Speed Is a Vital Aspect of Fitness

Speed is known as the ability to move the body or body parts quickly. In sports, this would be the maximum rate at which one covers a distance or performs a move. This component is needed in a plethora of health and fitness activities ranging from games, training etc. Speed is a vital aspect of fitness, especially when it comes to athletes such as sprinters. For example, a sprinter would require a great deal of speed in the 100m sprint in order to run as fast as they possibly could, hopefully taking over their components.

The faster the athlete is, the higher the chance of winning the race.

Speed tests are easy to carry out due to the need of hardly any equipment however they are relatively similar (usually a timed sprint). An example of this would be the 35m sprint test. This consists of the individual to sprint a straight section of 35m once hearing the stimulus. The stopwatch is then started and only stopped once the person's torso crosses the 35m mark.

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Another method of testing speed would be the 60m speed test. This method follows the same procedure as the 35m sprint test however with the distance of 60m. The individual would sprint a straight section of 60m once hearing the stimulus. The stopwatch is started and only stopped once the person's torso crosses the 60m mark.

Strength is the ability for a muscle or muscle group to overcome a resistance by applying a force. This fitness component aids athletes when carrying out moves such as tackling the opponent.

There are three types of strength; dynamic, static and explosive. Dynamic strength is when the muscles are changing length and repeatedly applying a force. An example of this would be completing press ups for 60 seconds as the biceps and triceps are contracting and relaxing. Static strength is when a force is applied but the muscles do not change length (isometric contraction). An example of this would be the plank. Explosive strength is to exert a force in a short fast burst such as when throwing a ball or in the long jump.

A sporting example for muscular strength would be rugby. This contact sport means one must have a good amount of strength in order to barge or tackle opponents. If they are to lack in this component, the chance of them being tackled or barged themselves increases as they are too weak to defend themselves as well as the chance of injury. Unfortunately, this could lead to reversibility, very well meaning the individual would have lost their fitness training therefore have to build up strength once again.

There are a plethora of tests that can be taken to measure the muscular strength in the body due to the different areas that can be targeted. For example, the upper and lower body would not be measured in the same way and again there are different areas beyond those that could be targeted. One method of testing the strength in the forearm would be through the grip dynamometer test. This requires the person to apply as much grip as possible to the device using their dominant hand to receive their maximum reading. To ensure accuracy this must be repeated a further two times, then an average must be calculated.

An example of a test for the abdominals would be the 30s sit up test. This consists of the person laying with their knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands to their ears. They then begin as many sit ups they can possibly do in 30s as soon as the assistant has said to start. Specificity is essential in a health and training programme due to the fact that training must reflect the needs of an individual as well as their sport, position, needs etc. This principle of training aids to ensure improvements as it means the training programme is tailored specifically to the individual. When training it is vital to consider your own wants, needs, abilities, etc. This principle allows a more accurate programme to be constructed.

For example a sprinter is likely to train differently to a gymnast. The sprinter would focus on their speed through methods such as interval training whereas a gymnast would focus on their flexibility possibly through methods such as circuit training. Another example would be someone who wanted to improve cardiovascular endurance, they would use continuous training as this aerobic method works the heart by not allowing breaks during the long period of time.

However, if applied incorrectly, this not only prevents improvements but could lead to injury if they are unaware of the programme itself or not physically ready. This could therefore lead to reversibility, severely affecting the individual. An example of this would be a sprinter who wants to improve their speed yet picks resistance training. Resistance training improves muscular strength and a plethora of risks do come with it due to the heavy weights. This person should instead use methods such as interval training.

Progression is another vital principle of training as it allows improvements. This is because progression is a gradual increase in how hard one it training, once their body has adapted to the current demands. Progression links closely to overload which is to higher the demands of the training programme to force the body to work harder which can be done through the principles of FITT : frequency, intensity, time, type. The principle of progression ensures the person they will slowly increase the intensity at which they work as sessions go on, allowing the body to adapt with ease, resulting in fitness developments. Seeing as it is gradual, the body will not be overworked beyond the individuals ability. If there is too much stress put on the body in a short amount of time it could lead to possible injuries hency why a slow, gradual increase is vital.