We explain what physical abilities are, what types there are and what their essential characteristics are.
What are physical capabilities?
The physical capabilities of the human being are the set of elements that make up physical condition and that intervene when it comes to putting our motor skills into practice.
That is, they are the internal conditions that each organism has to carry out physical activities, and that can be improved through training and preparation. Some physical abilities are flexibility, strength, endurance, speed, balance and timing.
Although the physical capabilities of an organism come from its genetics, Much of its execution has to do with practice and physical condition which is the general condition of preparation for physical exercise that a body possesses.
Thus, a person with a genetic tendency toward low resistance could train and overcome the limitations with which he or she was born.
Physical abilities are classified into two types: coordinative and conditional, depending on the aspect of the body that intervenes in each one.
See also: Physical education
Coordinative physical abilities
Coordinative physical abilities are those that depend mainly on the control of the central nervous system over the muscles, since depend on perceptual structures and analytics involved in the movement.
For this reason, its execution is conscious and its repetition leads to establishing the required movements exactly as desired through practice.
Some examples of physical coordination abilities are:
- The balance. It is the ability to maintain the position and movements of the body, overcoming gravity and other forces that act on it.
- The coordination. It is the ability to perform simple and complex movements in an agile and precise manner, especially when it involves the extremities.
- He rhythm. It is the ability to move the body regularly and in time with music, or according to the rhythm set by another person.
- The orientation. It is the ability to maintain control over body position and direction of movements, even in situations of confusion or physical effort.
- The reaction. It is the ability to respond quickly, agilely and proportionately to a sudden stimulus that is perceived by the body.
- The adaptation. It is the ability to put the body in tune with the conditions or demands of the environment, that is, to quickly adapt it to the challenges that arise.
Conditional physical abilities
Conditional physical capacities depend on the energy efficiency of the metabolism, that is, the body's ability to sustain effort over time.
Since they depend on energy consumption, they do not involve conscious actions or conditioning, but rather passive capabilities.
Some examples of physical abilities are:
- The force. Also known as muscular strength, it is the body's ability to exert tension against a load over a period of time. That load can be one's own body weight, a weight that is lifted, another body that is supported, among others.
- The endurance. It is the body's ability to continue doing an exercise or performing a task, despite accumulating a significant amount of fatigue. There are two types of resistance: aerobic and anaerobic.
- The flexibility. It is the ability to stretch the muscles of the body beyond the usual directions and directions, or even in the opposite direction, without causing injury.
- The speed. It is the ability to quickly cover a distance or to maintain the pace of exercise without slowing down for a certain amount of time.
- The skill. It is the ability to carry out body movements with agility, grace and balance.
References
- Ma Sebastiani, E and González Barragán, C. (2000). Physical qualities. INDE.
- Rodríguez Ghimaraes, T. (2002). Sports Training. Physical Abilities. UNED Publishing.
