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AQA GCSE Physical Education

Components of fitness and fitness testing — AQA GCSE Physical Education revision

Free revision notes, key terms, common exam traps and 5 practice questions with answers. About 6 minutes to read.

Health-related components of fitness

  • Cardiovascular endurance (aerobic endurance) is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles over a sustained period.
  • Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to repeat contractions without tiring.
  • Strength includes maximum strength (one maximal effort), explosive strength (power) and strength endurance.
  • Flexibility is the range of movement possible at a joint.
  • Body composition is the percentage of body weight that is fat, muscle and bone.

Skill-related components of fitness

  • Agility is the ability to change direction quickly while keeping control of the body.
  • Balance is the ability to keep the body's centre of mass over a base of support, either statically or dynamically.
  • Coordination is the ability to use two or more body parts together smoothly and accurately.
  • Power is the product of strength and speed (strength × speed) used in explosive movements.
  • Reaction time is the time taken to start responding to a stimulus, and speed is the rate at which someone can move all or part of the body over a distance.

Key terms

Cardiovascular endurance
Ability of the heart and lungs to keep supplying oxygen to muscles during sustained exercise.
Muscular endurance
Ability of muscles to keep contracting repeatedly without getting tired.
Flexibility
The range of movement possible at a joint.
Body composition
The percentage of fat, muscle and bone that make up body weight.
Agility
Ability to change direction quickly while under control.
Power
Strength × speed, used for explosive movements.

Common exam traps

  • Confusing muscular endurance (repeated contractions) with strength endurance being the same as maximum strength.
  • Thinking agility and balance are the same — agility is about changing direction, balance is about staying stable.
  • Forgetting power = strength × speed, not just how fast someone moves.

Practice questions with answers

  1. 1. Which component of fitness is measured by the multi-stage fitness test?

    • • Flexibility
    • • Cardiovascular endurance
    • • Balance
    • • Reaction time

    Answer: Cardiovascular endurance

    The bleep test estimates VO2 max, a measure of cardiovascular endurance.

  2. 2. Which test measures flexibility?

    • • Sit and reach
    • • Illinois agility run
    • • Handgrip dynamometer
    • • 30m sprint

    Answer: Sit and reach

    The sit and reach test measures flexibility of the hamstrings and lower back.

  3. 3. State the equation used to define power.

    Answer: Power = strength × speed

    Power combines how strong and how fast a movement is.

  4. 4. Which of these is a skill-related component of fitness?

    • • Cardiovascular endurance
    • • Body composition
    • • Coordination
    • • Flexibility

    Answer: Coordination

    Coordination, agility, balance, power, reaction time and speed are skill-related components.

  5. 5. Name the test that measures leg power.

    Answer: Vertical jump (Sargent jump) test

    It measures the difference between standing reach and jump reach.

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