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AS 1: Fitness, Training and the Effects of Exercise

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are the components of physical fitness, and why does the demand for each one differ between activities?

The health-related and skill-related components of fitness, their definitions, and how the demand for each component varies between different sports and physical activities.
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on the components of fitness, covering the five health-related components, the six skill-related components, clear definitions of each, and how the demand for each component varies between sports.
9 min answer →

How does the body respond to a single bout of exercise, and how does it adapt to training over weeks and months?

The immediate (acute) responses to exercise, the short-term responses, and the long-term adaptations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems to regular training.
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on the effects of exercise, covering the immediate responses to a single bout, the short-term responses, and the long-term cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular adaptations to regular training.
9 min answer →

How are common sports injuries prevented, and what is the correct first-aid response when they happen?

Common sports injuries and their prevention, the role of warm-up and protective measures, and the principles of first aid, including the primary survey and the management of soft-tissue injuries.
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on first aid and safety, covering common sports injuries and how they are prevented, the role of the warm-up and protective equipment, the primary survey, and the first-aid management of soft-tissue injuries.
8 min answer →

How do we measure each component of fitness, and what makes a fitness test trustworthy?

Recognised fitness tests for the main components of fitness, the importance of validity, reliability and standardised protocols, and how to evaluate and interpret fitness test results.
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on fitness testing, covering recognised tests for each component of fitness, the meaning of validity and reliability, the need for standardised protocols, and how to evaluate test results against normative data.
9 min answer →

Which training methods develop which components of fitness, and what principles make a training programme effective?

The main methods of training (continuous, interval, fartlek, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility training) and the principles of training (specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, individual differences, the FITT and SPORT principles).
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on training, covering the main training methods and the component each develops, plus the principles of training, including specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, the FITT formula and the SPORT principle.
9 min answer →

How does a personal trainer turn a client's goals and test results into a safe, effective training programme?

Planning a personalised training programme: collecting client information, setting SMART goals, selecting methods and applying principles, structuring sessions with warm-up and cool-down, and using periodisation to organise training over time.
A focused CCEA AS Sports Science answer on planning a training programme, covering client screening and goal setting, choosing methods and applying training principles, session structure with warm-up and cool-down, and periodisation, the applied basis of the AS personal trainer task.
9 min answer →