Developing manipulative skills helps you transport equipment effortlessly. At the same time, the perception of speed and distance will also improve.

Manipulative skills include throwing, catching, kicking, hitting and bouncing.

The Fitness Decathlon manipulative skills tasks are: ball throwing and figure 8 dribbling.

BALL THROWING

There are three phases in ball throwing.

1. In the first phase, you throw a tennis ball** into the wall. The aim is to catch the ball directly from the bounce, while you are standing as far away from the wall as possible. When the throwing distance from the wall is between 10 and 12 metres, you can move to the second phase.
2. In the second phase, you throw a 1 kg medicine ball over your head with two hands. The aim is to throw the ball as far as possible. When your score is 20 metres, you can go to the third phase.
3. In the third phase, you throw a 2 kg medicine ball over your head with two hands. The aim is to throw the ball as far as possible.

The result is marked on the basis of the instrument used, with an accuracy of 10 cm.

** When the catching distance from the wall is 0-3 metres, you can select a ball that is suitable for the skill level of the person, e.g. volleyball or softball. Watch a video here.

Figure-8 dribble

In the figure-8 dribble, a figure eight-shaped track is circulated in an area (of 2 m x 5 m) with three sides forming a wall. One of the long sides is left open. Two pins are placed at both ends of this rectangular area with a distance of one metre from the end and side walls. The distance between the pins must be three metres. Three markers are placed on the track for the calculation of results: One at each end between the pins and the wall and one in the middle of the track.

The figure-8 dribble has two continuous stages. The dribble starts from the centreline and the first marker crossing is calculated from the end marker. Switching hands takes place directly as you dribble.

You follow the figure eight loop, kicking the ball with your feet around the pins for 15 seconds. You can kick the ball around the pin with a wall feed, in which case only the ball goes round the pin.

You follow the figure eight loop, bouncing the ball with your hands for 15 seconds, going around the pins placed on the ground. Only your body must go around the pins.

You always go round the pins by the long wall.

The result is the number of markers that you can exceed during a continuous performance.