Report on Fitness Components, Testing, and Performance Improvement

This report provides a comprehensive overview of fitness components and testing methods relevant to uniformed public services. It begins by defining fitness and outlining key components such as muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and body fat composition. The report then details various fitness assessment methods, including general health evaluations, body composition testing, and cardiovascular endurance tests like the 12-minute run and VO2 max tests. Furthermore, it discusses specific fitness tests used by uniformed public services, such as the 40-meter sprint, sit and reach test, 3 rep max strength test, Cooper 12-minute run, and Illinois agility run. The report also highlights the importance of these tests in assessing the physical capabilities required for roles in the police, armed forces, and fire services, and emphasizes how fitness tests motivate participants, identify strengths and weaknesses, and facilitate performance improvements. The report concludes by reinforcing the significance of physical fitness for effectively managing professional duties in the uniformed public services.

ASSESSMENT 1

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P6. Identifying components of and testing methods for fitness...................................................1
P7. Perform fitness tests used by the uniformed public services.................................................3
M3. Demonstrate improvements in performance in a fitness tests used by a uniformed public
services........................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Fitness refers to state of well-being, health and ability for performing various aspects and
activities related to occupations, daily activities and sports. The uniformed public services
includes fire services, armed forces, polices or paramedics. The present report explains different
components of fitness and its testing methods. The reports describes about various fitness tests
which are used by uniformed public services and further demonstrates improvements in
performance in fitness tests.
P6. Identifying components of and testing methods for fitness
Physical fitness is known as the individual's ability for propagate its genes and it can be
achieved through proper nutrition, physical exercise and sufficient rest. The components of
fitness are explained in brief as follows:
Muscular strength: This Refers to the power which helps individual for lifting and carrying
heavy objects. Without enough muscular strength, the body of individual will be weak and will
not be able to keep up with demands set upon it. One can increase it strengths by training the
body with heavy weights, or working in 4-6 or 12-15 rep ranges. Heavier weight lifted by
individual requires less or fewer reps to be performed (5 Components of Physical Fitness, 2019).
Muscular Endurance: This refers to the ability of muscles of individual for performing
contractions for extended periods of time. Muscles can carry or lift something for minutes rather
than just few seconds. It can be increased by training body with light weights and working in 20-
25 rep ranges. The body which is used to working with light weights helps in training the muscle
fibres which is needed for muscular endurance, and also the higher rep ranges benefits and leads
to longer exercise period.
Cardiovascular Endurance: This is the ability of body for keeping up with exercise such as
jogging, running, cycling, swimming and anything which forces the cardiovascular system of
body i.e. blood vessels, heart or lungs. The lungs and heart together fuels the body with oxygen
which is needed by the muscles and also ensures that they have enough oxygen which is needed
for the work.
Flexibility: This is considered as the most important component of physical fitness and yet it is
often overlooked. The joints and muscles will grow stiff and the movements will be very limited
1

without flexibility. This component of fitness also ensures that the bid can move through the
entire range for motion without stiffness or pain.
Body fat composition: This refers to amount of fat on the individual's body compared to muscle
mass, organs and bone. The body fat composition can be measured by using skinfold readings,
underwater weighing and bioelectrical impedance. For e.g. a person with 100 pound weight and
25% body fat composition will have 75% lean body mass. The men needs to have body fat
composition less than 17 % and women needs to have less than 24%.
Fitness methods are also known as fitness assessment or tests and it comprises of exercise
series which helps in evaluating the physical status and overall health. There are wide ranges of
standardized methods for evaluating physical fitness of individual. The fitness methods are
considered as the starting point regarding designing the proper exercise plan and also for general
health and fitness principle. Following are given some fitness test methods:
General Health Evaluation: This is considered as the most important for sharing the medical
history with the trainer and getting necessary approvals from the doctor for proceeding. This test
helps in determining the baseline health and fitness (Adams, 2018). This fitness method aims at
obtaining vital sign measurements like weight, height, resting blood pressure, resting heart rate.
This fitness method also includes physical activity reading questionnaire that comprises of 7 or
more questions which are related to general health of individual.
Body Composition Testing: This fitness method helps in describing various components which
makes up the total weight of body and it includes bones, muscles and fat. The tests which can
help in estimating body compositions are:
 Body mass index: This is generalized calculation of body fat that is based on the weight
and height of individual.
 Skinfold measurement: This is test in which callipers are used for estimating how much
the body fat is present in the fold of skin.
 Bioelectrical impedance analysis: This is the test in which electrical signals are forwarded
from electrodes through soles of the individual’s feet to the abdomen for estimating the
body composition (Badami and Baragundi, 2018).
Cardiovascular Endurance Method: This are also known as the stress testing method that
helps in measuring how the efficiency of lungs and heart work for supplying energy and oxygen
to the individual’s body during the physical activities.
2

 12 minute running tests: This test is performed on treadmill and is then compared to pre-
exercise heart and respiration rate with the post-exercise heart and respiration rates.
 VO2 max tests: This is also performed on the treadmill or on the stationery bike and it
uses a breathing device for measuring the individuals’ maximum rate of oxygen
consumption in an activity (Hoeger and et.al., 2018).
 Exercise stress test method: This is also performed on treadmill or on the stationery bike
and includes use of heart monitor device and blood pressure cuff for measuring the vital
signs during the exercise.
Strength and endurance method: This fitness test helps in measuring maximal force amount of
muscle group that can be exerted at a time. The muscle endurance method helps in measuring
and comparing the length of time regarding a muscle group that can contract and also releases
before it fatigues. The exercise includes stability and strength test and also push-up tests.
Flexibility testing method: This tests helps in measuring the flexibility of joints and determines
whether individual have foot instability, postural imbalances or limitations in various motions.
 Sit and reach test: This is used for measuring tightness in the lower back of individual
and in hamstring muscles (Lavie and et.al., 2019).
 Shoulder flexibility tests: this method helps in evaluating flexibility and mobility of the
shoulder joint.
 Trunk lift test method: This test measures tightness of the lower back. This is performed
when lying face-down on floor.
P7. Perform fitness tests used by the uniformed public services
The uniformed public services include police, armed forces, prison service, fire service and
etc. There are fitness tests that need to be performed by uniformed public services, which are
explained as follows:
40 metre sprint test: This test helps in measuring that in how much a participant can run 100
metres. This test helps in measuring the speed of participant as it is necessary for uniformed
public service officers (Milanović and et.al., 2018).
Sit and Reach test: This is a common test for measuring flexibility of hamstring muscles and
lower back. This is considered as an important test for uniformed public service officers as it
measures tightness and flexibility of individual (How a Fitness Test Is Performed, 2019). For
example, fire service officer needs to be flexible enough for performing their professional duties
3

and activities that may include pulling people out of the fire areas and they may have to bend
down very low and able to retrieve them.
3 rep max strength test: This test measures the level of strength of individuals and there are
three aspects of strength. First is maximum strength that is maximum force a group of muscle
can exert in voluntary contraction. The next is muscle power that refers to the ability for contract
muscles with speed and force in single explosive act (Olsson and et.al., 2018). The last one is
muscular endurance that refers to the ability of muscle group for working as a prolonged time
period without exhaustion. Strength is important for public service officers as it is also related to
speed.
Cooper 12 minutes run: This fitness test is also determined as cardiovascular endurance and it
measures the ability of individual’s heart and lungs while working over a prolonged period of
time without becoming tired. The public service officer requires cardio vascular endurance
especially for police and defence armed forces (Poplin and et.al., 2018).
Illinois agility run: It is used for measuring agility which refers to the ability for changing
body’s direction at speed and without losing control over it. The police officer or other
uniformed public officers need to able for changing direction safely and quickly.
M3. Demonstrate improvements in performance in a fitness tests used by a uniformed public
services
The various fitness tests or assessments help in measuring the physical fitness of individual.
The uniformed public service officer needs to be physical fit enough and have the capability for
performing their tasks and duties (Thomas and et.al., 2019). The fitness test also motivates
participants for performing better and helps in bringing improvements in performance level. The
participants of physical fitness test set some target goals regarding testing results and this may
lead to encourage and motivate the participant for maintaining and improving performance level
and achieving the goals. The various fitness tests helps in identifying the strengths and weakness
of candidates or uniformed public service officers (Wood and et.al., 2018). By performing
various fitness tests, one can identify their strengths and weakness and accordingly bring
improvements in the performance level and also the training program can be modified.
4

CONCLUSION
Physical fitness is considered as the ability of individual for meeting the demands for
physical activities or tasks. There are many components of physical fitness, such as flexibility,
body composition, strength, speed and endurance. The uniformed public services needs to be
physical fit enough for effectively managing their professional duties and activities. There are
wide ranges of tests that need to be performed by public service officers for measuring their
physical fitness.
5

REFERENCES
Books And Journal
Adams, J. M., 2018. The Value of Wellness. Public Health Reports, 133(2). pp.127-129.
Badami, S. and Baragundi, C. M., 2018. Effect of Regular Aerobic Exercise on Physical Fitness
Index. International Journal of Physiology. 6(3). pp.99-102.
Hoeger, W. W. and et.al., 2018. Lifetime physical fitness and wellness. Cengage Learning.
Lavie, C. and et.al., 2019. The role of physical fitness in cardiovascular disease prevention. The
Medical Roundtable General Medicine Edition.
Milanović, Z. and et.al., 2018. Broad-spectrum physical fitness benefits of recreational football:
a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med, pp.bjsports-2017.
Olsson, S. J. G. and et.al., 2018. Association of perceived physical health and physical fitness in
two Swedish national samples from 1990 and 2015. Scandinavian journal of medicine &
science in sports. 28(2). pp.717-724.
Poplin, G. S. and et.al., 2018. Efficacy of a proactive health and safety risk management system
in the fire service. Injury epidemiology. 5(1). p.18.
Thomas, C. L. and et.al., 2019. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, and physical activity among
US military service members in the Millennium Cohort Study. Journal of interpersonal
violence. p.0886260519832904.
Wood, C. J. and et.al., 2018. Physical fitness and prior physical activity are both associated with
less cortisol secretion during psychosocial stress. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping. 31(2).
pp.135-145.
Online
5 Components of Physical Fitness. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.spps.org/Page/18206>
How a Fitness Test Is Performed. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.verywellfit.com/what-a-fitness-test-can-tell-you-about-your-health-
3120283>
6