How do the components of physical and skill-related fitness affect a sporting performance?
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.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
The physical factor in National 5 PE splits into three parts: fitness, skills and tactics. This dot point covers the fitness part. The SQA wants you to know the components of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, flexibility and power) and the components of skill-related fitness (agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time), and to explain how each can help or hinder a performance.
Physical fitness
These components describe the body's general capacity to perform work.
- CRE. High CRE lets a games player keep running and thinking clearly in the final minutes; low CRE leads to tiring, poor decisions and dropped effort late on.
- Muscular endurance. Strong muscular endurance lets a volleyball blocker keep jumping throughout a match; poor muscular endurance means the legs tire and the block drops.
- Strength. Strength lets a rugby forward drive the opposition back in a scrum; a lack of strength means a weak backhand that barely reaches the net.
- Speed. Speed lets a winger accelerate past a marker into space; low speed leaves a defender beaten by a long ball.
- Flexibility. Good flexibility lets a goalkeeper stretch low into the corners; poor flexibility limits the range of an overhead clear and reduces its power.
- Power. Power lets a basketball player explode upward for a rebound; a lack of power means a header that gains no height.
Skill-related fitness
These components are closely tied to controlling and executing skills.
- Agility. High agility lets a rugby winger fake one way and change direction to exploit space; poor agility means failing to reach a shot to the opposite corner in tennis.
- Balance. Good balance keeps a gymnast steady on a beam, or a footballer upright when shielding the ball; losing balance leads to a fall or a missed skill.
- Co-ordination. Good co-ordination lets a hurdler match stride and arm action smoothly; poor co-ordination breaks the rhythm and slows the run.
- Reaction time. Quick reactions let a goalkeeper save a deflected, close-range shot; slow reactions mean missing the chance to adjust to a ball clipping the net.
Examples in context
Example 1. Power in swimming. A swimmer uses power in the legs to push explosively off the wall in a tumble turn, gaining ground quickly and moving ahead of an opponent into the final length.
Example 2. Reaction time in athletics. A sprinter with quick reaction time leaves the blocks the instant the gun fires, gaining a small lead that can decide a close 100m. A slow reaction concedes that lead before the race has really begun.
Try this
Q1. List the four components of skill-related fitness in National 5 PE. [1 mark]
- Cue. Agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time.
Q2. Define cardio-respiratory endurance. [1 mark]
- Cue. The ability of the heart and lungs to keep supplying oxygen to the working muscles during prolonged activity.
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 the impact two components of physical fitness can have on performance in an activity of your choice.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark describe answer needs two components of fitness, each with a clear impact on performance, with two marks per component.
Cardio-respiratory endurance (CRE). In football, high CRE lets you keep running at the same level in the final minutes. This means you can still make a supporting run on a late attack, giving a teammate an extra passing option.
Flexibility. In a hockey goalkeeper, good flexibility across the hips and knees lets you get down low into the corners. This helps you reach shots placed into the bottom corners and make important saves.
Markers reward each component named and explained (1) plus a clear performance impact in context (1), to a total of four.
SQA N5 style3 marksExplain the difference between physical fitness and skill-related fitness, using examples.Show worked answer →
The command word is explain, so define each term and use examples to show the difference.
Physical fitness is about the body's general capacity to perform, such as cardio-respiratory endurance, strength and flexibility. For example, CRE lets a games player last the whole match.
Skill-related fitness is about components closely tied to performing skills and movement, such as agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time. For example, agility lets a winger change direction quickly to beat a defender.
The difference is that physical fitness underpins general work capacity, while skill-related fitness directly supports the execution and control of skills.
Markers reward a correct definition and example of each, and a clear statement of the difference, up to three marks.
Related dot points
- 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.
- Mental factors that impact on performance, including the information-processing features (concentration, decision-making, problem-solving and anticipation) and the psychological traits (level of arousal, anxiety, mental toughness and motivation), and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on mental factors, covering the information-processing features of concentration, decision-making, problem-solving and anticipation, the psychological traits of arousal, anxiety, mental toughness and motivation, and how each can help or hinder a performance.
- Methods of collecting information on factors impacting on performance, including why data is gathered (the cycle of analysis), general and specific observation schedules, the use of recognised standardised fitness tests, and gathering both initial (baseline) and ongoing data.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on methods of collecting information about the factors impacting on performance, covering why data is gathered as part of the cycle of analysis, general and specific observation schedules, recognised standardised fitness tests, and the value of baseline and ongoing data.
- The principles of training that make a programme effective, including specificity, progressive overload, the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, type), reversibility, and the need for rest and recovery to allow adaptation.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on the principles of training, covering specificity, progressive overload, the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, type), reversibility, and the need for rest and recovery to allow the body to adapt.
- 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.
Sources & how we know this
- SQA National 5 Physical Education Course Specification — SQA (2024)
- The four factors for Physical Education Courses — SQA (2013)