NOTES IN

PATHFIT
PHYSICAL CONCEPTS AND ASSESSMENTS
PHYSICAL FITNESS
It is the body’s ability to function efficiently and
effectively. It is a state of being that consists of at least five
health-related and six skill-related physical fitness
components, each of it contributes to total quality of life.
FITNESS TESTING
A way of gaining information about the health-related
and skill related components of a person’s fitness. Testing can
take place in a number of environments, with laboratory testing
being the most accurate.
Reasons for Fitness Testing
1. To highlight the strengths and weakness of an athlete
enabling a training program to be devised which
addresses the findings;
2. To evaluate a training program, to see if it is helping the
athlete in achieving set goal;
3. To measure fitness levels following injury, illness or
following the off season
4. To assist in setting goals
5. To determine health status (in the non-sporting population)
6. Talent identification
7. To aid motivation
Principles of Fitness Testing
In order for fitness testing to be accurate and worthwhile, a
number of principles must be followed:
1. Specificity: Fitness tests must assess an individual’s
fitness for the activity or sport in question. For example,
there is little point in using a running endurance test to
assess an athlete’s improvement in cycling endurance.
2. Validity: Fitness tests must measure the component of
fitness that they are supposed to. For example, is your sit
and reach test measuring solely the flexibility of the
hamstrings or are there other factors involved.
3. Objectivity: Sometimes also known as inter-tester
reliability. A test that is objective will produce the same
results for the same individual, regardless of the tester, or
technician administering the test.
4. Reliability: A reliable test produces the same results if
repeated. For example, an assessor trained in skin-fold
measurements will produce the same result, when the
same area is re-tested shortly after.
COMPONENTS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
A. Health Related Fitness
The components of Health related fitness are basis from which
to measure our general well being.
1. Cardiovascular Endurance - Cardiovascular endurance
is also referred to as aerobic fitness, and is a measure of
the athlete’s ability to continue with exercise which places
demands on the circulatory and respiratory system over a
prolonged period of time. This occurs in activities such as
running, walking, cycling and swimming.
2. Muscular Strength - Muscular strength is the maximal
force that can be applied against a resistance. It could be
measured by the largest weight a person could lift or the
largest body they could push or pull.
3. Muscular Endurance - Muscular endurance differs from
muscular strength in that it is a measure of a person’s
ability to repeatedly apply maximal force, for example in a
series of press ups, over a period of time.
4. Flexibility - Flexibility is the measure of free movement in
a person’s joints. This is especially important in
gymnastics.
5. Body Composition - Body composition is usually
measured by the percentage body fat a person carries.
B. Performance Related Components
The components of skill-related physical fitness are agility,
balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed. They
are called skill-related because people who possess them find
it easy to achieve high levels of performance in motor skills,
such as those required in sports and in specific types of jobs.
1. Agility - is the ability to change and control the direction
and position of the body while maintaining a constant,
rapid motion. For example is changing directions to hit a
tennis ball.
2. Balance - is the ability to control or stabilize the body
when a person is standing still or moving. For example, in-
line skating.
3. Coordination - is the ability to use the senses together
with body parts during movement. For example is
dribbling a basketball. Using hands and eyes together is
called hand-eye coordination.
4. Reaction Time - the time elapsed between stimulation
and the beginning or reaction to that stimulation. Driving a
racing car and starting a sprint race require good reaction
time.
5. Speed - is the ability to move your body or parts of your
body swiftly. Many sports rely on speed to gain advantage
over your opponents. Example: A basketball player
making a fast break to perform a layup, a tennis player
moving forward to get to a drop shot, a football player out
running the defense to receive a pass.
6. Power - is the ability to move the body parts swiftly while
applying the maximum force of the muscles. Power is a
combination of both speed and muscular strength.
Example: Fullbacks in football muscling their way through
other players and speeding to advance the ball and
volleyball players getting up to the net and lifting their
bodies high into the air.
FITNESS TEST PROTOCOLS
It is a set of standards test that are performed for fitness
testing. Test protocols vary depending on the physical
demands of a person, for example, an athlete who will be
competing for specific sports. It can be modified to suit the
individual needs of a person.
 Computing Your Personal Maximal Heart Rate (PMHR)
A. To get for your Personal Maximal Heart Rate:
Here’s how it is: 220 - age =_____ PMHR
B. To get your Target Moderate Heart Rate (40 - 55%)
Here’s how it is: MHR x 0.4 = _______bpm
MHR x 0.55 = __________bpm
C. To get your Target Vigorous Heart Rate (60 - 85%)
Here’s how it is: MHR x 0.6 = ______bpm
MHR x 0.85 = ________bpm
WARM-UP EXERCISES
A. Static Stretching
1. Neck Stretches
2. Shoulder Curl
3. Arm stretches
4. Trunk stretches
5. Toe touch
6. Lunges

B. Dynamic Stretching
1. Jogging
2. High knees
3. Butt kicks
4. Jumping Jacks

FITNESS TEST

1. 3 – minutes step test

2. Sit up
3. Push up
4. Sit and reach
5. Zipper test
6. Hexagon
7. Stork stand
8. Trunk lift