The aim of my program is to plan, perform and evaluate an effective personal training schedule. I have decided to choose rounders as it is a sport that I really enjoy, and I wish to progress further and join a club outside of school. The definition of fitness is: a variety of factors which combine to give a sportsperson an efficient body, able to cope with a high degree of physical demand. Fitness is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, free from illness and injury.
There are two different types of fitness: health related and skill related. The health related components of fitness are: Cardiovascular Fitness: the ability to exercise the entire body for long periods of time. This is important in rounders for when running between the bases for the whole game, and covering large areas of the field as a fielder. Muscular Endurance: the ability to use the muscles which are attached to the bones, many times without getting tired. This is important in rounders to prevent muscle strains and aches. Strength: the amount of force you can put forth with the muscles. This is important in rounders as more strength means the ball can be hit and thrown further.
Flexibility: the ability to use the complete range of movements around the joints. Important in rounders so that you can easily swing for the ball. Body Fatness: The percentage of body weight that is fat compared to other body tissue. Important in all sport as too much body fat tends to lead to health problems and poorer performance. The skill related components of fitness are: Agility: the ability to change the position of the body quickly, yet to control this movement. This is important in rounders for when suddenly changing direction either to catch the ball or run around bases. Balance: the ability to keep an upright posture whilst standing still or moving. Important in rounders to prevent unnecessary falls and tumbles e.g. when catching the ball. Co-ordination: the ability to uses the senses together with the body parts (e.g. arms and eyes together) or to use two or more body parts together. This is important in rounders to improve consistency when catching and hitting the ball.
Power: the ability to complete strength performances quickly. It involves strength and speed together. This is important in rounders as more power enables a player to hit and throw the ball further. Reaction time: the amount of time it takes to get moving once you see the need to do so. Important in rounders to improve consistency when batting and reacting to the speed of the ball, or reacting to bad fielding.
Speed: the ability to perform a movement or cover a distance quickly. Important in rounders to enable a player to run around the bases or for the ball faster. All of these components of fitness are important; however I feel that the two most important for improving my performance are cardiovascular fitness and power. The definition of skill is: an ability to perform certain activities or movements with control or consistency to bring about a desired result. There is a relationship between fitness and skill. As personal fitness levels improve, it is often the case that the skill level of the athlete also increases.
I feel that I need to improve my cardiovascular fitness, as when running from base to base, especially if only a few of my team mates are left in the game, I find myself becoming out of breath fairly easily. I feel that if I improve my cardiovascular fitness, I will be able to continue in a game for longer and my game-play will improve. I also wish to improve power to enable me to hit and throw the ball further, as I feel I am not playing to my full potential. This, again, will improve my effectiveness in a game. Currently I do not have any major injuries or health problems which would prevent me from achieving my maximum. Target: At the end of the five weeks I am hoping to have moved up a level on the multi stage fitness test; however my main concern is that my effectiveness in a game improves due to an increase in cardiovascular fitness and power.
Safety In order to ensure that I am safe in my activities, I am going to follow these safety procedures: 1. I will wear the correct clothing and footwear required for each activity 2. I will ensure I am not wearing any jewellery when exercising 3. I will check any of the equipment which is needed for a particular activity and ensure I use it safely 4. I will ensure I am supervised in any activities which require supervision 5. If the activity is a team sport, I will ensure I abide by the rules to prevent injury to myself and my team-mates or opposition. 6. If the activity requires it, I will wear any protective equipment that is necessary 7. I will check the environment in which I am to perform an activity 8. When I planned my circuit, I had it checked by a personal trainer to ensure it was a safe and effective circuit for improving power and cardiovascular fitness 9. I will ensure I perform a warm up before an activity and a cool down after an activity to prevent any unnecessary injuries.