However, in this six-week programme I will focus my attention on three factors of fitness, they are:
- Coordination
- Agility
- Muscular power
The way in which I will test these factors of fitness is by using one test for each factor from book ‘The World Of Sport Examined’. Then I will use the scores provided and put it in a result table. I will do this at the beginning of the six-weeks, and at the midpoint of three weeks and at the end of the six-weeks so that I can see if that is any progression made.
- Coordination – The way in which I will test my coordination is by using the ‘alternate hand wall toss test.’ In this test, I stand two metres away from a smooth wall. We throw a tennis ball with our right hand against the wall and catch it in your left hand and vice visa. This is prepared quickly for 30 seconds. The number of catches is recorded after 30 seconds.
- Agility - The way in which I will test my agility is by using the ‘Illinois agility run’. We lie face down on the floor at the starting line. When told to start we leap to our feet and complete the course in the shortest time.
- Muscular power - To test my Muscular power I would use ‘Standing vertical jump test.’ We stand next the wall and reach up with our arm nearest to the wall. The highest point we can reach is marked, however, both feet must remain on the floor at this stage. Then we jump and reach as high as we can. When mark we compare the difference between the two distances.
The skills in which I will need to acquire are as follows:
- Tennis serve – the arm can use greater force when the whole body is used in the movement of the swing, and the angle of the arm must be correct to direct the ball fast and low over the net.
- Backhand – the individual must stand side on. His/her arm must come across the front of the body and must go to the opposite side of your racket hand. E.g., if you were right handed then the racket should come across the frontal left side of your body.
- Forehand - the individual must stand side on. His/her arm must come across the back of the body and then you swing your racket hand towards the ball and then follow through by using your whole body
- Volley – same principles as the serve however, this is after a serve and you do not let the ball bounce.
The book called ‘The World Of Sport Examined’ provided some of the following information.
Specificity – we need to use a training programme, which puts regular stress on the muscle groups we are concerned with. In my training programme I must be specific in what I wish to develop, they are the following:
- Leg muscles
- Upper body strength
Progression – when we increase the amount of exercise we do, we place added stress on our body systems in a progressive way. Too big an increase in stress can cause us to stop training, or suffer injure. An increase in stress, which is not big enough, can lead to staleness and boredom.
It is not only our muscles, which have to adapt to greater stress being put on our bodies. Bones, ligaments, and tendons also have to change. We need to understand our training thresholds so that we do not over work or do too little training, we can do this by checking our heart rates during exercise.
I will firstly train for one hour any day for five days a week I will do this for two weeks, then I will move onto two hours a day a week I will do this for two weeks, and then onto three hours a week I will do this for two weeks. So for a total of six weeks I would have increased my performance by a one a week. I will do this because this gives my body enough time to cope and adapt to the exercise.
Overload – to improve the fitness of our body systems we need to overload them. This means we need to make the work harder than normal. Our bodies will gradually adept in order to cope with this extra work will and we will become fitter. We can improve our aerobic ability, strength, and flexibility by gradually increasing the amount of overload, which we put on our bodies.
I will put my muscles under strain and every two weeks I will increase the amount of strain that my muscles work with. I will do this because this gives my body enough time to cope and adapt to the exercise.
Reversibility – our bodies are able to adapt to more stress by becoming fitter, in the same way, our bodies will adapt to less stress. It takes only 3 to 4 weeks for our bodies to get out of condition. We can lose our aerobic fitness more easier than our anaerobic, as muscles quickly lose much of their ability to use oxygen. Our strengths gained are lost at about one third of their rate gained.
I will train for six weeks and in those weeks, there are 42 days, however I will train for 28 of those days. I will do this because this gives my body enough time to cope and adapt to the exercises that I do.
Tedium (boredom) – should be avoided in all training programmes. By using a variety of training methods, we will keep our enthusiasm and not become stale.
I will do a variety of training methods to keep me enthusiastic about my training programme.
Frequency – we should train for at least 3 times a week. Our bodies will need time to recovery between training sessions and so we should space these sessions out over a week.
I will train at least four times a week because it gives me at least a day of recovery and it fits into my working schedule.
Intensity – we will not improve our fitness unless we work hard enough to make our body systems adapt. We must understand out training thresholds.
Every two weeks I will increase the amount of stress that I allow my body to do. I will do this because this gives my body enough time to cope and adapt to the exercises that I do.
Time – if we wish to improve our aerobic fitness then our training sessions must last longer and longer, gradually over time. We should also increase the heart rate level at which we work.
Every two weeks I will increase the duration time by one hour, so that I can train for longer and so that I can get more work done.
Type – our training programmes must include the type of activates which develop the fitness and skill that we need.
I will use various activates to develop the right fitness and skills.
Stretches
Stretch one
Frontal View
Side View
This is a calf muscle stretch where no wall available. Technique – feet comfortably apart, keep trunk upright with weight over rear leg. Rear foot must point straight forward. Hold when stretch is felt in calf of rear leg. Repeat wit opposite leg.
Stretch two
Frontal view
This stretches the hamstring muscle at the back of the thigh. Stand upright with feet wide apart, hands on hips. Push bottom backwards, then pivot forward form hips, with back forwards. Only then, drop hands well in front of feet. Hold when ‘pull’ is felt at the back of the knees. As flexibility increase, move feet closer together.
Stretch three
Right Arm
Left Arm
This stretches triceps. You get your left arm over your back and then push elbow downwards until stretch is felt. You repeat this for the other arm.
Stretch four
Left Arm
Right Arm
This stretches your shoulders. You extend the arm you intend on stretching, and then you take your opposite arm and push the arm across your body.
Exercises
Exercise 1
Push-ups
This exercise strengthens your biceps and triceps. You lie down flatly, then push up with your arms by locking them (straighten them) then bend arms until your chin touches floor. You do this repeatedly until you have reached your target.
Exercise 2
Sit-ups
This exercise strengthens your abdominal muscles. You lie down flatly, then you bend both your legs towards the body and then you put both hands behind your ears and make sure that your elbows are at a 180-degree angle to your other arm. Then you push your back up slightly until you can feel pain in abdomen. You do this repeatedly until you have reached your target.
Training
