The Participant as an Individual Age, Gender & Disability Candidates should be able to:

What can affect your fitness? There are a number of factors that can affect your fitness: Age - maximum fitness is highest in your twenties. It's all down hill after that!! Gender - from about the age of 11, males grow taller and stronger than females, but females are more flexible. Build - your height, weight and somatotype makes you fitter for some activities than others. Illness and Injury - this can affect your fitness if you are not at your best. Stress - this lowers your fitness because it harms your health. Try exercising to reduce your stress levels. Disabilities - a disability may make you unfit for some activities, but very fit for others. Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking - these contain chemicals that affect the way your body functions. They lower your fitness and damage your health. Diet - a healthy balanced diet is essential to be fit. Environment - environmental factors such as the weather, altitude and pollution will affect fitness levels. Pollution can cause respiratory problems. Thin air at high altitudes can make you breathless. Exercise - regular exercise is very important to get fit and keep fit.

Age As we get older, our bodies slow down. Your maximum fitness potential is highest whilst you are in your twenties. As you get older your maximum fitness potential declines as your age rises. The graph provides a rough guide to the decline in our body’s ability to perform the tasks we could do when we were younger. Could not pass the ball as far Could not turn as quick Could not jump as high Greater body fat Stiff joints 1986 2006

Gender Gender also has an impact on individual fitness. From the age of around 11 years old males traditionally tend to grow faster, taller and stronger than females, who tend to be a lot more flexible than males. The greatest differences in fitness between men and women are evident in sports where strength, power and speed are required. Consider the reasons why some sports can be mixed sex and others cannot.

Disability There are many kinds of disability. As we get older, we all become less mobile; our vision is likely to become less acute; we will be become less able to do things we could do easily when we were young. There are also people who become physically or mentally less able through inherited conditions, illnesses and accidents. Specific conditions will affect certain components of fitness. Arthritis, for example, is a condition where the joints become inflamed and movement is painful. Technology is now making participation easier for people with disabilities. Prostheses and wheelchairs are improving the quality of participation.