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The Components of Fitness ( AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE) )

Revision note.

The Components of Fitness

Fitness is dependent on several interconnected components which contribute to overall health and physical performance

Different activities will incorporate the components differently in order to maximise performance

This will depend on the types of movement required

A sportsperson is best suited to the sport for which they possess the most appropriate balance of fitness components

The main components of fitness include:

Agility is the ability to change direction quickly and effectively while maintaining control and balance

Sports like football, basketball, or tennis need good agility

Balance is the ability to maintain centre of mass over the base of support

This could mean either when:

static - balancing whilst stationary e.g. in a headstand or holding other yoga positions

dynamic - balancing whilst moving e.g. walking along a beam or performing a cartwheel on a beam

Exercises such as yoga, Pilates, or specific balance drills can enhance balance

Cardiovascular endurance (aerobic power)

This refers to the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to deliver oxygen to your body tissues during sustained physical activity

Cardiovascular endurance is also referred to as aerobic power as it refers to the capacity of the body to deliver enough oxygen to support aerobic respiration in tissues

This is particularly important in events which require endurance or stamina

Activities like running, swimming, or cycling help improve cardiovascular endurance

Coordination

Coordination involves the ability to integrate multiple movement patterns efficiently

It relies on interaction between different parts of the body to carry out smooth transitions

Activities like dancing, martial arts, or specific drills can enhance coordination

Hand-eye coordination is an essential fitness component required in cricket for example

Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint or group of joints

Additionally, the chances of sustaining injuries are reduced if an individual develops good flexibility

Stretching exercises or activities like yoga can enhance flexibility and joint mobility

Dancer diagram

Muscular endurance

This is the ability of muscles to perform repetitive contractions over time without becoming fatigued

Exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, or high-repetition weightlifting improves muscular endurance

Power/explosive strength (anaerobic power)

Power is the result of strength and speed:

This means that the most powerful movements are those that move with speed and strength

Exercises such as boxing, throwing a discuss or kicking footballs can be used to develop power

Reaction time

This is the time taken to respond to a stimulus e.g. diving off the block in a swimming race when the whistle blows

Training with reaction drills with specific auditory cues will help to improve reaction times

Strength (maximal, static, dynamic and explosive)

This component is about the amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert against a resistance in one maximal effort

Maximal strength is the highest level of force that a muscle or group of muscles can exert in one contraction

Static strength is the level of force that can be maintained over a period of time e.g. pulling in a tug of war when neither side is moving

Dynamic strength is required for repeated contractions (as discussed in muscular endurance)

Explosive strength is the same as power where speed and strength contribute towards the overall power of sudden movements, such as jumping

Strength training exercises such as weightlifting or resistance training help build muscular strength

Speed is the ability to perform a movement in a short period of time

Training for speed often involves sprinting, agility drills, and other explosive movements

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Author: Ruth Brindle

Ruth graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in Biology and went on to teach Science in London whilst also completing an MA in innovation in Education. With 10 years of teaching experience across the 3 key science disciplines, Ruth decided to set up a tutoring business to support students in her local area. Ruth has worked with several exam boards and loves to use her experience to produce educational materials which make the mark schemes accessible to all students.

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AQA GCSE PE NEA Coursework Guide - Analysis Section 2 (Fitness Weakness)

Subject: Physical education

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

26 May 2023

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This resource includes;

• A complete, top scoring, exemplar for section 2 (Fitness Weakness) the AQA GCSE PE coursework task.
• A step by step guide, containing sentence starters and checklists to help students structure and keep track of the tasks they have completed.

This exemplar uses the sport of netball and is written by a teacher to showcase a top grade and meet all of the assessment objectives given in the specification marking grid.

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A-level Physical Education

• Specification
• Planning resources
• Teaching resources
• Assessment resources
• Introduction
• Specification at a glance
• 3.1 Factors affecting participation in physical activity and sport
• 3.2 Factors affecting optimal performance in physical activity and sport
• Scheme of assessment
• Non-exam assessment administration
• General administration

Students will be assessed in their performance in the role of their choice across each area of assessment in the fully competitive context.

Students can choose to use the same stroke but over different distances for Area of assessment 1 and 2, eg Area of assessment 1 100m freestyle and Area of assessment 2 400m freestyle, or different strokes for Area of assessment 1 and 2, eg Area of assessment 1 100m freestyle and Area of assessment 2 100m breaststroke.

Health and safety

Students must at all times observe the appropriate rules from their National Governing Body in order to ensure their own personal safety.