CBSE Class 11 Physical Education Notes — Individual Games

Class 11 Physical Education notes on Individual Games: athletics events, badminton, gymnastics, judo, swimming, table tennis, rules, equipment and awards.

Chapter Summary

This chapter introduces individual sports in which a player alone is responsible for the result. It covers the history, events, rules, equipment and basic techniques of athletics, badminton, gymnastics, judo, swimming and table tennis, and describes the national sports awards given to outstanding players and coaches. Dimensions, scoring systems and technical terms are the main points to revise for board examinations.

Key Concepts

Introduction and History of Athletics

An individual sport is one in which a single player carries the responsibility for success or failure, with grace and skill on display. This chapter studies athletics, badminton, gymnastics, judo, swimming and table tennis, and it also names wrestling in its opening list.

Athletics is built on three natural human actions: running, jumping and throwing. Track and field events are organised, improved forms of these actions and are among the oldest competitions. The first recorded organised events were at the ancient Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece, in 776 B.C., where only one race, the stadion footrace, was held. Later the pentathlon was added, combining discus, long jump, javelin, the footrace and wrestling, which pointed towards modern athletics.

In the Middle Ages stone put and weight throwing among Celtic communities in Ireland and Scotland became the forerunners of shot put and hammer throw. Pole vault was the last event to develop, in the eighteenth century. Around 1850 the steeplechase introduced hurdling in England. The Amateur Athletic Association, the first national athletics body, was founded in England in 1880, and the International Amateur Athletic Federation followed in 1912. The 1896 Olympics set a new standard and made metric measurement the norm.

In India, the Amateur Athletics Federation of India was formed in 1946. Synthetic tracks are now used, removing the need for manual marking. Notable Indian athletes include Milkha Singh, P.T. Usha and Anju Bobby George.

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Classification of Athletics Events

Athletics events fall into four groups according to the type of competition.

Track events include all running races. Field events are the jumping and throwing contests. Combined events mix track and field items, such as the decathlon and heptathlon. Events outside the stadium take place on roads or in open places, like the 42.195 km marathon and the 20 km and 50 km walks.

Track events are grouped by distance. Short distance races include 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, hurdle races (110 m for men, 100 m for women, and 400 m) and the 4x100 m and 4x400 m relays. The 800 m and 1500 m are middle distance races. Long distance races include the 3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m and 10,000 m.

Field events are of two kinds. Jumping events are long jump, high jump, triple jump and pole vault. Throwing events are shot put, discus throw, javelin throw and hammer throw.

Combined events test all-round ability. The decathlon is for men and has ten events across two days. On day one come 100 m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 m. On day two come 110 m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 m. The heptathlon for women has seven events across two days: 100 m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 m on day one, and long jump, javelin and 800 m on day two.

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Track, Starts, Finishing and Relay Races

A standard track is oval, made of two straights and two curves. Surfaces can be soil, grass or synthetic; national and international meets use synthetic all-weather tracks. In races up to 400 m, every runner has an individual lane about 1.22 to 1.25 m wide, marked by 5 cm lines, and must stay within it. Other general rules require shoes, a chest and back number, and disqualify a runner who starts before the gun, although combined events allow one warning. Obstructing another athlete can lead to expulsion.

Sprints use the crouch start with starting blocks to make the best use of reaction and explosive power. There are three variants. The bunch or bullet start places blocks close together, the medium start has moderate spacing and is the most widely used, and the elongated start has the blocks far apart. The commands are On your marks, Set, and the gun. At the shot the runner leaves the block quickly and rises gradually.

Three finishing techniques exist: lunging forward, shoulder shrug, and run through, which is common among beginners and means not slowing before the line.

Relay races are team events where each of four runners covers a part of the distance carrying a baton. The exchange zone is 20 m long with a 10 m acceleration zone before it. A baton is 28 to 30 cm long and weighs at least 50 g. Exchange methods are the downward pass, the upward pass and the push pass.

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Jumping Events: Long Jump and High Jump

Of the four jumping events, the chapter details long jump and high jump.

Long jump is regarded as the main field event and demands speed, power and flexibility. The athlete runs along a runway of 40 to 45 m, jumps from a take-off board and lands in a pit. Every participant gets three attempts to qualify, the best eight go to the final, and they receive three more attempts. The take-off board is 20 cm wide and 10 cm thick, and the plasticine indicator beside it is 10 cm wide. Techniques in the air include the sail, hang and hitch-kick. The jump has four phases: runway, where maximum speed is built; take-off, pushing off the strong foot with arms raised; flight; and landing with both feet together, legs forward and arms reaching towards the feet to gain extra distance and stay balanced.

In high jump the athlete clears a crossbar. The runway is at least 15 m, the landing area is 6 m by 4 m, and the posts stand 4.00 to 4.04 m apart. Techniques include the scissor jump, the western roll, the straddle and the most popular Fosbury Flop, in which the athlete crosses the bar on the back and lands on the shoulders.

High jump rules say the jump is from one foot, knocking the bar off or touching the ground beyond the poles before clearing is a foul, and three consecutive failures at a height eliminate the athlete.

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Throwing Events: Shot Put and Discus

Shot put and discus throw are the two throwing events explained in this chapter.

In shot put the athlete needs power, flexibility and speed. The throwing circle has a diameter of 2.135 m with a stop board 10 cm high. The shot weighs 7.260 kg for men and 4 kg for women. The sector angle is 34.92 degrees. Two methods are described. In the gliding technique the shot is held at the base of the fingers, not the palm, and rests under the ear near the jaw and collarbone. The putter glides across the circle, shifts weight and turns the hips, and keeps the body weight on the right foot after release. In the rotation technique the athlete starts with the back towards the direction of the put, swings once, then spins across the circle, with the right foot kept a few centimetres behind the rim to avoid a foul.

Discus throw is an old and popular event needing power, elasticity, speed and balance. The discus weighs 2 kg for men and 1 kg for women, the throwing circle is 2.50 m across and the sector angle is again 34.92 degrees. The thrower starts with back to the direction of throw, takes one or two preliminary swings, then rotates across the circle on the balls of the feet, gaining speed. At the release the feet are planted, the shoulders stop rotating and the arm drives the discus out, after which the thrower balances to avoid stepping out.

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Sports Awards in India

The Government of India honours outstanding players and coaches with several awards, which the chapter explains with reference to athletics.

The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches who dedicate themselves to raising the standard of athletes and games. It was first given in 1985 and carries a cash prize of five lakh rupees, a bronze statue of Guru Dronacharya and a scroll. To be eligible, a coach should have trained an individual or a team for at least two years with consistent outstanding performance at global Olympic events or in disciplines or indigenous sports recognised by the government. Early athletics winners include O.M. Nambiar in 1985 and Mahavir Singh Phogat in 2016 for wrestling.

The Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 for outstanding performance at international events such as the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup and World Championships. A selection committee decides the winners from nominations sent by recognised national federations. The prize includes five lakh rupees, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll. Athletics winners include P.T. Usha, Anju Bobby George and Neeraj Chopra.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, whose name means sports gem, is the highest honour in Indian sport and was introduced in 1991-92. Its first recipient was the chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

The Dhyan Chand Award honours lifetime achievement in sports and is named after the hockey legend who scored over a thousand goals between 1926 and 1948.

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Badminton

Badminton is among the fastest racket sports and builds eye-hand coordination, agility, balance and tactical thinking. It was earlier called Poona, as British officers played it at Pune in 1860, and takes its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire. The International Badminton Federation was founded in 1934 and renamed Badminton World Federation in 2006. Team championships include the Thomas Cup for men from 1948, the Uber Cup for women from 1956 and the Sudirman Cup for mixed teams from 1989. Badminton became an official Olympic sport at Barcelona in 1992.

Events include singles, doubles and mixed doubles for senior, junior and sub-junior categories. The indoor court is 13.40 m by 6.10 m, with 5.18 m width for singles. The net is 1.524 m high at the centre, the posts are 1.55 m high, and a shuttle has 16 feathers weighing 4.74 to 5.50 g.

Play begins with a toss. The server hits the shuttle below the waist into the diagonally opposite service court. Serving is from the right court when the server's score is even and from the left when it is odd. A match is the best of three games of 21 points. If the score reaches 20 all, a two point lead is needed, and at 29 all the next point wins. There is a 60 second interval at 11 points and two minutes between games.

Strokes include serves (high, low and flick), net shots, drives, clears, smashes and drop shots.

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Gymnastics

Gymnastics began in ancient Greece about 2500 years ago as training for fitness and sport, with tumbling and rope climbing in Athenian competitions. The world body, the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, was founded in 1881. In India the Gymnastics Federation of India started in 1951 and affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association and the international body in 1952. National championships for men began in 1952 and for women in 1962.

Men compete on six apparatus: floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vaulting table, parallel bars and horizontal bar. Women use four: vaulting table, uneven bars, balancing beam and floor exercise. Some measurements worth remembering are an upper bar height of 2.50 m and a lower bar height of 1.70 m on uneven bars, a horizontal bar diameter of 2.8 cm, a vaulting table height of 1.35 m for men and 1.25 m for women, a 12 m by 12 m floor area, and parallel bars 2 m above the floor.

Advanced skills described include the cartwheel and back handspring on the balancing beam, the kip on the uneven bars and the forward scissor on the pommel horse, which requires continuous coordinated change of hands and legs.

In the evaluation scheme each element is scored out of 5. Floor has four elements for 20 marks and every other apparatus has two for 10 marks, so boys total 70 and girls 50 marks.

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Judo

Judo means the gentle way: ju is gentle and do is path. It was created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano, who refined the older art of ju jutsu into a system of self-defence involving throwing, pinning and holds. Men's judo became Olympic in Tokyo in 1964 and women's judo was added at Barcelona in 1992. In India, Rabindranath Tagore brought a Japanese expert to Visva Bharati in 1905, the Judo Federation of India was formed in 1965, and the first national championship was held in 1966. Indians won four bronze medals at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.

Basic techniques include standing techniques (tachi-waza), hip techniques, leg techniques, hand techniques, ground holds, arm locks and chokes. International bouts last four minutes. The aim is an ippon, the winning point, achieved by a clean throw onto the back, a hold of at least 20 seconds, or forcing a surrender. A waza-ari is the next best score, awarded for lesser throws or a hold of about 10 seconds. Penalties are shido, minor, and hansoku-make, a disqualification that follows a serious breach or a third shido. Tied bouts go to a golden score period.

The contest area is about 14 m by 14 m of tatami mats, with an inner contest zone and a safety zone at least 3 m wide. Judoka wear a judogi and a coloured belt, bow before stepping on the mat, and the referee starts and pauses bouts with Hajime and Mate.

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Swimming

Swimming emerged as a competitive sport in England in the early 1800s. The first indoor pool, St George's Baths, opened in 1828, and the Amateur Swimming Association was formed in 1880. The 1896 Athens Olympics were for men only, and women first swam at the 1912 Olympics. FINA was founded in 1908. In India, the Swimming Federation of India was established in 1948.

A standard pool is 50 m long and 25 m wide with ten lanes, each 2.5 m wide. Depth is at least 2 m and the water is kept at 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. Starting platforms are firm, 0.5 to 0.75 m above the water.

Beginners should be taught with patience, encouragement and attention to fear, so no phobia develops. The sequence includes pool orientation and safety rules, safe entry with a partner system, moving at the shallow end, breathing practice, getting the feet off the bottom, floating and gliding. Floats include tuck, jellyfish, prone, star and supine.

The four competitive strokes are front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke and butterfly, and technique is also divided into starts and turns. Front crawl uses a streamlined body, alternate arm pulls, flutter kick, side breathing and body roll. Butterfly uses a dolphin kick and is taught later because it needs more strength. Rules require swimmers to stay in their lane, touch the wall on turns and not wear speed-aiding devices. A relay team has four swimmers.

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Table Tennis

Table tennis, also called ping-pong, is a popular indoor sport. The International Table Tennis Federation was founded in 1926, the same year world championships began and the Indian federation was established. The game entered the Asian Games in 1958 and the Olympics at Seoul in 1988. The game was shortened from 21 to 11 points in 2001, and service was changed to two serves at a time from 2002. A new plastic ball has been used since 2014.

The table is 2.74 m long, 1.525 m wide and 76 cm above the floor. A ball dropped from 30 cm should bounce about 23 cm. The net stands 15.25 cm above the surface. The ball is 40 mm across and weighs 2.7 g, in white or orange. A racket blade must be mostly natural wood and covered with pimpled or sandwich rubber of limited thickness.

A rally is the period during which the ball is in play, a let is a rally that is not scored, and a point is a rally that is scored. After two points the server changes. A game is won at 11 points, but if both reach 10, a two point lead is needed. A match is the best of an odd number of games. The expedite system starts after ten minutes of play, unless 18 points are already scored, and then each player serves one point at a time.

Two grips are used: penhold and the common shakehand grip. Serves may be long, short, flat or spin, from forehand or backhand.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How are athletics events classified?

Athletics events are divided into four groups. Track events are running races. Field events are jumping and throwing contests. Combined events, such as the decathlon for men and heptathlon for women, mix track and field items. Events outside the stadium, such as the marathon and 20 km and 50 km walks, are held on roads or natural routes.

Describe the three types of crouch start used in sprints.

The crouch start uses starting blocks. In the bunch or bullet start the blocks are placed close to each other and to the line. In the medium start the blocks are at moderate distances and the shoulders and hips are at similar heights; it is the most commonly used. In the elongated start the blocks are far apart and the rear knee sits near the front heel.

What are the commands and body positions in a sprint start?

On the command On your marks, the athlete goes to the starting line, places hands behind it and shoulder-width apart, and shares weight on the rear knee and hands. On Set, the hips rise, weight moves forward onto the front foot and hands, and the position is tense but ready. At the gun, the athlete leaves the block quickly and rises gradually.

Explain the four phases of the long jump.

The runway phase builds maximum speed and momentum. In take-off, the athlete pushes against the board with the strong foot, raising both arms and the front knee. Flight is the period in the air, where the hang or hitch-kick technique may be used. In landing, both feet touch together with legs forward, arms reaching towards the feet and the neck bent for balance.

Write a short note on the Dronacharya Award.

The Dronacharya Award is given by the Government of India to coaches who train athletes and raise the standard of games. First given in 1985, it carries five lakh rupees, a bronze statue of Dronacharya and a scroll. Coaches must have trained a player or team for at least two years with consistently outstanding results in recognised disciplines.

Explain the scoring system and service rules of badminton.

A match is the best of three games of 21 points, and every rally earns a point. At 20 all a two point lead is required, and at 29 all the 30th point wins. The server delivers below the waist to the diagonal court, from the right on an even score and the left on an odd score. The winner of a rally serves next.

Name the apparatus used in gymnastics for men and women.

Men perform on six apparatus: floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vaulting table, parallel bars and horizontal bar. Women use four: vaulting table, uneven bars, balancing beam and floor exercise. In the chapter's evaluation scheme, every element is scored out of five, giving boys a total of seventy and girls a total of fifty marks.

What is the difference between ippon, waza-ari, shido and hansoku-make in judo?

Ippon is the highest score, won by a clean throw onto the back, a hold of twenty seconds or a forced surrender, and it ends the bout. Waza-ari is the next best score for a lesser throw or a shorter hold. Shido is a minor penalty. Hansoku-make is a disqualification for a serious breach or a third shido.

Describe the standard swimming pool and the four competitive strokes.

A standard competition pool is 50 m long and 25 m wide with ten lanes of 2.5 m each, depth of at least 2 m, and water at 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The four strokes are front crawl or freestyle, back crawl, breaststroke and butterfly. Butterfly is introduced later because it demands greater strength and coordination.

State the main rules of scoring and serving in table tennis.

A game is won by the first side to 11 points, except when both reach 10, when a two point lead is needed. A match is the best of an odd number of games. After every two points the serve changes. If a game lasts ten minutes without reaching 18 points, the expedite system applies and each player serves a single point.

CBSE Class 11 Physical Education Notes — Individual Games