Speed is the ability to move body parts quickly over a set distance. A sprinter must have good speed so they have a chance of winning. A method of fitness training that can be used to develop speed is SAQ training. SAQ otherwise known as speed agility quickness one example of this is parachute sprinting where the athlete attaches a small parachute to there back, when they sprint the wind is being a resistance and this will help build leg muscle and will develop speed.
Aerobic endurance is the ability to continue exercising for a long period of time. To do this the body needs to transport and use the oxygen that is breathed in during exercise Paul beashel, 2006. Aerobic endurance is an important to tennis because during a tennis match you have 25 seconds of rest between points and 90 seconds at changeovers. It will be difficult to recover throughout a match if your aerobic fitness is poor you will be fatigue by the end of a match. One method of training for aerobic endurance is interval training, this is were “Interval running enables the athlete to improve the workload by interspersing heavy bouts of fast running with recovery periods of slower jogging. The athlete runs hard over any distance up to 1k and then has a period of easy jogging. During the run, lactic acid is produced and a state of oxygen debt is reached. During the interval (recovery), the heart and lungs are still stimulated as they try to pay back the debt by supplying oxygen to help break down the lactates. The stresses put upon the body cause an adaptation including capillarisation, strengthening of the heart muscles, improved oxygen uptake and improved buffers to lactates. All this leads to improved performance, in particular within the cardiovascular system.” http://www.brianmac.co.uk/conintrn.htm.
Power is the ability to produce a large amount of force in a short period of time. A long jumper will need to have good power to score a decent distance. A good way to improve your power is plyometrics movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity of the muscle and as it was supposed to be surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions. A good example of plyometric training is using boxes and jump down from the box and jump straight up.
Agility is the ability to change the body’s position in a short length of time Paul beashel, 2006. A tennis player has to change direction to be able to hit the ball this will give them time for there next shot. A good way of improving agility is to do agility ladders. Agility ladder uses a wide range of different foot and movement patterns. These skilled movements become second nature and the body is able to respond quickly to various angles that are required in sports.
Strength is the ability of specific muscles to exert force in a single contraction. A rugby player will need good strength to tackle the player. A good way to improve your strength is Resistance machines, they come in many shapes, styles, and sizes. Working muscle groups, they can be used in different positions sitting, lying, or standing, so the machines may look different. Some equipment uses a series of cables to pull up to make your muscles produce extra force to overcome the resistance.
