Choosing Your Training Method

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).

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The Nine Edexcel Training Methods

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

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Linking Training Method to Component of Fitness

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."

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Justifying Your Choice: The Four Key Factors

When justifying your training method, address all four of these factors. This will push your PEP towards Level 4/5.

1. Relevance to Component of Fitness

Does the training method target the component of fitness you want to improve?

• If your target is cardiovascular endurance, continuous training, fartlek, interval training and HIIT are all valid choices.
• If your target is muscular strength, weight/resistance training with low reps and high load is the most appropriate method.
• If your target is power, plyometrics or explosive weight training are the best options.

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.

2. Sport-Specific Relevance

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

3. Available Facilities and Equipment

Be honest about what you have access to. A Level 5 PEP acknowledges practical constraints and explains how they influenced the choice.

Facility/Equipment	Training Methods Available
Local park or open field	Fartlek training, continuous training, speed training, plyometrics (bodyweight), HIIT
School sports hall	Circuit training, plyometrics, flexibility training, HIIT
Gym with free weights and machines	Weight/resistance training, circuit training, HIIT
Swimming pool	Continuous training (swimming), interval training (swimming)
No specialist equipment	Fartlek (outdoors), bodyweight circuit training, HIIT, flexibility training

"I have chosen fartlek training rather than interval training on a treadmill because I do not have access to a gym with treadmills. However, I do have access to a local park with flat and hilly terrain, which allows me to vary the intensity of my runs effectively. This makes fartlek training the most practical and accessible method for my circumstances."

4. Personal Preference and Motivation

Research shows that adherence to a training programme is higher when the person enjoys the method. It is valid to mention enjoyment or motivation, but this should not be your only reason.

"I also find fartlek training more enjoyable than continuous training because the changing pace keeps me motivated and prevents boredom. This means I am more likely to complete all 12+ sessions, which is essential for demonstrating progressive overload."

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Choosing More Than One Method

You may choose to use two training methods in your PEP, especially if they complement each other. For example:

• Fartlek training + flexibility training — the fartlek improves cardiovascular endurance while the flexibility work reduces the risk of injury and aids recovery.
• Weight training + plyometrics — weight training builds strength while plyometrics converts that strength into explosive power.
• Interval training + circuit training — interval training targets cardiovascular endurance while circuit training develops muscular endurance.

If you use two methods, justify both individually and explain how they complement each other.

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Common Mistakes When Choosing a Training Method

Mistake	Why It Loses Marks	What to Do Instead
Choosing a method with no link to your target component	The programme will not achieve the desired improvement	Match training method to component of fitness using the table above
Not justifying the choice	Stating the method without explaining why is Level 1–2	Explain why the method is appropriate for your component, sport, facilities and motivation
Choosing a method you cannot actually carry out	If you do not have access to a gym, you cannot do machine-based weight training	Be realistic about facilities and equipment
Choosing too many methods	Using 4–5 methods makes it difficult to show structured progressive overload	Stick to 1–2 methods and apply them thoroughly
Ignoring the sport-specific link	Not relating the method to the demands of your sport	Always link the method to the specific actions and energy demands of your sport

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Planning Your Sessions: Overview

At this stage you should have a clear plan for your programme:

1. Component of fitness to improve (e.g. cardiovascular endurance).
2. SMART target (e.g. beep test from 7.2 to 8.5 in 6 weeks).
3. Training method (e.g. fartlek training).
4. Session frequency (minimum 3 per week).
5. Session duration (e.g. 30–45 minutes per session).
6. Facilities (e.g. local park).

This plan provides the foundation for Section 2 (Implementing and Monitoring), where you will record and reflect on each session.