AQA GCSE Physical Education (8582) · Paper 1
🏋️ Physical Training
Revision notes written to the specification, with examiner tips and the required practicals. Every point here has flashcards in the Stickwise app.
Components of fitness
Physical fitness is the ability to cope with the demands of the environment. Its components are usually split into two groups: health-related fitness, needed by everyone whatever sport or activity they take part in, and skill-related fitness, needed for skilled performance in a particular sport.
Health-related components
Cardiovascular enduranceThis is the ability of the heart and lungs to keep supplying oxygen to working muscles during sustained exercise, which is vital for a marathon runner.
Muscular enduranceThis is a muscle's ability to keep contracting repeatedly without becoming tired, which is vital for a rugby prop taking part in repeated scrums.
FlexibilityThis is the range of movement possible at a joint, which lets a gymnast reach extreme positions such as the splits.
StrengthThis is the maximum force a muscle can exert in one single effort, which lets a weightlifter lift a heavy load.
Body compositionThis is the percentage of fat, muscle and bone that makes up a person's body. A high proportion of muscle suits a weightlifter, while a low percentage of body fat suits a marathon runner.
Skill-related components
AgilityThis is the ability to change direction quickly while keeping control of the body, needed by a basketball player to lose a defender.
BalanceThis means keeping the body's centre of mass over its base of support, needed by a gymnast to hold a position on the beam.
CoordinationThis means using two or more body parts together smoothly, needed by a basketball player to dribble the ball while running and looking up.
PowerThis is strength and speed combined into one explosive movement, needed by a sprinter to drive out of the blocks.
Reaction timeThis is the time taken to respond to a stimulus, such as a sprinter responding to the starting gun.
SpeedThis means moving the whole body quickly over a distance, relied on by a sprinter throughout a race.
🎯 Examiner tip: Exam questions often name a sporting situation and ask which component of fitness is being used, or why a particular performer needs it. The best answers name the correct component, health-related or skill-related, and link it explicitly to the example given, such as explaining that a gymnast needs balance to stay steady on the beam, rather than simply stating what the component means in general.
Fitness testing
Fitness tests measure a specific component of fitness, giving a performer or coach a baseline to work from, targets to aim for, and a way of monitoring progress over a training programme. However, a result can lack validity if the test is not carried out properly or if the performer does not give full effort.
Multi-stage fitness testAlso called the bleep test, this measures cardiovascular endurance by having performers run 20m shuttles in time with recorded bleeps that get closer together each level, continuing until they can no longer keep up.
Illinois agility testThis measures agility by timing a performer as they sprint and weave through a set course of cones, including turns and a slalom section, with a faster time showing better agility.
Sit and reach testThis measures flexibility. Sitting with legs straight and feet against a box, the performer reaches forward along a scale as far as possible without bending their knees, and the distance reached is recorded.
Hand-grip dynamometer testThis measures strength by having the performer squeeze a dynamometer as hard as possible, with the force read off in kilograms.
One-minute sit-up testThis measures muscular endurance by counting the maximum number of sit-ups a performer can complete in one minute.
Vertical jump testThis measures power. The performer reaches up to mark their standing height, then jumps to touch the highest new mark possible, and the difference between the two marks is recorded.
Ruler-drop testThis measures reaction time. A partner drops a ruler between the performer's fingers without warning; the performer catches it, and the distance it falls is converted into a reaction time.
Stork testThis measures balance by timing how long a performer can stand on one leg with the other foot held against the standing knee.
Wall-toss testThis measures coordination by counting how many times a performer can catch a ball thrown against a wall with alternate hands in a set time.
BMI or skinfold callipersThese estimate body composition, either from a performer's weight and height or by measuring skinfold thickness at several points on the body.
🎯 Examiner tip: Questions on fitness testing often ask for a description of how a named test is carried out, so the method for each test needs to be learned, not just which component it measures. It is also worth being able to explain one limitation of fitness testing generally, such as a test only being valid if it is carried out under the same, controlled conditions each time.
Principles of training
The principles of training are the rules a coach applies when designing a training programme, to make sure it improves fitness safely and effectively. Four principles guide how the training is planned, and a fifth, FITT, describes how the training load is actually increased.
SpecificityTraining must be matched to the demands of the sport, the muscle groups it uses and the energy systems it relies on, so that a swimmer trains differently to a sprinter.
Progressive overloadGradually increasing the amount of overload placed on the body, in frequency, intensity or time, forces it to adapt and improve fitness without causing injury.
ReversibilityFitness gains are lost when training stops or is greatly reduced, or during injury, as the body adapts back towards its previous, lower level of fitness.
Tedium and varietyTedium is the boredom that can result from a repetitive training programme and lower a performer's motivation. It is avoided by adding variety, for example by changing the exercises, environment or training methods used.
The FITT principle
FrequencyThis is how often a performer trains, for example how many sessions are completed each week.
IntensityThis is how hard a performer trains, for example how fast they run or how heavy a weight is.
TimeThis is how long each training session lasts.
TypeThis is the kind of training used, for example switching from continuous running to interval sessions.
A coach normally changes only one of the four at a time, so the body can adapt safely. A runner, for example, could increase frequency by training on more days of the week, intensity by running faster or on hills, time by running for longer, or type by adding interval sessions.
🎯 Examiner tip: Long-answer questions on the principles of training usually ask for a named principle to be applied to a specific activity. The strongest answers finish each point with a sporting example, such as explaining how a footballer's coach would apply progressive overload across a pre-season programme, rather than describing the principle in general terms only.
Training methods & seasons
Different training methods suit different sports and different components of fitness. Most methods have a genuine advantage, but also a genuine drawback that needs to be weighed against it.
Continuous trainingThis means exercising without rest at a steady, moderate pace for at least 20 minutes, which improves cardiovascular endurance. It needs no special equipment, but it can become tedious.
Fartlek trainingAlso called 'speed play', this is continuous exercise in which the pace and terrain vary throughout the session, for example sprinting, jogging and running uphill in turn. It mimics the changing demands of a game, but it can be hard to judge whether the effort used is high enough.
Circuit trainingThis uses a series of stations, each working a different muscle group or component of fitness, completed in rotation for a set time or number of repetitions. It is easy to adapt to train many components at once, but it needs space and equipment to set up.
Interval trainingThis alternates periods of high-intensity work with periods of rest or lower-intensity recovery, which improves speed and endurance. The ratio of work to rest can be adjusted precisely, but the method is demanding and can lead to overtraining if it is misjudged.
Plyometric trainingThis uses explosive jumping, hopping and bounding exercises, such as box jumps, to develop power by rapidly stretching then contracting the muscles. It develops power well for jumping and throwing sports, but it is high-impact and risks injury to the joints.
Weight trainingThis means lifting free weights or using resistance machines, with the number of repetitions and sets adjusted to the goal: a heavy weight with few repetitions builds strength, while a lighter weight with many repetitions builds muscular endurance. It can be closely targeted to a specific goal, but it needs correct technique to avoid injury.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)This alternates short bursts of maximum-effort exercise with brief recovery periods, over a short overall session. It is a time-efficient way to improve fitness, but it is very demanding and unsuitable for beginners or unfit performers.
Warming up and cooling down
A warm-up has a pulse-raiser, stretching and skill practice, which raises body temperature and reduces the risk of injury. A cool-down uses light exercise and stretching to gradually lower the heart rate and help remove lactic acid from the muscles.
The training year
A training year is divided into three seasons. The pre-season builds general fitness and then sport-specific fitness ahead of competition. The competition season maintains fitness while focusing on skills and tactics. The post-season allows active rest and recovery before the cycle begins again.
🎯 Examiner tip: Evaluation questions on training methods are answered best with one genuine advantage and one genuine disadvantage, with at least one of them linked to a named sport, such as explaining that plyometric training suits a high jumper because it develops explosive power, but carries a higher risk of joint injury than a lower-impact method.
Injury prevention & performance-enhancing drugs
Several precautions reduce the risk of injury during physical activity, and most are simple to put into practice. They cover what a performer wears, the equipment and facilities used, and how they prepare before starting.
- Wearing correct clothing and footwear for the activity.
- Checking equipment and facilities are safe before use.
- Warming up properly before taking part.
- Using correct technique throughout.
Performance-enhancing drugs
Some performers use banned drugs in an attempt to improve their performance artificially, despite the health risks involved and the unfair advantage this creates over other competitors. Each drug works differently, and each carries its own side effects.
Anabolic steroidsThese increase muscle size and strength and speed up recovery after training. Side effects include liver and heart damage, increased aggression, and reduced fertility in males.
Beta blockersBeta blockers slow heart rate and reduce blood pressure and muscle tremor, which can benefit precision activities. For AQA PE, learn nausea, weakness and heart problems as possible side effects.
DiureticsThese remove water from the body quickly, helping a performer make a weight category or dilute their urine to hide other drugs. Side effects include dehydration, dizziness and muscle cramps.
StimulantsThese increase alertness, reduce tiredness and raise heart and breathing rate. Side effects include aggression, insomnia, high blood pressure and addiction.
Narcotic analgesicsThese painkillers mask pain, allowing a performer to continue despite an injury. Side effects include addiction, nausea and a loss of concentration, which risks further injury.
Peptide hormones (such as EPO)EPO increases red blood cell production, raising the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity for aerobic endurance events. Side effects include an increased risk of blood clots, stroke and heart problems, caused by the blood becoming thicker.
🎯 Examiner tip: Questions on performance-enhancing drugs are answered better with a named example tied to a sport, such as explaining why a precision performer like an archer might be tempted to use beta blockers to control tremor, rather than listing a drug's effects with no sporting context. One clear side effect is worth learning for each drug, alongside its intended effect, since exam questions frequently ask for both.
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