The Fretz Physical Education and Wellness Department uses Health Related Fitness Tests to evaluate students' current levels of fitness. Students will be evaluated in the 4 Health Related Fitness Areas: Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance (upper body and abdominal), Flexibility, and Body Composition (optional). Instead of comparing students' performance to other children the same age across the country, individual results are compared to health related fitness standards. These standards define a fitness range students should fall within in order to maintain a “preventive” level of fitness. Falling below these standards puts students at risk to develop health-related problems associated with low fitness levels later in life. Information follows that will familiarize you with these health related fitness areas, how they relate to health, how they will be measured, and the fitness standards for the different age groups and gender.
We’ve chosen this test because we feel it is a more appropriate reflection of the goal of lifetime fitness and wellness: learning what health related fitness is, why it is important, how to achieve it, where they currently stand, and putting these principles into practice. We encourage all students to strive towards reaching and/or maintaining a minimum level of fitness and to nurture the desire to maintain an active lifestyle as they get older.
Students are encouraged to work on their fitness levels outside of p.e. class and to reinforce the importance of maintaining a good level of health related fitness. We also encourage parents to join their children in activities to help emphasize that fitness is a lifetime goal.
FITNESS AREA |
RELATIONSHIP TO HEALTH |
HOW MEASURED |
|
CARDIOVASCULAR ENDURANCE
The ability of the heart and lungs to respond to an increased demand for oxygen and then to return to normal levels within a reasonable amount of time.
|
TOO LOW:
Increased risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, low self-esteem
OPTIMAL FOR HEALTH:
Low risk of health problems associated with poor cardiovascular endurance
Stamina
Endurance usually sufficient for an active lifestyle |
1 MILE WALK/RUN
Scored in minutes and second. Students walk and/or run 1 mile at
the fastest pace they can maintain throughout the entire distance.
|
|
STRENGTH AND MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
How hard and how long the muscles of the body can work |
TOO LOW:
Increased risk of low back pain or injury, muscle and joint injuries, low self-esteem, osteoporosis, day to day tasks and many sports may be difficult to do easily
OPTIMAL FOR HEALTH:
Low risk of health problems associated with poor strength and muscular endurance. Can do day to day tasks and play vigorous sports relatively easily. |
ABDOMINALS:
Total number of modified sit-ups students can correctly perform in 1 minute.
UPPER BODY:
Total number of correctly performed overhand or reverse grip pull-ups. No time limits. |
|
FLEXIBILITY
The ability to move the joints smoothly through their full range of motion |
TOO LOW:
Increased risk of low back pain and injury, muscle and joint injuries, day to day tasks and sports may be affected |
SIT AND REACH
Students sit at sit and reach box, knees fully extended, shoulder width apart, feet flat against board. Students place one hand on top of another then extend fingers as far along the top of the fox as they can, holding for 1 sec. Measured to nearest cm. |
BODY COMPOSITION(optional)
Percentage of lean body mass (muscles, bones, internal organs, fluids) to body fat. For good health the body should maintain a proper ratio of one to another. |
TOO LOW:
Increased risk of bone weakness when older (mainly females), stress fractures, menstrual disorders, possible lower resistance to disease.
TOO HIGH:
Increased risk of coronary heart disease, adult onset diabetes, cancer, gall stones, joint problems, low self-esteem
OPTIMUM FOR HEALTH:
Low risk of health problems associated with over/under fatness. |
SKINFOLD CALIPERS:
Sum of triceps and calf skinfold measures. Measurements are taken with skinfold calipers to the nearest mm.
-OR-
BODY MASS INDEX:
Ratio of weight to height |
See FITNESS STANDARDS -B AND FITNESS STANDARDS G for fitness standards for age groups and gender
