shmd 249 2/29/2012. people who possess these skills find it easy to achieve high levels of...

Components of Fitness Gender Differences

SHMD 2492/29/2012

Fitness ??A set of attributes that people

have or achieve that relate to their

ability to perform physical activity.

SKILL-RELATED compone

nts of fitness HEALTH-

RELATED components

of fitness

SKILL-RELATED components of fitness – More associated with performance than with good

health.

People who possess these skills find it easy to achieve

high levels of performance in motor skills, such as

those required in sports.

SKILL-RELATED components

of fitness

Agility

Balance

Co-ordination

Power

Reaction Time

Speed

HEALTH-RELATED components of

fitness Body

Composition

Cardiovascular Fitness

Flexibility

Muscular Endurance

Strength

HEALTH-RELATED components of fitness – directly associated with good health.

• Moderate amount of each component of health-related fitness has a direct relationship to good health and reduced risk for disease.

• Body composition: prevention of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.

• Flexibility: prevention of back pain and muscle injuries.

• Strength: prevent back and posture problems.

• Muscle endurance: promote daily living functionality.

• Cardiovascular endurance: prevention of heart disease.

SKILL-RELATED components of fitness

• Agility: The ability to rapidly and accurately change the direction of the movement of the entire body in space.

• Example: dribbling a soccer ball with your feet, dribbling a hockey ball with a hockey stick, quickly changing direction on a netball court etc.

• Females slightly slower than males

• Body composition – females greater fat percentage

• Muscle mass – males stronger


• Balance: The maintenance of equilibrium while stationary or while moving.

• Example: gymnast on a balance beam, water skiing, jumpers in a rugby lineout etc.

• Wider hips = heavier pelvic region

• Female’s center of gravity slightly lower than males

• Thus, greater balance


• Reaction Time: The

time elapsed between stimulation

and the beginning of the reaction to

that stimulation.

• Quicker = better.

• Slow = poor reaction time skills

• Example: starting a sprint race,

catching a ball etc.


• Speed: The ability to

perform a movement in a

short period of time. Or, the

rate at which the body or

individual limbs can move.

• Example: 40m sprint, soccer playing sprinting to receive the ball etc.• Females slighter slower: due to body composition.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0205/csmimg/0205p2a.jpg


• Co-ordination: The ability

to use the senses with the body

parts to perform motor tasks

smoothly and accurately.

• Hand-eye co-ordination:

juggling, tennis, volleyball etc.

• Foot-eye co-ordination: soccer,

football etc.


• Power: is the production

of strength at speed and can be

seen when we throw an object

or perform a sprint start.

• Example: throwing a discus,

shot-put, jumping is basketball

etc.

HEALTH-RELATED components of fitness

• Body Composition: The relative percentage of muscle, fat, bone, and other tissues that comprise the body.

• Athlete = relatively low body fat percentage.

• High body fat = poor performance.

• Women have greater fat percentage than men

• Hormonal: more estrogen• Structural: wider hips (for child

birth)


• Flexibility: Is the range of motion that a joint or group of joints can move through. It is affected by muscle length and joint structure.

• Good flexibility = reduced risk of injury.

• Poor flexibility = greater risk for injury.

• Females have greater flexibility than males:• Due to anatomical differences-

wider hips• Hormonal differences• Desired sports: dance,

gymnastics, swimming

• Cardiovascular Fitness: It is the individuals ability to take on, transport and utilize oxygen. It is a measure of how well the lungs can take in oxygen, how well the heart and blood can transport oxygen, and then how well the muscles can use oxygen.


• A fit person can sustain long periods of exercise without fatigue.

• Fit athlete = good performance.• Unfit athlete = poor performance.• Females slightly lower absolute aerobic

fitness:• Greater body fat percentage

• Males = more testosterone

• Muscular Endurance: Is how well the muscles can produce repeated contractions at less than maximal (sub-maximal) intensities.


• A fit person can repeat movements for a long period of time without fatigue.

• Females = less testosterone =

less muscle mass

• Males = more testosterone =

more muscle mass


• Strength: Is the maximum force a muscle or group of muscles can produce in a single contraction.

• Greater strength = greater power.= reduced risk for injury.

• Absolute vs. relative strength• Absolute strength – maximal amount of strength or force

generated in a movement or exercise (i.e. 1RM)• Relative strength – refers to absolute strength divided by body

weight


•A woman’s average maximum whole-body strength is ±60% of the

average man’s

•Women have less testosterone, thus less muscle mass

•Example: a 70kg woman who lifts 70kg has a relative strength

equal to a 120kg man who lifts 120kg, even though she has less

absolute strength

•When performing an identical resistance training program, women

generally gain strength at the same rate or faster than men

?? Questions ??1. Define:

a. Fitness. 3

2. The components of fitness are broken up into two different categories: a. Name these two categories, and explain the difference between the two. 6b. Which of these two is more applicable to sport and why? 3c. List, under the correct category, all the components of fitness that fall into these two

categories. 11d. Define each component of fitness. 25

3. For each skill-related component of fitness, name 3 sports in which that component of fitness is important, and give examples of specific actions in those sports.

244. When considering reaction time, which is better, a slow reaction time or a fast

reaction time? Why?2

?? Questions ??5. How does body composition differ between an athlete and the average

person? 36. What affect would a high body fat percentage have on performance, and

why? 27. What affect would a low cardiovascular fitness have on performance? 28. Is it better for an athlete to be flexible or inflexible, why?

29. Give an example of an exercise used to improve muscular endurance, and

explain how the exercise is performed.5

10. Why is it important to have good strength in certain sports such as rugby, basketball or football? 2

11. Explain why females are slightly slower than males when performing agility tests. 2

?? Questions ??12. Moderate amount of each component of health-related fitness has a

direct relationship to good health and reduced risk for disease. Write down which letter corresponds with which number. 5

1. Body composition a. Prevention of back pain and muscle injuries.

2. Flexibility b. Promote daily living functionality.

3. Strength c. Prevention of heart disease.

4. Muscle endurance d. Prevention of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.

5. Cardiovascular endurance e. Prevent back and posture problems.

?? Questions ??13. Who would perform better in a balance test, a male or female? Why? 314. Who performs better with speed tests, male or female? Why? 315. How does body composition differ between males and females?

216. Who is more flexible, males or females? Why?

217. How does cardiovascular fitness differ between males and females? 318. Differentiate between absolute and relative strength. Give an example.519. Do women gain strength at a slower rate than men? 1