What are the components of fitness, and how are they needed in different sports?
The components of fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility, speed, power, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time), how each is defined, and how they are applied to different sporting activities.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the components of fitness: the definitions of cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility, speed, power, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time, and how each is applied to a named sport.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to define each component of fitness precisely and, crucially, apply it to a named sport. The application is where most marks are won: a definition alone rarely scores full marks.
The components of fitness, defined
Power: the one to define carefully
Power is the component most often defined wrongly, so fix it now.
How the components combine in real sport
In most sports a performer relies on several components at once. A games player such as a footballer or hockey player uses cardiovascular endurance to last the match, speed and agility to beat opponents, power to strike the ball, coordination to control it, and reaction time to respond to play. Eduqas's longer questions reward an answer that analyses the mix of components a position demands, each tied to a moment in the game, rather than a list of definitions.
Health-related versus skill-related fitness
Some specifications split the components into health-related (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility and body composition) and skill-related (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time). You do not have to lead with these labels for Eduqas, but understanding that some components keep you healthy while others sharpen sporting skill helps you choose the right example.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20184 marksDefine power and agility, and for each give a sporting example where it is important.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 components-of-fitness question. Two marks for each component (definition plus applied example).
Award marks for: power (also called explosive strength) is the combination of strength and speed, or the ability to apply a large force quickly. It is calculated as strength multiplied by speed. A sporting example is a sprinter exploding out of the blocks, a long jumper at take-off, or a boxer's punch. Agility is the ability to change direction quickly while keeping control and balance. A sporting example is a rugby player sidestepping a tackle, a netball player dodging to receive a pass, or a tennis player moving around the court.
Markers reward an accurate definition and a clear, correct sporting example for each. Naming a sport that does not actually need that component loses the application mark.
Eduqas 20226 marksA games player needs a wide range of fitness components. Analyse the components of fitness a midfield hockey player relies on during a match, using examples from the game.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark applied analysis question. Markers reward several components correctly matched to real moments in the game.
Award marks for naming and applying components such as: cardiovascular endurance to keep running for the whole match without tiring; speed to sprint onto a loose ball or back to defend; agility to change direction quickly when dribbling past an opponent; power to strike the ball hard or push off into a sprint; coordination to control the ball with the stick while moving; reaction time to respond to a deflection or a sudden pass; balance to stay stable when reaching for the ball or being challenged. A strong answer links each named component to a specific moment in a hockey match rather than just listing definitions.
A top answer covers several components, each tied to a clear example from hockey, and reads as analysis of the demands of the position rather than a glossary.
Related dot points
- The purpose and limitations of fitness testing, the named tests for each component of fitness (such as the multi-stage fitness test, the sit and reach test, the Illinois agility run and the vertical jump), and how to interpret and use the results.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on fitness testing: why we test fitness, the named test for each component (multi-stage fitness test, sit and reach, Illinois agility run, vertical jump, grip strength, 30 m sprint), the limitations of testing, and how to use the results.
- The methods of training (continuous, Fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility training), what each develops, and how to choose the right method for a component of fitness, a performer and a sport.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the methods of training: continuous, Fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility training, what each develops, their advantages and disadvantages, and how to choose the right method for a performer.
- The principles of training (specificity, progressive overload, reversibility and tedium), the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, type), and how to apply them when planning a training programme.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the principles of training: specificity, progressive overload, reversibility and tedium, the FITT principle, and how to apply each to plan an effective and safe training programme.
- The definitions and differences between health, fitness, exercise, performance and well-being, and the relationship between health and fitness.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the definitions of health, fitness, exercise, performance and well-being, the differences between them, and how health and fitness are related but not the same thing.
- The structure and function of the musculo-skeletal system: the major bones, the functions of the skeleton, the types of joint and synovial joint structure, the major muscles and antagonistic muscle pairs, and the types of muscle contraction.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the musculo-skeletal system: the functions of the skeleton, the major bones and muscles, the structure of a synovial joint, joint types and the movements they allow, antagonistic muscle pairs, and isotonic and isometric contraction.
Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Physical Education C550QS specification — Eduqas (2016)