Chapter 4
Skill-related and Health-related
Fitness
Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness
Skill-related fitness, or performance fitness, includes the six
components of physical fitness that are often associated with
games and sports.
 Agility
 Balance
 Coordination
 Speed
 Power
 Reaction Time
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Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness
The highly skilled athlete will possess a high level of ability in
most if not all, of the six components. The weekend athlete,
often referred to as the “weekend warrior,” will also possess a
certain level of proficiency in many of the skill-related
components.
Even though the skill-related fitness components can contribute
greatly to your success in sports and games, they will not
necessarily contribute to your health or the reduction of health
risk factors.
However, a more complete understanding of each of the skillrelated components can positively contribute to your personal
fitness
Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness
Agility
The ability to change and control the direction and position of
your body while maintaining a constant, rapid motion. The
soccer player, football running back, basketball player and tennis
player will all require agility. Speed and coordination may
influence your agility.
Balance
The ability to control or stabilize your body while moving o
staying still. A simple act such as walking requires a great deal
of balance. The gymnast, golfer, or ice skater all require well
developed balance.
Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness
Coordination
The ability to use your eyes and ears to determine and direct
the smooth movement of your body (hands, feet, arms, head,
and so on). The jogger, soccer player, basketball player, and
volleyball player, for example, all require coordination.
Speed
The ability to move your body or parts of your body swiftly. Foot
speed is usually measured over a short and straight distance,
usually less than 200 meters. Other speed evaluations might
include hand or arm speed. The baseball pitcher, boxer, sprinter
and volleyball spiker all require specific kinds of speed. Certain
types of muscle fibers (muscle cells) can influence your speed.
Whats and Whys of Skill-related fitness
Power
The ability to move your body parts swiftly (speed) while at the
same time applying the maximum force of your muscles
(strength). The shot-putter, longer jumper, power lifter, and
swimmer all require high levels of power. Strength is a fitness
component that can be improved over time. As you increase
your strength, you can increase your power. Biomechanical
movement techniques can also affect your power, which means
you can gain power by practicing your technique.
Reaction Time
The ability to react or respond quickly to what you hear, see, or
feel. The more quickly you respond, the better your reaction
time. Sprinters and swimmer require good reaction time.
Factors That Can Influence Skill-related Performance
Pick your parents well!
Heredity is a major factor in determining performance potential.
Your physical characteristics, such as height, weight, and body
type, are generally similar to those of your parents. Your
physical capabilities, such as speed and reaction time are also
inherited from your parents.
Practice, practice, practice
Even if you have inherited a potential for great physical abilities,
you still need to practice specific skills over and over to reach
the level of performance exhibited by top athletes. Practice is
important to anyone who wants to improve skills in a specific
game or sport. Agility, coordination, power and balance are skillrelated components that can be improved through practice.
Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness
Health-related fitness is a type of physical fitness that
emphasizes physical activities and exercise that will improve or
help you maintain your functional health.
 Cardiovascular Fitness
 Flexibility
 Muscular Strength
 Muscular Endurance
 Body Composition
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Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness
Cardiovascular Fitness
Refers to your ability to work continuously for extended
periods of time (for example, in-line skating for thirty
minutes to an hour). Depends on the ability of your heart
to pump large amounts of blood to the muscles and organs of
your body.
Flexibility
Refers to the range of motion (ROM) that your joints have
during movement. Skin, connective tissue, excessive body fat,
and injury can restrict normal flexibility.
Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness
Muscular Strength
Refers to the maximal force that you can exert when you
contract your muscles. Your muscular strength will vary
according to several factors, such as your age, gender, genetic
makeup, and conditioning level.
Muscular Endurance
Refers to your ability to contract your muscles several times
without excessive fatigue. Moderate to high levels of muscular
endurance enhance your muscular strength and allow you to do
more work without getting tired.
Whats and Whys of Health-related fitness
Body Composition
The ratio of water, bone, muscle and fat in your body. Your
percentage of body fat in relation to your percentage of water,
bone and muscle is important to your functional health and risks
for chronic disease.