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Using the data they have collected, coaches and athletes evaluate the performance – they make a judgement about the athlete's strengths and weaknesses. They use this evaluation to develop a training programme that helps the athlete to improve. This may focus on skills or fitness or both. See Health, fitness and exercise.

Skills

The key components of skills are:

• Agility – flexibility and speed – eg dodging defenders
• Balance – maintaining position:
  • static in one place – eg performing a crucifix in gymnastics
  • dynamic – while moving – eg turning while skiing
• Co-ordination – synchronising actions:
  • body – eyes and hands or feet – eg kicking a ball
  • objects – eg striking a ball with a bat
• Timing – moving at the right time:
  • reaction – responding instantly to something – eg a starter's gun
  • decision – choosing when to respond – eg deciding to lob not volley

Fitness

The key components of fitness are:

• Strength – bearing weight:
  • dynamic – supporting own body weight for an extended period or repeatedly applying force to an object – eg performing reps in weight training or sprint cycling
  • explosive – producing short, sharp bursts of movement – eg jumping in long jump
  • static – applying force to an immovable object or carrying a heavy load – eg pushing against the opposition in a scrum
• Speed – moving quickly – eg swimming 50 m freestyle
• Stamina – cardiovascular endurance – eg doing a 5,000 m wheelchair race
• Suppleness – flexibility – eg diving

Different training exercises are used to improve the different components although some aspects of skills and fitness are inter-linked. See Methods and effects of training.