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This lesson covers how to select an appropriate training method for your PEP and, crucially, how to justify that choice. In the Edexcel specification (1PE0), you are expected to know nine training methods. For your PEP, you will typically use one or two of these methods as the basis of your programme. The key to a high mark is not just choosing a method — it is explaining why that method is the best fit for your target component of fitness, your sport, and your practical circumstances (facilities, equipment, time, personal preference).
| Training Method | Component(s) of Fitness It Improves | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous training | Cardiovascular endurance | Sustained exercise at a moderate intensity for 30+ minutes without rest |
| Fartlek training | Cardiovascular endurance (+ speed) | "Speed play" — varying pace and terrain during a continuous run |
| Interval training | Cardiovascular endurance, speed, power | Alternating periods of high-intensity work with rest or low-intensity recovery |
| Circuit training | Muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, strength (depending on design) | A series of exercise stations performed one after another in a circuit |
| Plyometrics | Power, speed | Explosive jumping, bounding and hopping exercises that use the stretch-shortening cycle |
| Weight / resistance training | Muscular strength, muscular endurance, power | Using free weights, machines or body weight to work against resistance |
| Flexibility training | Flexibility | Static stretching, dynamic stretching or PNF stretching to increase range of movement at a joint |
| High-intensity interval training (HIIT) | Cardiovascular endurance, speed, muscular endurance | Short bursts of maximal or near-maximal effort followed by brief rest periods |
| Speed training | Speed, acceleration | Short sprints (e.g. 30–60 m) with full recovery between efforts |
Your training method must be directly linked to the component of fitness you are aiming to improve. This seems obvious, but many students lose marks by choosing a method that does not match their target.
graph TD
CV["<b>Cardiovascular Endurance</b>"] --> C["Continuous training"]
CV --> F["Fartlek training"]
CV --> IT["Interval training"]
CV --> HIIT["HIIT"]
MS["<b>Muscular Strength</b>"] --> W["Weight / resistance training<br>(low reps, high load)"]
ME["<b>Muscular Endurance</b>"] --> CT["Circuit training"]
ME --> W2["Weight / resistance training<br>(high reps, low load)"]
PW["<b>Power</b>"] --> PL["Plyometrics"]
PW --> W3["Weight / resistance training<br>(explosive, moderate load)"]
SP["<b>Speed</b>"] --> SPT["Speed training"]
SP --> PL2["Plyometrics"]
FL["<b>Flexibility</b>"] --> FT["Flexibility training"]
style CV fill:#3498db,color:#fff
style MS fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
style ME fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style PW fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style SP fill:#9b59b6,color:#fff
style FL fill:#f1c40f,color:#000
Example justification: "I have chosen fartlek training as my primary training method because my target component of fitness is cardiovascular endurance. Fartlek training is specifically designed to improve the efficiency of the cardiovascular system by varying the intensity of exercise — this mimics the demands of football, where a midfielder alternates between jogging, running and sprinting throughout a match. This makes fartlek training both valid and sport-specific for my needs."
When justifying your training method, address all four of these factors. This will push your PEP towards Level 4/5.
Does the training method target the component of fitness you want to improve?
Exam Tip: Avoid choosing a method that only has a weak or indirect link to your target component. For example, choosing circuit training to improve flexibility would be difficult to justify because circuit training primarily improves muscular endurance, not flexibility.
Does the training method replicate the demands of your sport?
| Sport | Key Demands | Most Relevant Training Method |
|---|---|---|
| Football (midfielder) | Varying pace over 90 minutes, sprinting, jogging, walking | Fartlek training — mirrors the changing pace of a football match |
| Netball (goal shooter) | Short, explosive movements; jumping; holding position | Plyometrics and interval training |
| Swimming (200 m) | Sustained moderate-to-high intensity | Interval training — allows specific work:rest ratios to be set |
| Rugby (prop) | Sustained force in scrums, tackling, rucking | Weight/resistance training — develops maximal strength |
| 100 m sprint | Maximal speed over a short distance | Speed training and plyometrics |
Be honest about what you have access to. A Level 5 PEP acknowledges practical constraints and explains how they influenced the choice.
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