What is covered in OCR GCSE PE physical training?

Physical training is the second half of Component 01 (Physical factors affecting performance). It covers the components of fitness (health-related and skill-related), fitness testing and interpreting data, the principles of training (specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, tedium) and the FITT principle, the methods of training (continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric, HIIT), how to prevent injury, and the purpose and benefits of warming up and cooling down.

Which exam paper assesses physical training?

It is assessed on Component 01, Physical factors affecting performance (J587/01), a 1 hour written paper worth 60 marks and 30 percent of the GCSE, shared with the applied anatomy and physiology topic. The paper mixes multiple-choice, short-answer, calculation and extended-response questions. A calculator is allowed.

What calculations appear in physical training?

Expect to calculate maximum heart rate as 220 minus age, then the aerobic training zone (60 to 80 percent) and anaerobic zone (80 to 90 percent), and to set a strength-training load as a percentage of the one-rep maximum. Data-interpretation questions also ask you to read fitness-test results against normative tables.

How should I revise physical training?

Work statement by statement against the specification. Learn the definition of each component of fitness with a sporting example, the recognised test for each, the principles of training and FITT, and the methods of training with the components they develop. Practise the heart-rate and one-rep-maximum calculations, and rehearse applying every idea to a named performer, which is how OCR awards application marks.

EnglandPhysical Education

OCR GCSE PE: Physical training (Component 01) overview

An overview of the physical training content in OCR GCSE PE (J587) Component 01, mapping the components of fitness, fitness testing, the principles of training, methods of training, preventing injury and warming up and cooling down, and how they are examined on the first written paper.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.88 min readJ587 Component 01Updated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Jump to a section

The physical training content
How this topic is examined
How to study physical training
For the official specification

Physical training is the second half of Component 01: Physical factors affecting performance in OCR GCSE PE (specification J587), examined on the first written paper (J587/01) alongside applied anatomy and physiology. This page maps the topic and links to a focused answer page for each part.

The physical training content

Components of fitness: The health-related and skill-related components, their definitions and their importance to different sports. See Components of fitness.
Fitness testing: The reasons for testing, the recognised test for each component, and interpreting data against normative tables. See Fitness testing.
Principles of training: Specificity, progressive overload, reversibility and tedium, the FITT principle, training thresholds and calculating intensity. See Principles of training.
Methods of training: Continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and high-intensity interval training, and the components each develops. See Methods of training.
Preventing injury: How to minimise injury risk, common injuries, acute versus overuse injuries and protective equipment. See Preventing injury.
Warm-up and cool-down: The phases and benefits of a warm-up and the purpose and benefits of a cool-down. See Warm-up and cool-down.

How this topic is examined

Physical training is assessed on Component 01 (J587/01), a 1 hour written paper worth 60 marks and 30 percent of the GCSE. Questions range from multiple-choice and short-answer through calculations (heart-rate zones, one-rep maximum) and data interpretation to extended responses worth up to six marks. A calculator is allowed.

How to study physical training

Learn each component with an example. Pair every component of fitness with a sport where it is decisive.
Know the recognised tests. Learn the standard test, method and units for each component.
Master the principles and FITT. Specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, tedium, and the four FITT variables.
Drill the calculations. Maximum heart rate, training zones and one-rep-maximum loads are quick marks.
Match methods to sport. Choose the training method that develops the component the sport needs, and weigh its pros and cons.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification (J587), past papers and mark schemes at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Sources & how we know this

OCR GCSE (9-1) Physical Education J587 specification — OCR (2016)