HanoverWellnessEducationNews
March,2012
http://www.hanoverschools.org
WhatisSkillRelatedFitness?
Overthelasttwenty‐fiveyearstherehasbeenashiftininteresttowardhealthrelated
fitnessratherthanskillrelatedfitness.Forexample,fitnesstestslikethesoftballthrow,
standingbroadjump,shuttlerunandthefifty‐yarddashhavebeendroppedsincethrowing
ability,speedandlegpowerhavelittletodowithlifelonghealth.Despitethis,webelieve
thatskillrelatedfitnessisimportantandhasaplaceinaqualityphysicaleducation
program.Higherlevelsofskillrelatedfitnessleadstomoreeffectiveparticipationin
games,gymnasticsanddancewhich,inturn,motivatesstudentstostayactiveinthese
areasandtobuildfitnessthroughregularparticipation.Skillrelatedfitnesscanbe
measuredinformallyduringformativeassessmentduringavarietyofphysicaleducation
units.
Agility
Agilityistheabilitytorapidlyandaccuratelychangethedirectionofthemovementofthe
entirebodyinspace.Theshuttlerunisapopulartestitemusedtomeasureagilityand
couldbeusedasawarmuporlearningexperiencetoenhancethemovementsusedina
net/wallgameforexample.
Balance
Balanceisthemaintenanceofequilibriumwhilestationaryorwhilemoving.Gymnastics
canimprovestaticanddynamicbalance.Herestudentscouldpracticebalancingona
varietyofapparatusalongwithcombiningbalancewithtravelandrotation.
Coordination
Coordinationistheabilitytousethesenseswiththebodypartstoperformmotortasks
smoothlyandaccurately.Activitiesthatwillenhancecoordinationcouldbeperformed
duringmanipulativeskillslikethrowingandcatching,striking,dribbling,volleyingand
dribbling.
Power
Poweristheabilitytotransferenergyintoforceatafastrate.Gymnasticscanbeagood
homeforperformingactivitiesthatwilldeveloppowersuchasarunningandleaping,
horizontaljumpingandverticaljumping.Thestandinghorizontaljumpisapopulartestto
measurepower.Studentscouldpracticejumpingindifferentdirections,pathwaysandto
andfromavarietyoflevelstoenhancelowerbodypowerforavarietyofphysicalactivities.
ReactionTime
Reactiontimeisthetimethatelapsesbetweenstimulationandthebeginningofreactionto
thatstimulation.Gamesprovideagoodplacefordevelopingreactiontime.Forexample,
dodgingdefendersininvasiongamescanenhancereactiontime.Goodreactiontimeisalso
essentialforstrikinginnet/wallgameslikevolleyballandtennis.
Speed
Speedistheabilitytoperformamovementinashortperiodoftime.Manymovements
presentingamesrequirespeed.Forexample,fleeingfromachasingstudentrequires
speed.Atwenty,fortyorfiftyyarddashcouldbeusedasawarmuporlearningexperience
duringagamesunittoenhancespeedusedininvasiongames.
Reference
Corbin,C.B.(2008).Conceptsoffitnessandwellness:Acomprehensivelifestyleapproach.
Boston:McGraw‐Hill.