D) Multiple events competitions:

Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all events.

Performance is judged on a points system in each event. Every event has a score table for all possible results.
The winner is the one whose combined scores are the highest. 

Women do the Heptathlon, which includes the following seven events:
-100 metre high hurdles
-200 metres
-800 metres
-Long Jump
-High Jump
-Shot Put
-Javelin Throw


Men do the Decathlon, which includes the following ten events:
-100 metres
-110 metres hurdles
-400 metres
-1500 metres
-Long Jump
-High Jump
-Pole Vault
-Shot Put
-Javelin
-Discus
 

Last year we defined Physical fitness as "The ability to do a daily physical workout without feeling too tired".

A more accurate definition would be

"The ability to perform daily physical activity efficiently, without demanding a strenous effort to the body."

But for a weightlifter, the concept of fitness is different from the marathon runner.

As  you know form previous courses, physical fitness has four major components: Strength, Stamina, Suppleness and Speed. These are often referred to as “The 4 Ss”.

Improving fitness:

The physical fitness of the human body can always be improved. This can be done by following a training programme. Some programmes are more effective than others, and a programme can produce different effects in different people.

Factors affecting fitness:

a) Psicological and social skills:
-A relaxed attitude and a mind free from stress is basic for well-being.          Image: Phidias-Jastrow at Wikimedia Commons
-A positive attitude is desirable in all people, but essential in a sportsperson. Attitude includes trust in your skills, will, discipline and respect for one´s opponents and fellow partners.                                           

                                                                                                                                              
b) Physical exercise:
-Participation in physical activity develops the components of physical fitness, and it is well known that a sedentary lifestyle damages your health.                                                                                                                                     

c) Rest:
-Sufficient good quality sleep is an essential part of any sportsman or sportswoman's lifestyle. Also, you need to rest properly between your daily activities (classes, evening activities and sports)

d) Diet:
A healthy and balanced diet is vital for the body. It must provide you with nutrients to:
-Obtain energy to create movement
-Construct and repair all types of body tissues
-Regulate human body functions (temperature, metabolism...)

For a correct diet, you must:

     - Have a varied diet, eating all kinds of foods, not only the ones you like most.
     - Have a balanced diet, without an excess or lack of nutrients.
     - Eat five times a day: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, tea or afternoon snack, supper.
     - Drink regularly: a correct hidration is fundamental. Thirst is a symptom of dehidration, so drink properly before, during and after exercicing.
     - Eat fruit often
     - Avoid factory baked goods and junk food.
                                                                                  Image: Bradley at Creative Commons
e) Age:
Physical fitness develops parallel to your body, and decreases with age. A healthy lifestyle makes your body funtions to decrease slower.                                                                                                 

f) Genetics:
Some aspects affecting health and physical fitness can be genetically inherited, such as muscular fibre type, but work and perseverance can also make us increase our abilities and skills.

g) Drugs:
The use of drugs is acceptable if they are to overcome illness, such as asthma. But here we use the term drugs to refer to tobacco, cannabis, alcohol and other stimulant and sedative drugs. These always have side effects, despite they are more or less accepted socially. Tobacco causes damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems, and alcohol kills neurones and affects the central nervous system,  blood pressure, liver, stomach and reaction time.

Check this small revision on fitness:

and this useful song:

Acrosport is a part of Gymnastics. It is a team competition accompanied by music.

Teams must create different structures and build human pyramids in time with the music.

It is a sport that needs physical strength, stamina, rhythm, coordination and balance. It is a team sport, so your partners depend on you.

It combines the beauty of dance and  acrobatics. Gymnastics skills add excitement to the exercises.
Acrobatic balances show grace, strength and flexibility.
Choreography and synchronisation add beauty and creativity to each exercise.

 Here you have a video from your 4th year ESO partners:

VOCABULARY IN THIS UNIT:

Skills: habilidades                           Routine: rutina, la coreografía o  conjunto de ejercicios
Grace: gracia                                 Balance: equilibrio
Allowed: permitido                         Tempo: tempo
To be held: ser mantenido
Qualifying: clasificatorio
Safety: seguridad
Helpers: ayudantes
A corresponding/matching music: una música que le pegue

DID YOU KNOW THAT...?

? Acrobatic Gymnastics develops body control in various positions. For this reason, the sport is included in the training program of pilots, cosmonauts and parachutists.

? This sport is a group sport requiring athletes of all ages, shapes, and sizes. 

? It is a very old activity,  Egyptians did human pyramids more than 2000 years ago.
Now it is a team sport and you can find different types of competitions:
Men's, Women's or Mixed Pairs, Women's Groups (3 gymnasts) and Men's Groups (4 gymnasts).

 WHAT IS AN ACROBATIC GYMNASTICS COMPETITION LIKE?

Time allowed for each exercise is  from two and a half to three minutes. Judges give points to teams depending on various aspects.
 
Balance and tempo are key elements.
Element combination and coordination with the music are determining factors for the value of the routine.

BEFORE WE START: SAFETY FIRST!

Before starting with acrosport, we must do gymnastics to develop our body control.

Also, in the first acrosport class, we must learn how to support our partner´s weight without hurting ourselves:

A correct position is fundamental for a safe practice.

Next step is developing some strength by holding basic positions.

Now we are ready, but remember:

No playing around is allowed when we are practicing acrosport!!

 

FIGURE BUILDING RULES:

1. Team members: each team will have more members than the ones needed to build the structure or pyramid. They are the helpers and must always pay attention to their partners.
2. Know what to do: Each team member must know what his or her position is.
3. The build up: You must build the structure in a coordinate way. Help is always needed. The structure must start from the center and grow to the sides. The last part are the upper levels.
4. Stabilisation: The position must always be held, specially if you are supporting a partner. Structures must last at least eight seconds.
5. Dismantling the structure: It must be coordinated. In reverse of the building, and always with help.
6. Roles: Each person must practise each position, building a figure, helpers must change places with those who were previously part of the structure.

 THE CHOREOGRAPHY: STEPS TO CREATE IT

1. Decide the structures and the order to perform them. (Look at the examples in the following pages).
2. Decide the linking exercises between one pyramid and the next one.
3. Practise the choreography. Focus on: helpers, building and dismantling it fluidly, links.
4. Choose some corresponding music.
5. Adapt the choreography to the music.