Physical Fitness and Children

KSPE 7140

Dr. Sonya Sanderson

Physical Activity Pyramid

Level 1: involves activities with large muscle groups and have very little formal organization… active play.

Level 2: activities that have an aerobic effect.

Level 3: activities to reinforce the fitness concepts of muscular strength and flexibility.

Level 4: set aside for quiet time activities

Lifestyle and Everyday Activities(Level 1)

walking the dog, raking leaves, shoveling snow, carrying groceries, walking up stairs

Aerobic Activities & Sports and Play Activities(Level 2)

skiing, swimming, jumping rope, running, fast dancing

basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey, volleyball, tennis

Strength Activities/ Stretching Activities(Level 3)

push-ups, chin-ups, arm wrestling, weight lifting.

touching your toes, reaching for the sky, ballet, yoga, pilates

Inactivity/Leisure Time(Level 4)

Reading a book, watching TV, playing video games, etc.

Exercising Costs too Much??

Go for a brisk walk.• Run with the dog.• Play with friends.• Visit the park.• Dance to the radio.

Take stairs instead of elevators and escalators.

Regular Exercise Builds Physical Fitness

means that you exercise vigorously at least three times a week so that you breath hard and sweat for at least 20 minutes each time.  There are many different exercises you can do including jogging, aerobics, cycling, or swimming

Aerobic/Anaerobic Exercise

Aerobic Exercise is exercise that keeps your heart rate higher than normal for at least 15-20 minutes at a time. When you are performing an aerobic exercise properly, you should not run out of breath. (aerobic means "with oxygen"). Anaerobic Exercise ("without oxygen") is the opposite of aerobic exercise. If you are exercising and run out of breath and do not keep your heart rate higher than normal for a continuous period, the exercise is considered anaerobic.

Fitness TermsFitness Terms

Physical Activity: activity that requires any type of movementExercise: structured planned physical activity, often used to improve fitness levelsPhysical Fitness: ability of the body to respond to the physical demands placed upon itSkill related Fitness: ability to perform specific sport skills Health related Fitness: ability to perform daily living activities with vigor

Benefits of ExerciseBenefits of Exercise

People who are active are healthier than those who are do not exerciseBenefits from the participation in exercise include:

Physical benefits of improved functioning of body systemsCognitive benefits of processing information more quicklyPsychological and emotional benefits by reducing stress levels and influencing moodSpiritual benefits by connecting with yourself and with others

Raising Couch Potatoes

Today's children are setting records. Unhappily, those records fall into the dubious distinction category; fattest, most out of shape and most at risk for heart attack, stroke, colon cancer and other health problems later in life.

Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than doubled in the last 30 years. Between ten and fifteen percent of young people aged 6-17 years are considered overweight. One out of four teenagers is dangerously overweight.

More Stats

Among 7 to 12 year-olds, 98 percent have at least one of the heart disease risk factors (obesity, hypertension and high blood cholesterol): 54 percent have more than one of the factors. About 65 percent of all children, ages 10 to 18, cannot pass a minimum standard of fitness.

How has this Happened??

Poor dietary habits, increased consumption of calorie-dense foods, and less physical activity contribute to the problem. The twentieth century brought with it fast food, which is often high in fat and sugars, soft drinks, which are loaded with empty calories, and excessive serving sizes (who hasn't heard "double burger", "biggie", or "super-size it?").

Less Exercise at Schools

In addition to a more sedentary lifestyle at home, kids are getting less exercise at school. Daily participation in high school physical education classes dropped from 42% in 1991 to 27% by 1997.

What Can We Do?

Promote healthy eating (eating a balanced diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains)

Promote and encourage lifelong physical activities

Urge your school district to increase, not decrease, physical education

Physical… Activity, Fitness, Education

Surgeon General’s Report (United States Department of Health and Human Services, USDHHS), National Standards for Physical Education (National Association of Sport and Physical Education), and Physical Activity for Children Guidelines (Council on Physical Education for Children) all say that children need 30-60 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days per week.

What Does It Mean To Be Physically Fit?

Physical fitness involves several different types of fitness, and we call theses types health-related components. There are Five health-related components :

1. Aerobic Capacity

The ability of the circulatory system to provide oxygen-rich blood for energy. A person who can run several miles without stopping has good aerobic capacity.

2. Muscular Strength

Muscular Strength - The greatest amount of weight your body can lift at a given time.

3. Muscular Endurance

Muscular Endurance - How long a group of muscles can perform. (sit-ups, push-ups)

Muscular Strength and Endurance

Benefits include:Increased body massIncreased bone densityImproved glucose metabolismImproved posture and reduction of low back painBeing able to perform your daily routines with greater ease, allows you to look and feel better

Types of Muscle ActionTypes of Muscle Action

Different types of exercise can produce different types of muscle action

There are 3 main types:1. Isometric Exercise

2. Isotonic Exercise

3. Isokinetic Exercise

Each form of exercise is capable of improving muscular strength or endurance

Weight Training PrinciplesWeight Training Principles

To develop muscular strength, you need to exercise at a higher intensity for a shorter duration (higher weight/lower reps)

To develop muscular endurance, perform more repetitions at a lower weight (lower weight/higher reps)

Two to three resistance training sessions a week should be sufficient to build either strength or muscular endurance

4. Flexibility

The amount of motion in a joint. A person who can do a back bend has back flexibility Benefits include:

Lowers the risk of back injuriesMaintains posture and lowers the risk of other joint injuriesImproves balance

Types of Stretching ProgramsTypes of Stretching Programs

There are 3 basic types of stretches

Passive Stretching (partner applies pressure, producing a stretch beyond of what you could do on your own)

Static Stretching (stretching until your feel tightness and maintain this hold for 30-60 seconds)

Ballistic Stretching (stretching the muscle by bouncing rapidly to contract the muscle spindles and initiate a stretch reflex)

5. Body Composition

The amount of fat and lean tissue in you body. eating 250 less calories/day + burning 250 more calories/day = a loss of 1 pound per week 10,000 steps is equivalent to 5 milesToo much body fat could have the following effects:

Heart diseaseObesityDiabetesDifferent forms of cancer

Be Physically Fit

Being fit gives you more daily energy. Being fit can help you relax and sleep better. Being fit is good for your heart, lungs, bones and muscles. Being fit can lower your risk of heart attack. Being fit helps you control your weight and blood pressure.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Plays a role in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseaseHelps reduce or eliminate some of these risk factors associated with high blood pressureReduces some of the risk factors associated with obesityReduces some of the risk factors associated with diabetesReduces the risk of colon cancer

Lowers the risk for strokeHelps reduce or eliminate some of the risk factors associated with blood lipid abnormalitiesReduces feelings of depression and anxietyImproves moodPromotes a sense of well-being Increases cardiovascular endurance

Builds muscular strength and enduranceImproves flexibilityBuilds healthy bones, muscles, and jointsIncreases the capacity for exercise Contributes, with training, to improvement in the exercise performance of healthy people

There are 3 basic principles to remember about exercising to make the heart stronger:

The FIT theory

1. Frequency - how often2. Intensity - how hard3. Time - how long

Water: The Forgotten Nutrient

Water is a part of every body cell. And every activity that occurs in the body needs water! Water is an important nutrient that performs many jobs in the body. • It carries nutrients and oxygen to your body cells and carries waste products away.• It helps keep your body temperature at 98.6ºF• It protects your joints, body organs and tissues.• It keeps body tissues in your eyes, nose and mouth moist.

Water

Did you know that over half your body weight is water? If you weigh 80 pounds, about 40-50 of them are water. Did you know that thirst is the body's way of telling you that it needs more fluid to do its many jobs? Most people need 8 to 12 cups of water each day. You can get what you need by drinking water and other beverages such as milk and juice. You can also "eat" water in foods. Juicy fruits and vegetables supply water. Even dry foods such as bread provide water.

Wellness

Wellness is first and foremost a choice to assume responsibility for the quality of your life. It begins with a conscious decision to shape a healthy lifestyle. Wellness is a mind set, a predisposition to adopt a series of key principles in varied life areas that lead to high levels of well-being and life satisfaction.