The netball player
• Fitness requirement: To improve aerobic fitness and sprinting
ability on the court.
• Suggested training method: Fartlek training.
‘Fartlek’ comes from the Swedish word for ‘speedplay’ and is a training
method that is used to enhance both the aerobic and anaerobic energy
systems. Fartlek training is usually performed outdoors.
Fartlek training involves varying pace, from a fast sprint to a slow jog,
and is beneficial in sports that involve using both the aerobic and
anaerobic energy systems, like football, hockey and rugby. Here is an
example of Fartlek training for netball:
1. Start with a 1.5–2 mile jog at a light to moderate intensity
2. Sprint 30m
3. Light jog 100m
4. Sprint 60m
5. Light jog 150m
6. Finish with a 6-minute jog for cool-down.
Sport-specific fitness requirements
Certain fitness components are particularly important to achieving
successful sports performance. Table 1.2 shows the major fitness
components for fie different sports.