and clothing/footwear, wear protective equipment, don't over-train, and match activity to your fitness level.

Why cool down?

Match each statement to its answer

Tap a training method on the left, then the component it best develops on the right.

The big ideas to know

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