Sports, Exercise and Health Science IA Topics for Students

Feeling stuck on your IB SEHS IA topic? This guide, written by a seasoned IB educator, offers practical tips and over 30 engaging SEHS IA ideas to ignite your curiosity. From crafting a focused research question to avoiding common pitfalls, learn how to transform your IB SEHS IA topics into a high-scoring project that stands out.

Rob Clarke is a dedicated Physical Education teacher with over 20 years of experience in leading British and International independent schools. With a Master’s in Educational Leadership and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, he has taught IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) and A Level PE, consistently guiding students to top grades. He has marked hundreds of SEHS Internal Assessments (IAs), giving him a sharp understanding of what earns high marks. His passion for coaching stems from his own athletic background, including coaching school teams to national finals, which has taught him the value of preparation and resilience—lessons he now shares with students tackling their SEHS IA topics.

Introduction

The IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) Internal Assessment is your opportunity to explore a topic that blends your love for sports, exercise, or health with scientific inquiry. Choosing the right SEHS IA topic can feel like picking the perfect play in a sports match—it needs strategy, focus, and a personal spark. As a teacher since 2003, I’ve seen students struggle with vague ideas or overly ambitious experiments, but I’ve also watched others, like a 2022 student who studied music’s effect on cycling speed, score top marks by aligning their passion with a clear plan.

This article will guide you through selecting compelling IB SEHS IA topics, ensuring they’re syllabus-aligned, feasible, and engaging. We’ll cover what makes a great topic, how to choose wisely, and provide over 30 SEHS internal assessment topics, including my own additions to inspire you. Drawing on my experience as an examiner and teacher, I’ll share tips to refine your focus and avoid mistakes, with insights from my classroom. Whether you’re just brainstorming SEHS IA topics or polishing your final draft, this guide will help you score big.

What Makes a Great SEHS IA Topic?

A stellar SEHS IA topic is engaging, manageable, and rooted in the IB SEHS curriculum. It should let you explore scientific concepts through practical experiments while staying within your resources and ethical limits. Here’s what to focus on.

Relevance to the IB SEHS Syllabus

Your topic must tie directly to the SEHS syllabus, covering areas like physiology, biomechanics, or skill acquisition. For example, a topic like “How does caffeine affect heart rate recovery?” aligns with Topic 6 (Exercise Physiology), letting you apply concepts like aerobic capacity. In my 2020 Higher Level class, a student investigated how warm-up intensity affects sprint performance, linking directly to Topic 4 (Movement Analysis). This clear syllabus connection impressed examiners. Always cross-check your topic with the syllabus to ensure it fits.

Feasibility, Ethics, and Access to Data

A great topic is one you can realistically test. Consider your access to equipment, participants, and time. Studying “How does running surface affect joint angles?” is doable with a smartphone camera, unlike altitude studies requiring specialised gear. Ethics matter—avoid experiments that risk harm, like extreme dehydration. In 2022, one of my students wanted to test sleep deprivation’s effect on performance but switched to hydration’s impact after we discussed ethical concerns. Ensure you can collect reliable data, like reaction time or heart rate, using tools like fitness trackers or stopwatches available at school.

How to Choose Your SEHS IA Topic Wisely

Picking the right SEHS IA topic is like choosing the best training drill—it should challenge you but play to your strengths. Here’s how to make a smart choice.

Aligning Topic with Personal Interests and Strengths

Choose a topic that excites you. If you play basketball, a topic like “Does noise level affect shooting accuracy?” could keep you motivated. In my 2021 class, a swimmer studied how pre-swim routines impact dive start times, making her IA both personal and engaging. Your academic strengths matter too. If you’re strong in data analysis, pick topics with measurable outcomes, like jump height or heart rate, over subjective surveys. This alignment keeps you invested and showcases your skills.

Linking to Real-World Application or Performance Improvement

A strong topic has practical value, like improving athletic performance or health. For example, “How does carbohydrate intake affect endurance?” can inform training diets. In 2022, a student who loved soccer tested how warm-up routines improve penalty kick accuracy, applying his findings to his team’s practice. Choose a topic that could benefit you or others, as this adds depth to your analysis and shows examiners you grasp its real-world impact.

30+ IB SEHS IA Topic Ideas by Category

To fuel your creativity, here are over 30 SEHS IA research ideas, organised by syllabus categories. These are all designed to be feasible, ethical, and aligned with the curriculum. These draw on my experience coaching students to high-scoring IAs.

Skill Acquisition and Reaction Time

These topics explore how the brain and body coordinate in sports, ideal for students curious about psychology or motor skills.

Before diving into the list, consider how these topics can use simple tools like reaction time apps, making them accessible for most students.

1. Does background music affect simple reaction time in tennis players?
2. How does mental fatigue influence reaction time in high school athletes?
3. Is there a difference in reaction time between dominant and non-dominant hands?
4. Does using a pre-performance routine improve penalty kick accuracy?
5. How does stress affect decision-making and reaction speed in a simulated game?
6. Do video game players have faster reaction times than non-gamers?
7. How does visual distraction affect catching accuracy in cricket? 

These align with Topic 5 (Skill in Sport). In my 2022 class, a tennis player tested reaction times volleying at the net, linking his passion to science and earning high marks for creativity.

Physiology and Exercise Performance

Physiology topics focus on the body’s response to exercise, perfect for biology enthusiasts.

These ideas often require basic tools like heart rate monitors, making them practical for school settings.

1. How does caffeine affect heart rate recovery after moderate exercise?
2. What is the effect of dynamic vs static stretching on sprint performance?
3. How does 800m run fatigue impact anaerobic power output in trained athletes?
4. Does exercise intensity affect perceived exertion differently between genders?
5. How does post-exercise heart rate recovery vary between trained and untrained individuals?
6. Does core temperature affect muscle endurance during push-ups? 

Linked to Topic 6, these are straightforward to test. A 2020 student used her track team to study stretching’s effect on sprints, making data collection fun and effective.

Nutrition and Hydration Effects

Nutrition topics explore diet’s role in performance, great for health science fans.

These projects are manageable with everyday resources like sports drinks or kitchen scales.

1. How does carbohydrate consumption before exercise affect endurance time?
2. Does drinking water vs a sports drink improve performance during high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?
3. How does intermittent fasting affect physical performance in short-duration sprints?
4. How do hydration levels influence vertical jump height?
5. Does consuming protein immediately after strength training reduce next-day muscle soreness?
6. How does beetroot juice affect endurance in long-distance runners? 

Aligned with Topic 8, these are practical. A 2021 volleyball player in my class compared sports drinks to water, applying her findings to her team’s training.

Biomechanics and Movement Analysis

Biomechanics topics examine movement mechanics, ideal for physics lovers.

Video analysis or simple measurements make these feasible in school settings.

1. How does stride length affect sprinting performance in amateur athletes?
2. What is the effect of footwear type (barefoot vs running shoes) on jump height?
3. How does the running surface (grass vs track) affect joint angles during movement?
4. Does wearing ankle weights alter gait patterns in walking or jogging?
5. How does cadence (steps per minute) relate to energy efficiency in long-distance runners?
6. Does arm swing amplitude affect running speed in sprinters? 

These tie to Topic 4. In 2019, a student used a smartphone to analyse stride length, impressing examiners with his innovative approach.

Environmental Impacts on Performance

These topics explore how external conditions affect athletes, great for real-world applications.

Many can be tested in school gyms or fields with minimal equipment.

1. How does exercising in hot vs cool environments affect heart rate and endurance?
2. Does listening to fast-tempo music improve cycling speed?
3. How does artificial lighting affect depth perception and catching performance?
4. How does altitude simulation affect oxygen saturation during rest and exercise?
5. Does noise level in the environment affect shooting accuracy in basketball?
6. How does wind speed affect kicking distance in soccer? 

Linked to Topic 7, these are engaging. A 2023 cyclist in my class tested music tempo, making her IA both fun and rigorous.

Gender, Age, or Training Variables

These topics compare individual differences, perfect for group studies.

These often involve classmates as participants, making them easy to organise.

1. How does grip strength differ between male and female athletes?
2. How does flexibility vary across age groups in amateur dancers?
3. What is the effect of 6-week HIIT vs continuous training on resting heart rate?
4. Does gender influence recovery time after submaximal aerobic exercise?
5. How does previous sports experience affect performance on unfamiliar fitness tasks?

Aligned with Topics 1 and 6, these are accessible. A 2022 dancer in my class studied flexibility across ages, using her team, which added a personal touch.

Tips to Refine and Narrow Your IA Focus

With my Higher Level students, I notice that refining a topic is where many struggle. A focused SEHS IA can make or break your score. Here are five tips, drawn from my teaching, to avoid common pitfalls and craft a standout project:

1. Keep Questions Specific: Vague questions like “How does exercise affect performance?” lead to unfocused IAs. Instead, try “How does a 10-minute dynamic warm-up affect 100-meter sprint times?” In 2020, a student narrowed his broad “sports performance” idea to caffeine’s effect on sprint speed, making it measurable and scoring a 7.
2. Choose Measurable Variables: Pick outcomes you can quantify, like heart rate or jump height, using school tools. A 2021 student struggled with “motivation” until we switched to reaction time, which was easier to measure with an app.
3. Prioritize Ethics: Avoid experiments that stress participants, like extreme fasting. In 2019, I guided a student from a dehydration study to hydration’s effect on performance, keeping it safe and ethical.
4. Test Early: Run a pilot to confirm you can collect data. A 2022 student planned an altitude study but lacked equipment, so we pivoted to surface types, which worked at school.
5. Use the Mark Scheme: When it comes to exam preparation, it makes a real difference when students practice marking their own answers with the mark scheme. In 2023, a student boosted her score by revising her conclusion to include real-world applications, aligning with IB criteria for analysis and evaluation.

These steps, rooted in my classroom experience, help you craft a clear, achievable IA that impresses examiners.

Final Thoughts: From Topic to Top Score

I’ve noticed in my classes that some students struggle getting started on their IA—what can make a big difference is breaking the process into manageable steps, like choosing a topic tied to their interests. Your SEHS IA is your chance to shine, but it can feel overwhelming. If you’re stuck on formulating IB SEHS IA research questions or organising your project, a tutor can be a game-changer. I’ve worked with students who felt lost at the start, unsure how to craft a title or experiment. A tutor can brainstorm ideas, refine your focus, and keep you on track.

For those nearing the end, tutoring can help polish your IA—whether it’s writing a strong conclusion, meeting the mark scheme, or perfecting references. In 2021, a student came to me struggling with her IA analysis; we reworked it to include clear data interpretation, lifting her grade from a 5 to a 7. Start early, stay curious, and don’t hesitate to seek help to make your health science IA projects stand out.