Fitness Training
Fitness involves six main components:
● Aerobic endurance
● Muscular endurance
● Flexibility
● Strength
● Speed
● Power
Aerobic Endurance - It is also known as stamina or cardiorespiratory endurance. It supplies
the exercising muscles with oxygen to maintain performance. Examples include marathon
running, long distance swimming and cycling. Aerobic endurance is the basis of fitness for
most sports. If an athlete has a reduced aerobic endurance, possibly due to a long term
injury, which will decrease in other fitness components such as muscular endurance.
Three most common methods used to improve aerobic endurance are: continuous training,
fartlek training and interval training. Continuous training is also known as steady state or
long, slow distance training. The intensity of continuous training should be moderate
intensity over a long distance and time. This method is suited to long distance runners or
swimmers. Disadvantages of this type of training include higher risk of injury when running
long distances on harder surfaces, it can be boring and it is not always sport specific.
Muscular Endurance - Muscular endurance is needed where specific muscle or muscle
group makes repeated contractions over a significant period of time, for example a boxer
makes a repeated jab or continuous press ups or sit ups.
Training methods used to improve muscle endurance is circuit training. Circuit training
contains various number of different exercises which are organised in rotations. Individuals
are set a time period to perform these exercises, such as one minute per station. There
should be a rest period depending on the individual or groups completing the circuit. To
avoid fatigue, the stations should be structured in a way that consecutive exercises use
different muscle groups. To increase progression and overload, the individual may wish to,
decrease the rest period, increase the number of stations or increase the time spent at each
station. It can become a negative affect if all the circuits are based on one body part which
will cause fatigue and could result in an injury.
Flexibility - It is important for both health and sports. There are two types of flexibility: static
flexibility and dynamic flexibility. Static flexibility is the range of movement that a muscle or
joint can achieve and is limited by the structure of bones and joints, as well as factors such
muscle size and muscle tone. Dynamic flexibility is the range of movement that a muscle of
joint can achieve while you are moving and is limited by your levels of static flexibility and
coordination.
Strength - The ability of a specific muscle or muscle group to exert a force in a single
Fitness involves six main components:
● Aerobic endurance
● Muscular endurance
● Flexibility
● Strength
● Speed
● Power
Aerobic Endurance - It is also known as stamina or cardiorespiratory endurance. It supplies
the exercising muscles with oxygen to maintain performance. Examples include marathon
running, long distance swimming and cycling. Aerobic endurance is the basis of fitness for
most sports. If an athlete has a reduced aerobic endurance, possibly due to a long term
injury, which will decrease in other fitness components such as muscular endurance.
Three most common methods used to improve aerobic endurance are: continuous training,
fartlek training and interval training. Continuous training is also known as steady state or
long, slow distance training. The intensity of continuous training should be moderate
intensity over a long distance and time. This method is suited to long distance runners or
swimmers. Disadvantages of this type of training include higher risk of injury when running
long distances on harder surfaces, it can be boring and it is not always sport specific.
Muscular Endurance - Muscular endurance is needed where specific muscle or muscle
group makes repeated contractions over a significant period of time, for example a boxer
makes a repeated jab or continuous press ups or sit ups.
Training methods used to improve muscle endurance is circuit training. Circuit training
contains various number of different exercises which are organised in rotations. Individuals
are set a time period to perform these exercises, such as one minute per station. There
should be a rest period depending on the individual or groups completing the circuit. To
avoid fatigue, the stations should be structured in a way that consecutive exercises use
different muscle groups. To increase progression and overload, the individual may wish to,
decrease the rest period, increase the number of stations or increase the time spent at each
station. It can become a negative affect if all the circuits are based on one body part which
will cause fatigue and could result in an injury.
Flexibility - It is important for both health and sports. There are two types of flexibility: static
flexibility and dynamic flexibility. Static flexibility is the range of movement that a muscle or
joint can achieve and is limited by the structure of bones and joints, as well as factors such
muscle size and muscle tone. Dynamic flexibility is the range of movement that a muscle of
joint can achieve while you are moving and is limited by your levels of static flexibility and
coordination.
Strength - The ability of a specific muscle or muscle group to exert a force in a single
