As well as the traditional components of health-related fitness, the term fitness can be broken down into skill components. These are important in performing the more technical aspects of many sport and include speed, reaction time, agility, balance, coordination, and power.
Speed
Most sports and activities require some form of speed. Even long-distance running often requires a burst of speed to finish the race ahead of your competitors. Speed is defined as the ability to move a body part quickly. Speed is not always about how quickly you can move your whole body from A to B. It also relates to body parts. For example, when playing golf, the speed of your arms and upper body in creating the swing are vital in driving the ball over a long distance.
Reaction Time
Reaction time is how quickly your brain can respond to a stimulus and initiate a response. This is important in most sports. The most obvious being responding to the gun at the start of a race, but also a goalkeeper saving a penalty, or a badminton player reacting to a smash shot. The examples in sport are endless!
Agility
Being agile is all about being able to change your direction and the speed at which you are travelling, quickly and efficiently. This is common in sports such as football and rugby where the player with the ball dodges a defender, or in badminton or tennis, moving around the court quickly to reach the shuttlecock/ball in time.
Balance
Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium whilst stationary or moving. Balance whilst moving is often called dynamic balance. Balance is important in all kinds of sporting situations, most notably in gymnastics and ballet but also contact sports where having good balance may prevent you from being tackled to the floor! Balance is linked to agility, as in order to quickly and efficiently change direction you must be balanced.
Coordination
Coordination is the ability to use the body parts and senses together to produce smooth efficient movements. We have all seen someone who is uncoordinated, their movement looks awkward and shaky. Being co-ordinated is vital in all sports, for example, hand-eye coordination in racket sports and the coordination to use the opposite arm and leg when sprinting.
Power
Power is the product of strength and speed. When we perform a task as quickly and as forcefully as we can, the result is powerful. For example, a sprint start, a shot-put or javelin throw or long-jump.
Most exercises emphasize the physical fitness, but there is another aspect to fitness that we should be paying attention to. Skill related fitness is what allows us to carry out certain tasks efficiently. Read on to find out what they are and what makes them essential components of being fit.
What is Physical Fitness?
Physical fitness is more than just about and being able to do a handstand, although these are certainly a part of it. A 2019 comparative study on skill and health-related fitness defines physical fitness as the “capacity to perform daily activities with vitality and sharpness, without undue fatigue while being able to appreciate recreation time interests and meet unpredicted emergencies.” In short, being “fit” should cover all bases of .
Skill-Related Fitness vs. Health-Related Fitness
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The components of health-related fitness include , muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and . The same study defines skill-related fitness components as the “motor potential to carry out an activity concerning speed, agility, power, balance, coordination, and reaction time.” Let's discuss the importance of skill related fitness.
Components of Skill Related Fitness
Skill related fitness is broken down into six factors that measure your movement and motor skills.
- Balance
- Power
- Agility
- Speed
- Coordination
- Reaction Time
Let's break them down below.
Maintaining your balance.
Balance is the ability to maintain balance in stillness and movement. Having good steadiness prevents injuries, enhances your performance during physical activities, and improves cognitive function. Some ways to improve your balance are doing and tai chi, strengthening the body’s ability to be still, and transitioning slowly and repeatedly.
Using maximum power quickly.
Power is the ability to apply maximum force as quickly as possible. You can train for explosive power by doing hip-hinged kettlebell swings, which build power in the hip. Squat jumps are also an effective way to build lower-body strength and train your legs to store and distribute power through your body. If you can, try box jumps, which use explosive power to carry the body on an elevated platform.
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Practicing accuracy and agility.
Agility is the ability to quickly and accurately change the direction of movements. While it’s not a direct measure of health, it’s an essential motor function that helps the body perform health-related fitness activities such as cardio and weight training without incurring injuries. Cone drills, ladder drills, or any exercise that requires you to shuffle your feet and shift your weight can help improve agility.
Being able to perform with speed.
Speed is the ability to move through as much space in the shortest time possible. According to the National Institutes of Health Institute of Aging, the benefits of speed training include prevention of injuries, improved endurance, fat burning, and muscle growth. When at the gym, you can improve your speed by doing deadlifts, box jumps, and tire flips, all of which train the body to use maximum power quickly.
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Having full-body coordination.
Coordination is your ability to control your body’s movements, especially the limbs. Coordination exercises are some of the most fun. These include juggling, which helps with hand-eye coordination and movement under pressure, dribbling tennis balls, and skipping rope, which improves full-body coordination.
Responding with a short reaction time.
Reaction time is the amount of time it takes your body to respond to an external stimulus. Reaction time is crucial, especially in timed sports events, as well as everyday life emergencies. Running outside is an effective way to improve your reaction time because you’ll also have to dodge obstacles or tread uneven ground.
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Reap the benefits of skill related fitness components the next time you train. Not only will they boost your athletic performance but they will also improve your everyday life.
The five health related fitness components: flexibility, cardiorespiratory endurance, and body composition.
The six skill related components of fitness: agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed.
Click through this Slide Share Presentation a presentation for a better understanding of the health and skill related fitness components. There are 11 total: 5 are considered health-related fitness components and 6 skill related fitness components.
HEALTH RELATED COMPONENTS OF FITNESS
Skill Related Components of Fitness
Is the ability to change the position of your body and to control the movement of your whole body. Agility is an important quality in many sports, because you must change direction rapidly and always have your body under control.
Is the ability to keep an upright posture while either standing still or moving. Good balance in essential in many activities like skating, surfing, skiing, and gymnastics.
Is the ability to perform with strength at a rapid pace. Strength and speed are both involved in power. Football players, swimmers, shot-putters, discus throwers, and high jumpers are examples of athletes who typically have a high degree of power.
Is the amount of time it takes to start a movement once your senses signal the need to move. People with good reaction time can usually start quickly in track and swimming or react quickly in ping pong or karate.
Is the integration of eye, hand, and foot movements. This component is necessary for success in such sports as baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and basketball.
Is the ability to cover a distance in a short amount of time. Speed is a very important factor in many sports and activities. Short runs are used to evaluate speed.
The six skill-related components of fitness contribute to your ability to successfully participate in sports and activities. Those that have a high level of skill-related fitness are more likely to be physically active than those who have lower level of skill. To improve levels of fitness one must first know their level of fitness, and set goals and work toward improving both their health and skill related fitness components. Quote: "If it is to be it us up to me." Essential Understanding: If you are going to bring about change in the way you look and feel it is up to you. No one else can choose the right foods or exercise your body for you!
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