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Part Five Other Aspects of Wellness
Power
Power is your ability to do
maximum work in a short time. It
requires a combination of strength and
speed. People need power to excel in
some sports activities, such as football
and many track and fi eld events.
Lifting or stacking boxes and pushing a
child on a swing are everyday activities
that require power.
As muscles get stronger, they
also become more powerful. Joining a
softball league or shooting baskets in
the gym can help you develop power.
Agility
Agility is your ability to change
the position of your body with speed
and control. Agility is an advantage
in many sports. It is important to
everyday living, too. An agile player
can easily move down a sports fi eld in
and among other players. Agility can
also help you weave through a crowded
shopping mall. Downhill skiing, soccer,
modern dance, and rope jumping can
help develop agility, 15-9.
Balance
Balance is your ability to keep
your body in an upright position while
standing still or moving. Balance
requires concentration on the task,
coordination, and muscle control.
Practice is needed to improve balance
skills. Some sports, such as gymnastics
and dancing, require athletes to have
sensitive balance to excel. A good sense
of balance can also help anyone avoid
falls and feel more graceful. Ice skating
and bicycling can help you develop
balance.
Coordination
Coordination is your ability to
integrate the use of two or more parts
of your body. Many sports require
coordination of the eyes and hands
or the eyes and feet. Many daily tasks
require these types of coordination,
too. A football player needs good
coordination to catch a pass. You need
coordination when chopping vegetables
for a salad to avoid cutting off your
fi ngers. A soccer player needs coordina-
tion to maintain possession of the ball
when dribbling down the fi eld. You
need coordination to avoid tripping
over objects and stepping in puddles.
Bowling, golf, volleyball, and tennis are
all activities that help develop coordi-
nation.
Speed
Speed is the quickness with which
you are able to complete a motion.
Obviously, athletes who compete in
sprint events need speed. You use
speed in daily tasks when you hurry
through chores or run to catch a bus.
You might consider a class in judo
or karate to help you develop speed.
Handball, table tennis, and roller
skating are also activities that will help
you build speed.
15-9 Controlling his body as he speeds
down a slope helps this snowboarder
develop agility.