Individual Games

2.1 Core concepts

• Sports with individualistic approach characterised with graceful skills of players are called individual sports; this chapter covers Athletics, Badminton, Gymnastics, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis and Wrestling (NCERT §Introduction, p. 49).
• Ancient Olympic Games (776 B.C., Olympia, Greece) are the first recorded examples of organised track and field events; the only event contested was the stadion footrace (NCERT §Athletics-History, p. 49).
• The Ancient Olympic Pentathlon consisted of five events — discus throw, long jump, javelin throw, stadion foot race and wrestling (NCERT §History, p. 49).
• The Amateur Athletic Association (AAA), the first national body for athletics, was established in England in 1880; the IAAF was established in 1912 as the international governing body (NCERT §History, p. 50).
• The Amateur Athletics Federation of India (AAFI) was established in 1946 to manage Indian athletics (NCERT §Indian History of Athletics, p. 50).
• Athletics events are classified into four types: Track Events, Field Events, Combined Events (decathlon, heptathlon) and Events conducted outside the stadium (marathon 42.195 km, 20 km and 50 km walk) (NCERT §Classification of Athletics Events, p. 51).
• Track events are classified into Short Distance Races (100 m, 200 m, 400 m, hurdles, relays), Middle Distance Races (800 m, 1500 m) and Long Distance Races (3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m, 10000 m, 20/50 km walking, marathon) (NCERT §Table 1, p. 51-52).
• Field events have two categories — Jumping events (Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault) and Throwing events (Shot Put, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw, Hammer Throw) (NCERT §Table 2, p. 52).
• Decathlon (men) has 10 events spanning 2 days; Heptathlon (women) has 7 events spanning 2 days (NCERT §Combined Events, p. 52-53).
• In races up to 400 m, all athletes finish in the same lane allotted to them; in the 800 m race, lanes are changed to the first lane after the first curve (NCERT §General Rules, p. 53).
• A standard athletics track is oval with two straight lines and two curved lines; each lane (up to 400 m) is 1.22 m to 1.25 m wide with lines 5 cm in width (NCERT §Athletics Track, p. 53).
• Two main types of starts: Crouch Start (for sprints, uses starting block) and three sub-types — Bunch/Bullet, Medium and Elongated start (NCERT §Methods of starting the Race, p. 53-55).
• Medium start is considered better than the other two starts and is used by most athletes (NCERT §Elongated start, p. 55).
• Three types of finishing techniques: Lunging forward, Shoulder shrug, Run through (NCERT §Types of Finishing, p. 57).
• Relay races require 4 runners covering a quarter of the track each; baton length 28–30 cm, circumference 12–13 cm, weight at least 50 gms, baton exchange zone 20 m and acceleration zone 10 m (NCERT §Table 4, p. 58).
• Methods of baton exchange: Downward pass, Upward pass, Push pass (NCERT §Methods of baton exchange, p. 58-59).
• Long jump has four phases — Runway, Take-off, Flight, Landing; methods include Sail, Hang and Hitch-kick techniques (NCERT §Long Jump, p. 60-61).
• High jump techniques include Scissor Jump, Western Roll, Straddle and Fosbury Flop (the most popular technique) (NCERT §Techniques of High Jump, p. 62-63).
• Shot put weighs 7.260 kg (men) / 4.00 kg (women); throwing sector angle 34.92°; circle diameter 2.135 m (±5 mm); two methods: Gliding and Rotation (NCERT §Shot put, p. 64-66).
• Discus weighs 2 kg (men) / 1 kg (women); circle diameter 2.50 m; throwing sector angle 34.92° (NCERT §Discus Throw, p. 67).
• Government of India honours coaches/sportspersons with four awards: Dronacharya Award (first given 1985, cash prize ₹5 lakhs), Arjuna Award (instituted 1961, cash ₹5 lakh), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (instituted 1991–92, ₹7,50,000), Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement (NCERT §Types of Sports Awards, p. 69-70).
• Badminton was earlier known as Poona/Poonah; the name derives from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton House in Gloucestershire; IBF (International Badminton Federation) established in 1934, renamed BWF in 2006; became an official Summer Olympic sport at Barcelona 1992 (NCERT §Badminton, p. 71).
• Badminton court is rectangular, 13.40 × 6.10 m (5.18 m for singles); net height 1.524 m at centre; shuttle has 16 feathers, weight 4.74 to 5.50 grams; racket not exceeding 680 mm in length (NCERT §Court Measurements, p. 71-72).
• Match consists of best of three games of 21 points each; at 20-all the side gaining 2-point lead wins; at 29-all the side scoring 30th point wins (NCERT §Scoring System, p. 74-75).
• The word Gymnastic is derived from Greek word Gymnos meaning 'naked art'; FIG (Federation International de Gymnastique) was founded in Liege in 1881; Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) was initiated in 1951 (NCERT §Gymnastics, p. 78).
• Men's gymnastics has 6 apparatuses (Vaulting Table, Horizontal Bar, Floor Exercise, Parallel Bars, Roman Rings, Pommel Horse); women have 4 (Vaulting Table, Balancing Beam, Floor Exercise, Uneven Bars) (NCERT §Apparatus, p. 79).
• Judo originated in Japan; Jigoro Kano invented the game in 1882 and is considered its founder father; 'Ju' means gentle, 'Do' means path — hence gentle path of self-defence; Judo was first officially taught at Kōdōkan Judo Institute in 1882; Judo Federation of India formed in 1965 (NCERT §Judo, p. 88).

2.2 Definitions to memorise

2.3 Diagrams / processes to remember

• Fig. 4.1 Standard athletics track (400 m): oval, shows start lines of every event (100 m, 100/110 m H, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, 3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m, 10,000 m, relay) and field-event locations (p. 54).
• Fig. 4.2 Types of crouch start: shows bunch, medium and elongated postures (p. 55).
• Fig. 4.6 Techniques of finishing the race: depicts lunging forward, shoulder shrug, run through (p. 57).
• Fig. 4.10 Long jump ground: runway 40–45 m, take-off board 1.22 m + 0.01 m, pit 2.75–3.00 m wide, 7–9 m long (p. 60).
• Fig. 4.13 Fosbury flop: shows back-arching crossing of the bar (p. 63).
• Fig. 4.15 Layout of shot put sector: circle 2.135 m, throwing angle 34.92° (p. 66).
• Fig. 4.17 Layout of discus throw: circle 2.50 m, sector 34.92°, white line 75 cm wide (p. 67).
• Fig. 4.19 Badminton court: full doubles 13.40 × 6.10 m, singles 5.18 m wide, post height 1.55 m (p. 72).
• Fig. 4.26 Trajectory of services: parabolic paths of high, flick and low serves (p. 78).

2.4 Common confusions / NTA trap points

• Confusing Decathlon (10 events, men) with Heptathlon (7 events, women) — remember "Deca = 10, Hepta = 7".
• IAAF year (1912) vs AAA year (1880) vs AAFI year (1946) vs FIG (1881) — NTA likes to swap these.
• Marathon distance is 42.195 km (not 42 km or 42.5 km).
• Shot put weight: 7.260 kg for men, 4.00 kg for women — both circle diameter 2.135 m. Discus weight: 2 kg men, 1 kg women — circle 2.50 m.
• Shot put / Discus throwing sector angle is the same — 34.92° (not 90° or 45°).
• Badminton's old name was Poona (place at Pune), and the name "Badminton" comes from Badminton House in Gloucestershire (Duke of Beaufort) — not from any place in India.
• BWF replaced IBF in 2006; badminton became Olympic sport at Barcelona 1992, was demonstration sport in Munich 1972.
• Lane changes: in races up to 400 m athletes stay in their lane; in 800 m lanes are merged into the first (innermost) lane after the first curve; in 1500 m and above there are no lanes at all.
• Baton specifications: 28–30 cm long, 12–13 cm circumference, ≥50 g, 20 m exchange zone + 10 m acceleration zone. Examiners love swapping these numbers.
• Three finishing techniques — lunging, shoulder shrug, run-through — students often add "diving", which is NOT mentioned.
• Crouch start types — bunch (bullet), medium, elongated — medium is the preferred default.
• Long jump techniques — Sail, Hang, Hitch-kick. High jump techniques — Scissor, Western Roll, Straddle, Fosbury Flop (most popular).
• Men's gymnastics = 6 apparatus; women's = 4 apparatus. Don't confuse Roman Rings and Pommel Horse (both men-only).
• Judo: founder Jigoro Kano (Japan, 1882); Indian federation 1965 — both years frequently tested.

2.5 Key concepts table — equipment, events and historical anchors

2.6 Extended discussion — fact-density, classification logic and CUET strategy

This is the most fact-dense unit in the entire Class XI PE syllabus, and CUET examiners draw 6–8 marks/year from it. To master it, recognise the three-tier classification logic that NCERT applies to every sport and memorise the numbers tied to each tier.

For athletics, the three tiers are: (a) the meta-classification into Track, Field, Combined and Outside-stadium events (Table 1, p. 51); (b) within Track — Short (≤ 400 m + hurdles + relays), Middle (800 m, 1500 m), and Long (3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m, 10,000 m, walks, marathon); and (c) within Field — Jumping (Long, High, Triple, Pole Vault) and Throwing (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin, Hammer). Once this skeleton is internalised, the blizzard of dimensions becomes manageable.

The historical year clusters are CUET's favourite question driver. England 1880 (AAA), France/Sweden 1912 (IAAF), India 1946 (AAFI); Switzerland 1881 (FIG), India 1951 (GFI); England 1934 (IBF) → 2006 (BWF); Japan 1882 (Judo via Jigoro Kano), India 1965 (JFI). Pair each year with the country and the sport.

The equipment specifications are best learnt as paired ratios. Shot put men:women = 7.260: 4.00 kg; Discus men:women = 2: 1 kg; both throwing sectors = 34.92°. Shot put circle 2.135 m, Discus circle 2.50 m. Badminton court 13.40 × 6.10 m doubles; 5.18 m wide for singles; net 1.524 m at centre; shuttle 4.74–5.50 g with 16 feathers; racket ≤ 680 mm. Note the precision — NCERT writes "1.524 m", not "1.5 m" — and CUET preserves these decimals.

The technique catalogues are best learnt as ordered lists with a default. Crouch start: bunch–medium–elongated, default = medium. Long jump: sail–hang–hitch-kick, default = hang for beginners and hitch-kick for elite. High jump: scissor–western roll–straddle–Fosbury flop, default (modern) = Fosbury flop. Finishing: lunging–shoulder shrug–run-through. Baton exchange: downward–upward–push.

Finally, sports awards form a one-line cluster: Dronacharya 1985 for coaches (₹5 lakh), Arjuna 1961 for sportspersons (₹5 lakh), Khel Ratna 1991–92 for top sporting performance (₹7.5 lakh), Dhyan Chand for lifetime achievement. Examiners enjoy listing a single eminent athlete (P.T. Usha, Milkha Singh) and asking for the award category.