Harriet French                                                                                        19th May 2003

Year 10 GCSE Coursework Task

1) Purpose/aim of the programme in relation to prior fitness, performance levels and any injuries/ health problems.

I think I have a good fitness level and do several activities to maintain my level of fitness.  I play two hours of sport a week at school. And this sport varies depending on the type of activity we are doing at school. Lately we have been going hockey and rounders. I play sports because they keep my heart and lungs fit and active and the continual playing of sports increases my endurance.

        I also play squash once a week with my Dad at the local sports centre which increases my flexibility, reactions and aerobic fitness,

        Health is also about social well-being and I feel happy with the social circle I am within, and also have a close group of friends and I am always included. I feel happy and content most of the time and have a happy and enjoyable time at school.

        I attend school all the time and rarely have a day off. I have had no major illnesses or injuries. As extra activities to keep healthy I walk my dogs around the local park for about 30-45 minutes, I walk to and from school with my friends each day and I work from 12:00-5:00 on Saturdays and some nights in the week after school until 5:00.

        These activities are not exceedingly challenging but help to keep my general fitness good.

        I hope to soon start to go jogging after school for about 20 minutes after I have moved house, as the area I am moving to has a short circuit suitable for jogging around. I hope to jog this circuit at least 3 times a week and record the time it takes me to jog the circuit and to see how well I can improve. I hope to do this to improve my stamina and endurance and help to keep my heart pumping sufficient levels of oxygen to my muscles to keep my going throughout the jog.

        To test my maximum oxygen consumption I will take the bleep test to see how well my heart performs. The bleep test comprises of continual 20 metre shuttle runs. These are timed with decreasing intervals between each run. If you miss 3 consecutive bleeps in a row you are out. When you have finished, the level and number of shuttles completed are noted and your Maximum Oxygen Consumption is calculated.

        The higher your M.O.C. is, the fitter you are. In a recent bleep test I gained 5.2 which is less than brilliant and I am keen to improve upon this.

        My resting heart rate is 80 beats per minute. I tested this at the radial artery, which can be found in the wrist, but could also have been take from the carotid artery which can be found in the neck. The lower the resting heart rate is the fitter you are. This is because the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to keep pumping oxygen around your body to your muscles just to keep you at a resting level of activity.

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        The quicker your recovery rate, i.e. the time it takes your heart to return to normal pace after you have done an activity, the fitter you are.          

        The aspect of fitness I will need for hockey is cardiovascular endurance, speed, and flexibility. I will need speed as I will have to dribble with the ball away from my opponent in order to remain in possession of the ball, I will need cardiovascular endurance to keep my muscles working to give my the strength I need to play the game, and I will also need flexibility to dodge my opponents ...

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