Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Skill-related and Health-related Fitness

Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness Skill-related fitness, or performance fitness, includes the six components of physical fitness that are often associated with games and sports.  Agility  Balance  Coordination  Speed  Power  Reaction Time

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Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness The highly skilled athlete will possess a high level of ability in most if not all, of the six components. The weekend athlete, often referred to as the “weekend warrior,” will also possess a certain level of proficiency in many of the skill-related components. Even though the skill-related fitness components can contribute greatly to your success in sports and games, they will not necessarily contribute to your health or the reduction of health risk factors. However, a more complete understanding of each of the skillrelated components can positively contribute to your personal fitness

Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness Agility The ability to change and control the direction and position of your body while maintaining a constant, rapid motion. The soccer player, football running back, basketball player and tennis player will all require agility. Speed and coordination may influence your agility. Balance The ability to control or stabilize your body while moving o staying still. A simple act such as walking requires a great deal of balance. The gymnast, golfer, or ice skater all require well developed balance.

Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness Coordination The ability to use your eyes and ears to determine and direct the smooth movement of your body (hands, feet, arms, head, and so on). The jogger, soccer player, basketball player, and volleyball player, for example, all require coordination. Speed The ability to move your body or parts of your body swiftly. Foot speed is usually measured over a short and straight distance, usually less than 200 meters. Other speed evaluations might include hand or arm speed. The baseball pitcher, boxer, sprinter and volleyball spiker all require specific kinds of speed. Certain types of muscle fibers (muscle cells) can influence your speed.

Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness Power The ability to move your body parts swiftly (speed) while at the same time applying the maximum force of your muscles (strength). The shot-putter, longer jumper, power lifter, and swimmer all require high levels of power. Strength is a fitness component that can be improved over time. As you increase your strength, you can increase your power. Biomechanical movement techniques can also affect your power, which means you can gain power by practicing your technique. Reaction Time The ability to react or respond quickly to what you hear, see, or feel. The more quickly you respond, the better your reaction time. Sprinters and swimmer require good reaction time.

Factors That Can Influence Skill-related Performance Pick your parents well! Heredity is a major factor in determining performance potential. Your physical characteristics, such as height, weight, and body type, are generally similar to those of your parents. Your physical capabilities, such as speed and reaction time are also inherited from your parents. Practice, practice, practice Even if you have inherited a potential for great physical abilities, you still need to practice specific skills over and over to reach the level of performance exhibited by top athletes. Practice is important to anyone who wants to improve skills in a specific game or sport. Agility, coordination, power and balance are skillrelated components that can be improved through practice.

Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness Health-related fitness is a type of physical fitness that emphasizes physical activities and exercise that will improve or help you maintain your functional health.  Cardiovascular Fitness  Flexibility  Muscular Strength  Muscular Endurance  Body Composition QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness Cardiovascular Fitness Refers to your ability to work continuously for extended periods of time (for example, in-line skating for thirty minutes to an hour). Depends on the ability of your heart to pump large amounts of blood to the muscles and organs of your body. Flexibility Refers to the range of motion (ROM) that your joints have during movement. Skin, connective tissue, excessive body fat, and injury can restrict normal flexibility.

Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness Muscular Strength Refers to the maximal force that you can exert when you contract your muscles. Your muscular strength will vary according to several factors, such as your age, gender, genetic makeup, and conditioning level. Muscular Endurance Refers to your ability to contract your muscles several times without excessive fatigue. Moderate to high levels of muscular endurance enhance your muscular strength and allow you to do more work without getting tired.

Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness Body Composition The ratio of water, bone, muscle and fat in your body. Your percentage of body fat in relation to your percentage of water, bone and muscle is important to your functional health and risks for chronic disease.