Physical Fitness
AHSEC physical fitness questions ask you to classify fitness components, select valid tests, interpret scores and explain how fitness relates to health and performance.
Core ideas
- Health-related components: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition.
- Skill-related components: speed, agility, power, balance, coordination, reaction time.
- Common tests: 50 m dash (speed), 600 m or 1.6 km run/walk (cardiovascular endurance), 1-minute sit-ups (muscular endurance), push-ups (strength/endurance), sit-and-reach (flexibility), 4×10 m shuttle run (agility), vertical jump (power), stork stand (balance).
- AAHPER youth fitness test and Harvard step test are recognised batteries; always name the component being measured.
- Power = strength × speed; agility is not the same as speed.
Worked example
A selector wants a test for a marathon runner and a sprinter. For the marathoner, choose a distance run or estimated VO2max test because aerobic capacity is the limiting factor. For the sprinter, choose 50 m dash and vertical jump because acceleration and explosive power matter. Reasoning: the test must match the dominant fitness component and the sport's energy system.
Traps
Do not label the shuttle run as a speed test; it measures agility and change of direction. Do not use a sit-and-reach score to judge general athletic ability. Do not confuse muscular strength (maximal force) with muscular endurance (repeated contractions).