Physical ability and strength training in physical education and health : A qualitative study of Swedish PEH teachers’ views and practices of strength training as a way of developing their students’ physical ability

Abstract: This study explores how a group of Swedish physical education and health (PEH) teachers interpret the term physical ability and how they view the possibilities of using strength training in developing their students’ physical ability, which forms a part of the knowledge requirements and core contents in the upper secondary school course “Physical education and health 1”. The method used in the study consists of qualitative semi-structured interviews with five PEH teachers from different upper secondary schools in southern Sweden. The results of the study show similarities between the teachers’ interpretations of the central concepts, as they interpret physical ability mostly as a practical skill. They also view that strength training has an important role to play in the development of physical ability although their own interpretations of the curriculum result in different teaching practices related to strength training. In their actual teaching practices, it mostly varied what theoretical parts of strength training were taught and how much teachers focused on these parts. In conclusion, this study argues that the formulation of the curriculum plays a major role how PEH teachers interpret the term physical ability and how they view strength training as a part of developing students’ physical ability.