Which training method should a performer choose, and why?
The training methods (continuous, Fartlek, circuit, interval, plyometric, weight and fitness classes), the components they develop, and their advantages and disadvantages.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on training methods: continuous, Fartlek, circuit, interval, plyometric and weight training plus fitness classes, the component of fitness each develops, and their advantages and disadvantages.
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What this dot point is asking
Edexcel wants you to describe the training methods, state the component of fitness each develops, and give the advantages and disadvantages of each, choosing the right method for a sport.
The training methods
Fitness classes
Edexcel also names fitness classes that develop specific components: body pump and spinning build muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness, aerobics builds cardiovascular fitness and coordination, and Pilates and yoga build flexibility and core strength. These are popular because they are sociable and led by an instructor.
Advantages and disadvantages
Every method has trade-offs that the exam rewards you for weighing. Continuous training is cheap and simple and builds an aerobic base, but it is repetitive (low motivation) and does not develop anaerobic fitness or speed. Interval training develops speed and anaerobic power and matches the sprint-and-recover pattern of games, but it is very tiring and can risk injury. Plyometrics builds explosive power quickly, but the high impact carries a real injury risk and needs a good base of strength first. Weight training can target almost any muscular component by changing the load, but poor technique or too heavy a weight risks injury. The skill is matching the advantages to the performer's needs while managing the disadvantages.
High-altitude training
The advantages are a genuine, legal gain in oxygen-carrying capacity and endurance. The disadvantages are real too: it is expensive (travel and accommodation high in the mountains), training is harder at first because of the thin air, the extra red blood cells are lost again within a few weeks of returning to sea level, and being away from home can affect motivation. Knowing where altitude training fits, an endurance aid with clear costs, lets you weigh it like any other method.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 20193 marksIdentify the most suitable training method for a marathon runner, and justify your choice using the demands of the event.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 application question. One mark for the method and up to two for the justification.
Award marks for: continuous training is most suitable; it involves exercising at a steady, moderate pace for a long time (at least 20 minutes) without rest, which develops cardiovascular fitness (aerobic endurance), exactly what the marathon demands; it also closely matches the steady aerobic nature of the race (specificity).
The justification, tying the method to aerobic endurance and the event, earns the marks.
Edexcel 20224 marksCompare interval training and continuous training, giving one advantage and one disadvantage of each for a games player.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 application question, marks for balanced advantages and disadvantages.
Award marks for: interval training (periods of high-intensity work with rest) develops both anaerobic fitness and speed, matching the sprint-and-recover pattern of a game (advantage), but it is tiring and can risk injury if intensity is too high (disadvantage). Continuous training builds the aerobic base to last a full match (advantage) but does not develop the anaerobic sprints a game needs and can be repetitive (disadvantage).
Strong answers give a genuine advantage and disadvantage for each, linked to the games player.
Related dot points
- The definitions of health, fitness, exercise and performance, the eleven components of fitness, and their relative importance in different sports.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on the components of fitness: the definitions of health, fitness, exercise and performance, the eleven components of fitness, and why their relative importance varies between sports.
- The principles of training (individual needs, specificity, progressive overload, FITT, overtraining, reversibility) and the calculation of aerobic and anaerobic training zones.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on the principles of training: individual needs, specificity, progressive overload, FITT, overtraining and reversibility, and how to calculate the aerobic (60 to 80 percent) and anaerobic (80 to 90 percent) training zones from maximum heart rate.
- The value and purpose of fitness testing, the named tests for each component of fitness, and the interpretation of results against normative data.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on fitness testing: the value and purpose of testing, the named test for each component of fitness (Cooper, Illinois, grip dynamometer, sit and reach and more), and how to interpret results against normative data.
- The long-term effects of aerobic and anaerobic training on the musculoskeletal and cardio-respiratory systems, and the importance of rest for adaptation.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on the long-term effects of training: the adaptations of the musculoskeletal system (hypertrophy, bone density) and cardio-respiratory system (lower resting heart rate, increased stroke volume, capillarisation), and the importance of rest.
- Energy release using glucose and oxygen, the aerobic and anaerobic equations, the by-product lactic acid, and the fuel sources fats and carbohydrates.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on aerobic and anaerobic exercise: how glucose and oxygen release energy aerobically, the effect of insufficient oxygen, the by-product lactic acid, and fats and carbohydrates as fuel sources.
Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physical Education (1PE0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2016)