CCEA GCSE Physical Education: Developing Physical Fitness for Performance overview
An overview of the Developing Physical Fitness for Performance module of CCEA GCSE Physical Education (Component 2, section 3.2.1), mapping the components of fitness, methods of training, principles of training (SPORRT and FITT), fitness testing and SMART goals, and how they are examined on Paper 2.
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The fourth module of CCEA GCSE Physical Education is the training science of the course: how fitness is measured, built and improved. It covers Component 2, section 3.2.1 Developing Physical Fitness for Performance and is examined on Paper 2. This page maps the topics and links to a focused answer page for each one.
What this module covers
- Components of fitness
- The five health-related components (aerobic energy production, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, body composition) and the skill-related factors (co-ordination, balance, reaction time, agility), with a sporting example of each. Start with Components of fitness.
- Methods of training
- Continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility training, what each develops, and how to match a method to a sport. See Methods of training.
- Principles of training
- The SPORRT principles (specificity, progression, overload, recovery, reversibility, tedium), the FITT principle for applying overload, and peaking. See Principles of training (SPORRT and FITT).
- Fitness testing
- Why we test fitness, the recognised test for each component, and how to make testing valid, reliable and fair. See Fitness testing.
- SMART goals and the personal exercise programme
- Setting SMART targets and designing a programme that applies the components, methods and principles with a warm-up and cool-down. See SMART goals and the personal exercise programme.
How it is examined
These topics appear on Paper 2, worth 25% of the GCSE, and underpin the practical analysis of performance task. Expect structured questions on the components, methods, principles and tests, applied questions that design or improve a programme, and an extended evaluate question worth up to six marks.
How to study it
Memorise the components with a test and a sport for each. Learn the methods of training and the component each develops. Drill SPORRT (remembering both Rs) and FITT, and be ready to apply them to a programme. Match each fitness test to its component, and learn SMART with attainable for the A. Practise designing a personal exercise programme step by step, then finish with CCEA past papers and the module quiz.
Sources & how we know this
- CCEA GCSE Physical Education specification — CCEA (2017)