Which training methods develop fitness, and which practice methods develop skills?
Methods of developing performance, including fitness training methods (continuous, fartlek, interval and circuit training) and skill-development methods (repetition or gradual build-up, and pressure drills), and matching a method to the factor being developed.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on methods of developing performance, covering the fitness training methods of continuous, fartlek, interval and circuit training, the skill methods of repetition or gradual build-up and pressure drills, and how to match a method to the factor being developed.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to know the methods you can use to develop performance and to match each to the factor being improved. National 5 covers fitness training methods (continuous, fartlek, interval and circuit training) and skill-development methods (repetition or gradual build-up, and pressure drills).
Fitness training methods
Each fitness method suits different components of fitness.
- Continuous. A 30-minute steady run keeps the heart and lungs working continuously, building CRE.
- Fartlek. A run mixing jogging, striding and sprinting mirrors the stop-start demands of games such as football and hockey.
- Interval. Fast efforts with walking recovery, such as repeated 100m runs, overload speed and the ability to repeat sprints.
- Circuit. Stations such as press-ups, squats and step-ups, done in turn, develop muscular endurance and can be skill-based too.
Skill-development methods
Skills are developed in two stages: secure the technique, then test it under pressure.
- Repetition / gradual build-up. Practising a tennis serve many times with no opponent grooves the action; building from toss, to swing, to full serve develops it part by part.
- Pressure drills. Adding a returner, a target and a score recreates match pressure, so the serve transfers into a game.
The order matters: groove the basic skill first, then add pressure, in line with progressing from simple to complex and from practice to game-like conditions.
Examples in context
Example 1. Fartlek for a hockey player. A hockey player runs a route mixing jogging, striding and sprinting to match the constant changes of pace in a game. This develops the varied fitness a midfielder needs across a match.
Example 2. Pressure drills for a goalkeeper. A goalkeeper who saves well in practice faces rapid-fire shots from different angles under a time limit. This recreates match pressure so the saving skill holds up when it matters.
Try this
Q1. Name the four fitness training methods in National 5 PE. [1 mark]
- Cue. Continuous, fartlek, interval and circuit training.
Q2. State the difference between repetition drills and pressure drills. [1 mark]
- Cue. Repetition drills groove a skill in simple conditions; pressure drills add game-like demands once the skill is secure.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe two methods of fitness training and explain what each is good for developing.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark answer needs two methods described, each matched to what it develops, with two marks per method.
Continuous training. You work at a steady, moderate pace without rest for a sustained period, such as a 30-minute run. It is good for developing cardio-respiratory endurance because it keeps the heart and lungs working continuously.
Interval training. You alternate periods of hard work with periods of rest or easier work, such as fast 100m runs with walking recovery. It is good for developing speed and speed endurance because the high-intensity bursts overload those qualities.
Markers reward each method described (1) and correctly matched to the fitness component it develops (1), to a total of four.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain how repetition drills and pressure drills can be used to develop a skill.Show worked answer →
The command word is explain, so each method needs a link to how it develops the skill.
Repetition drills (gradual build-up). You practise the skill over and over in simple conditions, building it up part by part. This grooves the correct technique and builds consistency before adding any pressure.
Pressure drills. Once the basic skill is secure, you add game-like demands such as a defender, a time limit or fatigue. This makes the skill hold up under the conditions of a real game, so it transfers into matches.
Markers reward each method explained and linked to a stage of skill development (grooving technique, then performing under pressure), up to four marks.
Related dot points
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- The fitness part of the physical factor, including the components of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, flexibility and power) and skill-related fitness (agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time), and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on the fitness part of the physical factor, covering the components of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, flexibility and power) and skill-related fitness (agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time), and how each helps or hinders a performance.
- The skills and tactics parts of the physical factor, including the quality of skills and techniques (accuracy, consistency, control and fluency, and repertoire) and the use of tactics and composition (width, depth, support, penetration, and recognising strengths and weaknesses), and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on the skills and tactics parts of the physical factor, covering the quality of skills and techniques (accuracy, consistency, control and fluency, repertoire) and tactics and composition (width, depth, support, penetration, strengths and weaknesses), and how each helps or hinders a performance.