Welcome to the Teacher Information page for Fitness for Life: Middle School. On this page, you will find information about:

More about Fitness for Life

•       Sample Program Materials
•   Lexile Scores

  The Lexile Score for Fitness For Life: Middle School is 1060.

•   Correlations to State Standards

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•   NASPE standards and Fitness for Life: Middle School

  The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) standards for physical education provide benchmarks for effective curriculum development. Accordingly, in preparing the Fitness for Life: Middle School program, the authors consulted the standards for the middle school grades. The Fitness for Life: Middle School Teacher's Guide provides teachers with information concerning which standards are covered chapter by chapter and lesson by lesson. For more information on NASPE standards, click here.

  To see which Fitness for Life: Middle School lesson plans meet which NASPE standards, click here.

•   Resources for Integrating Skills in Fitness for Life: Middle School

  The authors of Fitness for Life: Middle School encourage teachers to integrate Fitness for Life units with activity-based skill units. The Teacher's Guide contains suggestions for integration of skill units as well as resources that provide activities appropriate for integration. Several of these references are listed below. For more detailed information, consult pages 255 to 256 and the "Supplemental Materials" pages at the end of each chapter of lesson plans in the Teacher's Guide.

  Mitchell, S.A., J.L. Oslin, and L.L. Griffin. (2006). Teaching sport concepts and skills: A tactical games approach. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
  McCracken, B. (2001). It's not just gym anymore: Teaching secondary school students how to be active for life. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
  Zakrajsek, D., L.A. Carnes, and F.E. Pettigrew Jr. (2003). Quality lesson plans for secondary physical education. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
  Kleinman, I. (2001). Complete physical education plans for grades 7-12. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

• 
  Articles about Fitness for Life
  •   Benefits of Combining Physical Activity Lessons with Limited Classroom Learning in Middle School Physical Education

    NASPE has defined the physically educated person as one who

    1. participates regularly in physical activity,
    2. is physically fit,
    3. has learned the skills necessary to be physically active,
    4. knows the implications of and the benefits of physical activity, and
    5. values physical activity and its contribution to a healthy lifestyle (NASPE, 1992).

    Clearly, promoting regular physical activity, including involving youth in as much activity as possible, is a primary goal of physical education. For this reason, using physical activity as a primary setting for teaching most physical education classes is appropriate. There are, however, times when other settings are appropriate for some physical education classes. Classroom sessions are appropriate as part of a total curriculum designed to prepare physically educated students (such as those in a Fitness for Life unit) when classroom sessions are well planned to meet very specific student objectives (including those listed above and those included in NASPE standards for middle schools). Some examples include:

    * Teaching concepts, principles, and self-management skills that will promote physical activity, fitness, and skill outside of physical education class. Note: physical education cannot accomplish all of its objectives within its scheduled classes, so learning in the classroom that promotes out-of-school activity is critical to the overall learning process.
    * Avoiding inactive time in activity sessions. For best accomplishing some important NASPE standards, it is inefficient to teach some concepts in the gym or on the play fields because the needed resources for teaching and learning concepts are sometimes limited in activity settings. The use of a few well-planned classroom sessions helps students learn important concepts in settings that provide adequate resources and allows teachers to avoid standing and talking when in activity sessions. For meeting some objectives, classroom settings are most appropriate.
    * Scheduling appropriate use of classroom sessions. Fitness for Life: Middle School is designed to include a limited number of classroom sessions. Specifically, the program is intended to be used in one nine-week unit, to be implemented as part of a semester- or year-long program, or to be implemented in several short units over several grades (three-week units in each of three grades, for example). Thus, at the middle school level classroom sessions are limited to a few well-planned sessions. The base plan includes two classroom days a week for nine weeks, the semester plan includes one classroom day a week for a semester, and the yearly plan includes one day every other week for a year. The program can also be implemented in three grades (6, 7, and 8, for example) as three-week units accounting for six classroom days per year for each of the three grades. Time spent in these sessions promotes efficient learning of important objectives based on NASPE standards and creates efficient learning not only of physical education concepts but also concepts included in subjects such as math, science, and language arts.
    * Promoting learning of ideas and concepts that make physical activity sessions more efficient. Once students learn key concepts (biomechanical principles, for example), they are more efficient in their skill learning sessions. Once students learn concepts related to social relationships and diversity (and discuss them in the classroom setting), they are better able to implement them in activity settings. Once students learn key concepts about fitness and exercise, they can relate them while doing fitness assessments and planning personal activity programs.
    * Teaching students how to do physical activity correctly. A major goal of physical education is to get students to be active for a lifetime. Research has indicated that learning concepts and self-management skills can help students to be more active later in life. But being active is not the only thing of importance. Performing physical activity properly is also important. If you learn to do activity correctly, you will get more benefits and avoid problems associated with incorrect activity. Some people drop out of activity because they do not know how to do it correctly. Learning key concepts helps students to be active and to perform activity properly.

    Fitness for Life: Middle School programs are not meant to substitute for traditional physical education. These programs, including a few well-planned classroom sessions, are designed to be part of a comprehensive program and to meet very specific objectives designed to promote optimal learning toward the goal of creating fully physically educated students. Well-planned classroom sessions can promote efficient learning of concepts and principles that will prevent inefficient use of time in activity sessions and promote optimal learning in activity sessions.

    References

    National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). (1992). Outcomes of quality physical education programs. Reston, VA: NASPE.

  •   Fitness for Life Middle School to High School Articulation

    Introduction

    IDEA is an acronym that we use to described the unique nature of each of the two Fitness for Life programs (middle school and high school). I stands for Integrated, D stands for Developmentally appropriate, E stands for Educationally sound, and A stands for program Articulation.

    Both the middle school and high school programs are designed so that content integrates with content taught in the more traditional units in the physical education program, but also with other subject matter areas such as science, math, and language arts. For both middle school and high school, Fitness for Life is meant to be a meaningful part of the total program and to complement other parts of the total physical education program. Learning in Fitness for Life will help students in other subject matter areas as well.

    Both programs are based on NASPE and selected state standards, but each is designed to meet developmentally appropriate standards. The middle school program is based on standards specifically for grades 6 through 8, and the high school program is based specifically on standards for grades 9 through 12.

    Both programs provide activities (classroom and activity) that are educationally sound. Reading level is appropriate for each level, content is based on educational needs of the students, and activities are selected based on the educational needs of the students (based on level). Lesson plans were developed so that they are educationally appropriate and quite different for each level.

    Fitness for Life: Middle School is designed to provide a strong educational foundation for the transition to high school and the upper level Fitness for Life program. Articulation from middle school to high school was the key feature in developing the unique middle school program. Table 1, presented later on this page, provides more information describing the differences in program content and information to show how both programs meet NASPE standards but how each program focuses on standards specific to each level (middle and high school).

    Fitness for Life: High School

    Fitness for Life was introduced in its first edition in 1979. The first program was designed for use in the high school and was created prior to the development of national physical education standards. Lacking such standards, the authors consulted with teachers and experts in the field to develop program objectives that were appropriate for students in grades 9 through 12. These objectives served as a model for many states that subsequently developed standards, especially standards for required personal fitness courses. The authors of Fitness for Life served as consultants to many different states as they developed standards for physical education.

    By the date of publication of the 4th edition of Fitness for Life in 1997, national standards for physical education had been developed. The 4th edition was designed to meet selected NASPE standards, but it should be noted that previous editions (1st in 1979, 2nd in 1985, 3rd in 1990) met most of the standards even though the standards were not available at the time. Subsequent editions of Fitness for Life have been planned with national and selected state standards in mind. Charts matching Fitness for Life content to standards for various states are available on the Fitness for Life Web site.

    From the very beginning, Fitness for Life was proposed as a program designed to meet very specific physical education objectives. It is intended to be a very important part of a total physical education curriculum. Accordingly, the program focuses on very specific standards and is designed to help students become physically educated people. Consistent with the NASPE outcomes project (NASPE, 1992), Fitness for Life contributes to building the physically educated person by fostering lifelong physical activity, promoting development of physical fitness (especially health-related physical fitness), promoting knowledge of the benefits of involvement in physical activities, and teaching the value of physical activity and its contribution to a healthful lifestyle.

    Specific objectives for Fitness for Life (high school) are outlined in the teacher's materials, and student objectives are outlined at the beginning of each chapter of the 18-chapter book. The Stairway to Lifetime Fitness (see Teacher's Guide and student text) is also used to show the importance of the learning of decision making and problem-solving skills that promote independence (ability to plan and use a lifetime activity program). Recent editions (4th and 5th) have focused on learning self-management skills. In addition to teaching knowledge and understanding of key concepts, learning that promotes behavior change is stressed. This emphasis is based on the evidence that shows the importance not only of teaching the "facts" about physical activity and fitness but also of teaching skills that will aid students in adopting lifelong healthy lifestyles (e.g., self-assessment, goal setting, self-monitoring, self-planning). Note: Eighteen different self-management skills are included in the high school Fitness for Life program.

    To summarize, Fitness for Life (high school) is designed to meet specific national and state standards for physical education. The emphasis is on those grades 9 through 12 standards that help students learn important content (related to all seven current NASPE standards) and self-management skills. Whether it is taught in the ninth grade or any of the later grades, the program focuses on teaching the concepts and building skills that produce independent decision makers and problem solvers capable of planning personal programs for healthy living throughout life.

    Fitness for Life: Middle School

    Fitness for Life: Middle School was first introduced in 2007. It was developed specifically for middle school youth and was developed based on NASPE and selected state standards specifically for grades 6 through 8. The program is designed to articulate with the high school Fitness for Life program, not duplicate it. The middle school program is meant to provide a solid foundation for students who will ultimately enroll in a high school Fitness for Life program.

    Like the high school Fitness for Life program, the middle school program is designed to meet selected physical education objectives. Fitness for Life is not meant to be a total physical education program but an important part of a total program designed to meet selected specific physical education standards and objectives. The middle school program meets selected goals for grades 6 through 8 while the high school program focuses on goals for grades 9 through 12.

    To summarize, the middle school Fitness for Life program meets standards and objectives specifically for middle school students. Students completing the program will have a strong foundation for entering a high school program with minimum content overlap. The high school program that includes 18 chapters, typically taught over a semester or for a full year, focuses on more sophisticated and more detailed concepts and the teaching of self-management skills necessary for developing personal healthy lifestyles for use later in life. The nine-chapter middle school program is designed for implementation in a nine-week or one semester unit or in shorter units across multiple grade levels (6 through 8). Skill learning concepts, biomechanical principles, and social and diversity concepts as they relate to physical activity are taught in the classroom and emphasized in developmentally appropriate activities. Physical activity and fitness concepts are presented in a developmentally and educationally appropriate way to prepare students for more extensive study in high school.

    Program Differences by Level

    Table 1 (below) lists each of the seven NASPE standards. The table also presents examples to illustrate how each of the two (middle and high school) Fitness for Life programs contributes to each of the standards in their own developmentally appropriate way. Note: The reader is encourage to look at the Fitness for Life Web site for correlation charts showing how Fitness for Life (high school) meets specific state standards for personal fitness course requirements. The NASPE standards for each chapter of Fitness for Life: Middle School are described in detail in the Teacher's Guide for the program.

    Both the middle and high school Fitness for Life programs provide materials for inclusion in a portfolio consistent with recommendations in the NASPE standards for grades 6 through 8 and 9 through 12.

    Table 1. NASPE Standards and Fitness for Life Articulation

    NASPE Standard	Middle School Examples	High School Examples
    1. Student demonstrates competency in motor skills, movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.	* Learn skill and practice concepts with application lessons (chapter 2). * Be exposed to a wide variety of skills (Physical Activity Pyramid chapters). * Learn tactics and strategies in classroom and activity sessions.	* Focus on choosing activities that can be used for a lifetime. * Exposure to many different activities in physical activity sessions.
    2. Student demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.	* Special feature in every chapter on biomechanical principles featured (with corresponding activities that reinforce principles). * Training principles introduced. * Practice emphasized (see standard 1).	* Extensive coverage of physical activity principles in much greater detail than in middle school program. * Emphasis on self-management and problem-solving skills for choosing lifelong activities for inclusion in a personal activity program.
    3. Participates regularly in physical activity.	* Performs activity in class. * Identifies activity opportunities outside of class. * Learns benefits of activity at a basic level. * Begins to develop personal program.	* Analyzes benefits of a variety of activities. * Prepares fitness and activity profiles for use in program planning. * Self-monitors activity patterns. * Plans personal lifetime activity program.
    4. Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.	* Learns about heart rate, target zone, and methods of building fitness. * Learns about activities for building many parts of fitness. * Performs activities that build fitness (e.g., resistance training, cardiovascular exercise).	* Learns wide variety of self-assessments. * Plans personal fitness self-assessments for all health fitness parts. * Uses fitness profile to set program goals and plan program. * Understands meaning and knows how to interpret criterion-referenced health fitness standards. * Applies principles and concepts of fitness and activity. * Applies principles and concepts of fitness and activity.
    5. Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings.	* Special feature in every chapter that helps students learn to respect differences among people in physical activity settings. All nine relate specifically to grade 6 through 8 standards. * Learns from special features about full participation, safe activity, following rules, bullying, peer-pressure.	* Uses self-management skills such as self-assessment, goal setting, self-monitoring, building self-confidence, building healthy attitudes, finding social support, building intrinsic motivation, preventing relapse, managing time, improving self-perceptions, saying NO, learning to think critically, thinking success, and overcoming barriers to be active throughout life and to be responsible in activity settings (Taking Charge feature in each chapter). * Learns key concepts related to teamwork, helping others, cooperation, and so on based on study of concepts throughout the text and in activities associated with classroom sessions.
    6. Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction.	* The special features described for standard 5 also relate directly to standard 6. * Many sections of text and photos in text are designed to promote learning related to this standard specifically for students in grades 6 through 8. * Chapters 1, 3 through 7, and 9 all present developmentally appropriate information related to the benefits of a wide variety of age-appropriate activities.	* Uses self-management skills described in previous section to develop an understanding and respect for differences among people in physical activity. * Learns key concepts related to teamwork, helping others, cooperation based on study of concepts throughout the text and in activities associated with classroom sessions. * Uses self-management skills and conceptual information to build a personal program that is enjoyable, challenging, self-expressive and involves social interactions. * Performs personal program both in and out of school, taking advantage of community and school resources. * Evaluates program and self-monitors activity behaviors.

    Reprinted from Moving into the future: National Standards for Physical Education, 2nd ed., with permission from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191, USA.

    Note: See Teacher's Guides, student text, and book-specific Web sites for more information on standards and objectives for the Fitness for Life programs.

    References

    National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2004). Moving Into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education. Reston, VA: NASPE.

    National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (1992). Outcomes of quality physical education programs. Reston, VA: NASPE.

    Reference List (PDF)

  •   Physical Education and Academic Achievement: Benefits of Fitness for Life: Middle School

    Recent programs such as "No Child Left Behind" have increased the focus on high stakes tests in selected subject matter areas. The goal is to make sure all young people learn the concepts, information, and skills necessary to be successful. Too often, however, the focus on test scores results in a greater time commitment to the subjects in which high stakes tests are administered, and financial resources are diverted to these programs. In some cases, this has led to cuts in physical education time and resources, and even the loss of programs.

    Cutting time in physical education to increase academic performance in other areas is a notion based on bad information. A wealth of evidence suggests that time spent in physical education does not detract from performance in other subject areas and may enhance performance.

    The Fitness for Life: Middle School program provides students with regular physical activity but also promotes learning that will aid students in other subject matter areas such as math, science, and language arts. Thus the time spent in Fitness for Life: Middle School has a double effect. It promotes physical activity and it teaches concepts that help students perform in other subject matter areas.

    The article "Top 10 Reasons for Quality Physical Education" discusses the evidence supporting the notion that time spent on physical education does not detract from academic learning and can actually enhance learning in other areas. You can find the article here; the discussion begins on page 48.

    Other useful references are listed below.

    Ahamed, Y., et al. (2007). School-based physical activity does not compromise children's academic performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 39(2), 371-376.
    Dwyer, T., Coonan, W.E., Leitch, D.R., Hetzel, B.S., & Baghurst, R.A. (1983). An investigation of the effects of daily physical activity on the health of primary school students in south Australia. Int J Epidemiol, 12(3), 308-313.
    Grissom, J.B. (2005). Physical fitness and academic achievement. Journal of Exercise Physiology, 8(1).
    McNaughten, D., & Gabbard, C. (1993). Physical exertion and immediate mental performance of sixth-grade children. Percept Mot Skills, 77(3 Pt 2), 1155-1159.
    Sallis, J.F., McKenzie, T.L., Kolody, B., Lewis, M., Marshall, S., & Rosengard, P. (1999). Effects of health-related physical education on academic achievement: Project spark. Res Q Exerc Sport, 70(2), 127-134.
    Shephard, R.J., Lavallee, H., Volle, M., LaBarre, R., & Beaucage, C. (1994). Academic skills and required physical education: The trois rivieres experience. CAHPER, Suppl. 1(1), 1-12.
    Shephard, R.J., Lavallee, H., Volle, M., LaBarre, R., & Beaucage, C. (1997). Curricular physical activity and academic performance. Pediatric Exercise Science, 9, 113-126.
    Sibley, B.A., Etnier, J.L., Pangrazi, R.P., & Le Masurier, G.C. (in press). Effects of acute bouts of physical activity on inhibition and cognitive performance. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

  •   Learning in Physical Education Can Have Lifesaving Benefits

    The following article was originally published in the TEPE in 1995. Though it is not new, the article shows that learning in physical education can sometimes have more dramatic lifesaving benefits than one might think. While stories such as this are rare, learning important physical education concepts can help your students protect their health and monitor their health and fitness throughout life. We hope you find this story as interesting and inspiring as we did.

    Alaskan Teacher Takes Physical Education to Heart

    Teaching quality middle school physical education can often be frustrating. Despite the long hours spent designing meaningful assignments, some students—and even some parents—still consider "gym" to be a waste of time, a bother. But Alaska physical education teacher Martin Niemi has never let frustration get in the way of his dedication to providing quality programs, and at least one student and her parents couldn't be happier about that fact.

    Martin has been teaching physical education for the past 10 years at the State Department of Education's Alyeska Central School in Juneau, a correspondence school for students who live in isolated areas of the state ("out in the bush"), take part in high-level training (as did Olympian Tommy Moe), or are home-schooled.

    The five or six courses Martin teaches each semester (by mail, phone, and computer) allow 415 students in grades 6 through 12 to increase their knowledge and skills about fitness and physical activities relative to their specific lifestyles and circumstances. His duties typically include creating and sending out assignments, grading them, and then determining if students have met the requirements of their particular class.

    Molly Meeham, 12, of Eagle River is one of Martin's students. Molly, a seventh grader who is being home-schooled, has always been a normal and active kid: hiking, biking, swimming, horseback riding, jumping on the backyard trampoline with her friends. She had never shown any sign that might lead one to think she had a potentially fatal heart condition. That is, until she met up with Martin. That's right, Martin Niemi, her physical education teacher.

    Molly was enrolled in Martin's physical education contract course, the purpose of which, Martin says, is "to get students participating in activities that enhance their lifestyles and help them develop proper exercise habits." As part of the course Molly had to participate in at least 65 hours of approved activities (most students, Martin says, end up with 90 to 200 hours). Students also complete such assignments as fitness challenges, a written paper on the benefits of health-related fitness, a pulse graph activity, and a daily log of participation time.

    Molly's mom, Sandy, thought doing all this would be "a bother. After all, my husband [Mike] and I knew she was physically fit. Why did we have to document it for someone else?" Although they didn't know it at the time, Molly's pulse graph would not just help her pass the class—it would save her life.

    For the pulse-graph activity, students take their pulses on seven different occasions over a given period (for example, while completely rested, after doing chores, and after aerobic and anaerobic exercising); then they graph them and send them in. When he looked at Molly's graph in March, Martin saw that all seven of her heart rates were between 100 and 125 beats a minute—making "the strangest pulse graph I had ever seen."

    Given that Molly had completed her assignment, Martin could have stopped right there. Instead, he drew in red on her graph what a "normal" pattern should look like and sent it back to Sandy, expressing his concern that either the assignment had not been completed properly or that there was possibly "some sort of a health problem."

    Upon receiving the assignment back, Sandy Meeham was a little peeved at first, she recalls. "We were just getting ready to go on a family vacation; the PE course was the last one Molly had to finish. We had figured that because it was just PE, the class would be a piece of cake—no big deal. And here we were getting an assignment back because it may not have been completed properly?" Once Sandy thought about it over the course of the day, however, she felt that perhaps there really was something to Martin's comments. "I started thinking, how could we have counted that many pulses wrong?"

    Now concerned, Sandy contacted her pediatrician, who assigned her to take Molly's pulse that night while Molly was sleeping. It turned out to be 120 beats a minute, compared with a normal rate of 80 beats or less. The next day, with the help of an EKG, it was determined that something was indeed wrong with the electrical impulses of Molly's heart. She was taken immediately to a specialist in Portland, OR, for testing, and a few weeks later, after 5 hours of exploratory surgery, Molly's condition was diagnosed—she was born with an extra pacemaker in her heart, which caused it to beat much faster than normal.

    Sandy credits Martin with alerting their family to Molly's condition. "Had Martin not been so thorough and adamant in his concern over her graph, it is likely I wouldn't have paid it immediate attention. If I hadn't, there is no doubt Molly would be one sick little girl right now. I can only say, I believe it's all part of a big plan. We are thankful that Martin has been part of that plan."

    Martin, who received a commendation from Alaska's Governor Walter Hickel for his action, says, "I feel really proud and happy that I got to play a part in Molly's having a chance to live a healthy, happy life. This has helped remind me that we as physical educators do a lot of things day in and day out, and it's important not to trivialize them. Each child we teach is important and has important things to say."

    And what about Molly? A week after her surgery, she was playing the piano at church. She's recently completed a 12-mile hike; a 27-miler is in the works. Thanks to the dedication and persistence of her physical education teacher, Molly can again be just like her friends. "We will be forever grateful," says Sandy. "The bottom line of this all is that I saw the PE course as the least significant class Molly had, but it turned out to be, literally, a lifesaver."

    Reprinted, by permission, from S. Wikgren, 1995, Teaching Elementary Physical Education.

  •   Top 10 Reasons for Quality Physical Education

    Click here to access an article that describes 10 reasons why our youth need quality physical education programs. This article, written by two of the authors of Fitness for Life: Middle School, provides information that can be used to convince parents, administrators, and school board members of the value of quality physical education.

  •   Physical Education Benefits Fitness, Health and the Brain (video clip)

    Fitness for Life programs have been shown to benefit youth by promoting lifelong physical activity and the good health and fitness that comes with it. Naperville, Illinois, has long been known for its quality physical education programs that include a Fitness for Life component. Click here to learn more about how the Naperville schools have used physical education programs to promote academic learning as well as health and fitness (14.5 MB). The clip is provided courtesy of NBC channel 5 in Chicago (used by permission).

  
  

Teacher Resources

•       Test Bank
•   Computer Programs

  The Fitness for Life: Middle School Teacher's Guide includes basic information about Mount Fitness and Tour de Fitness, two computer programs for review and reinforcement. The "High-Tech Options" section of the Teacher's Guide briefly describes each program and its objectives, and appendix C explains how to use the programs to teach strategy and tactics and to supplement lessons with physical activities.

  Click here to access Mount Fitness and Tour de Fitness.

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  Teacher Training
  • Teacher training in Fitness for Life: Middle School is available through Physical Best, a program of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). For more information, visit the Physical Best Web site or contact NASPE at:

    Physical Best/NASPE

    1900 Association Drive,

    Reston, VA 20191

    Toll-free phone: 800-213-7193, ext. 489

    E-mail: physicalbest@aahperd.org

    
    
  •   Fitness for Life Instructors by State—2007

    You can also learn more about Fitness for Life from other instructors who use the program.

    APO Carol Heffernan Current information not available. Don Cain Columbus Public Schools Columbus, OH Doncain1@aol.com Canada Guy LeMasurier Malaspina University Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5 Canada lemasurig@mala.bc.ca Arizona Ellen Abbadessa 3433 East Wildwood Drive Phoenix, AZ 85048 eabbad@kyrene.org Chuck Corbin 3402 E. Cherokee St. Phoenix, AZ 85044 chuckcorbin@qwest.net Lydia Crain Current information not available. Jennifer Reeves 578 East Wagon Bluff Drive Tucson, AZ 85704 jreeves@u.arizona.edu California Keith Johannes 33959 Chula Vista Ave. Dana Point, CA 92629 kjohannes1@cox.net Mary Jo Sariscsany 130 Willow Lane Santa Paula, CA 93060 mary.sariscsany@csun.edu Joan Van Blom Long Beach Unified School District Physical Education Office 240 Euclid Avenue Long Beach, CA 90803 Jvanblom@lbusd.k12.ca.us Connecticut David Harackiewicz Central Connecticut State University Physical Education & Health Fitness 1615 Stanley St. New Britain, CT 06050 harackiewicz@ccsu.edu Darren Dale Eastern Connecticut State University Health & Physical Education 83 Windham St. Willimantic, CT 06226 daled@easternct.edu Florida Jeanne Fifer Corner Lake Middle School 1700 Chuluota Rd. Orlando, FL 32820 fiferj@ocps.net Vicki Jensen St. James Cathedral School 2258-5 Coach House Blvd. Orlando, FL 32812 vjensen@stjcs.com Tom Ratliffe Florida State University Dept. of Physical Education 200 Tully Gym Tallahassee, FL 32206 ratliff@coe.fsu.edu Georgia Mark Anderson Cobb County Public Schools 514 Glover St. Marietta, GA 30060 Mark.Anderson@cobbk12.org Illinois Cathy McMillan Western Illinois University Physical Education 1 University Circle Brophy Hall Macomb, IL 61455 cs-mcmillan@wiu.edu Jennie Gilbert Illinois State University Kinesiology & Recreation 507 West Exchange Street Danvers, IL 61732 jagilbe@ilstu.edu Iowa Greg Welk Iowa State University Dept. of Health & Human Performance 235 Forker Bldg. Ames, IA 50011 gwelk@iastate.edu Louisiana Jiji Jonas U S Games 1630 Carl Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70808 jonas1134@cox.net Maryland Debra Ballinger Department of Kinesiology TC 202 8000 York Rd. Towson, MD 21252 dballinger@towson.edu Mary Buddemeier Anne Arundel County Public Schools 525 Murdock Road Baltimore, MD 21212-2021 mbuddemeier@hotmail.com Sally Nazelrod Baltimore County Schools Offices of Health, PE & Dance 6901 Charles St. ESS Bldg., Suite 315 Towson, MD 21204 snazelrod@bcps.org Sarajane Quinn Baltimore County Schools Offices of Health, PE & Dance 6901 Charles St. ESS Bldg., Suite 315 Towson, MD 21204 squinn@bcps.org Minnesota Julie Derry University of St. Thomas Health and Human Performance 1205 Alamo Avenue West Farmington, MN 55024 jaderry@stthomas.edu New Hampshire Janice O'Donnell Bernice A. Ray School 39 Rayton Road Hanover, NH 02755 janice.o.donnell@valley.net

    New Jersey Jill Humann Thompson Middle School Middletown-Lincroft Road Middletown, NJ 07748 j.humann@verizon.net Carolyn Masterson 17 Burchwood Rd. Old Tappan, NJ 07675 mastersonc@mail.montclair.edu New York Robert Christenson Northport-East Northport Schools Physical Education 40 Locust Road Northport, NY 11768 rchristenson@northport.k12.ny.us Michael P. Schwenk Half Hollow Hills C.S.D. 525 Half Hollow Rd. Dix Hills, NY 11746 swankercub@aol.com Christopher Tracey Box 1244 Wainscott, NY 11975 ctracey@ehufsd.org Jeffrey Walkuski SUNY Cortland Dept. of Physical Education Park Center E227 Cortland, NY 13045 walkuskij@cortland.edu Denise Kierman Half Hollow Hills School District Physical Education 11 Butler Place Northport, NY 11768 dkiernan@hhh.k12.ny.us Maria Macarle York College Health & Physical Education 1 Alfan Drive Sayville, NY 11782 drmacarle@hotmail.com Ohio Kevin O'Brien 936 Whitestone Road Xenia, OH 45385 kro131@aol.com David Ryan 743 Maumee Dr. Springfield, OH 45502 No e-mail address available. Pat Ikerd 1098 Hedges Road Xenia, OH 45385 pk3121@yahoo.com Gerard Iquina Columbus Public Schools 6359 Hibiscus Court Westerville, OH 43081 iqvball@yahoo.com Jenny Ortolani Sandusky Cuty Schools Physical Education 64 South Edison Drive Milan, OH 44846-9739 jsortolani@hotmail.com Donna Rioux Columbis Public Schools 3922 Johnstown Road Centerburg, OH 43011 pegym1@msn.com Oregon Aleita Hass-Holcombe 2022 NW Myrtlewood Way Corvallis, OR 97330 aleita@cmug.com Barbara Cusimano Oregon State University Exercise & Sport Science WB 107A Corvallis, OR 97331 Barbara.cusimano@oregonstate.edu Meg Greiner Central School District Independence Elementary School 620 NW 17th Street Corvallis, OR 97330 greiner@aol.com Pennsylvania Laura Borsdorf Ursinus College Exercise & Sport Science Box 1000 Collegeville, PA 19426 lborsdorf@ursinus.edu Puerto Rico Fernando Pieras CEMIR CAMP/Universidad Sagrado Physical Education P.O.Box 12383 Corazon PMB 4 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00926 pieras@caribe.net South Carolina Gary Wilson 273 Palm St. Charleston, SC 29464 wilsong@citadel.edu Texas Joanna Faerber U S Games 1901 Diplomat Dr. Dallas,TX 75234 jfaerber@lsu.edu Washington Jeff Carpenter Olympia School District 1113 Legion Way Olympia, WA 98501 jcarpent@osd.wednet.edu Karen McConnell Olson Auditorium School of Physical Education Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA 98447-0003 mcconnke@plu.edu Diane Tunnell Gonaga Unversity Sport & PE – AD Box 25 Spokane, WA 99258-0025 tunnell@gonzaga.edu Wisconsin Cheryl Gorski Marshfield School District 900 East Fourth St. Marshfield, WI 54449 gorski@marshfield.k12.wi.us John Kading 635 Keller Park Drive Appleton, WI 54914 jkading@new.rr.com Margaret Kading 635 Keller Park Drive Appleton, WI 54914 jkading@new.rr.com Raymond Martinez Univ. Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise & Sport Science 213 Mitchell Hall La Crosse, WI 54601 martinez.raym@uwlax.edu Wyoming Nancy Raso-Eklund 705 Easy St. Green River, WY 82935 eklund@sw2.k12.wy.us

  •   Agenda samples for Fitness for Life workshops

    Click on the links for agenda samples for five different workshops. Included are agendas for middle school half day. high school half day, combined middle school/high school full day, middle school full day, and high school full day.

    Specific topics are described in more detail for half-day workshops. The agenda for the full-day workshops are less detailed to allow them to fit on one sheet. You may want to add details to the full-day agendas from the half-day agendas.

    Middle School Workshop Needs
    

    • Handout - Available at middle school Web site. Download PDF and print as many as needed for the workshop.
    • Slides - Available online at www.fitnessforlife.org/MiddleSchool, click on "Program Overview"
    • Student text
    • Teacher's Guide and CD - It is recommended that you print out samples of activity cards, signs, worksheets, etc.
    • Computer programs and test bank
    • www.fitnessforlife.org Web site - Internet access
    • Equipment for activities
    • Computer, computer projector, and screen

    High School Workshop Needs
    

    • Slides - Available on the in-service DVD in resource kit
    • Student text
    • Lesson Plan book and Wraparound Lesson Plans
    • CDs - Resources and Materials CD-ROM, Presentation Package CD-ROM, Activity and Vocabulary Cards CD-ROM, Spanish e-book CD-ROM, Lesson Plans CD-ROM, Music CD. It is recommended that you print out samples of activity cards, signs, and a sample workbook from the resource materials.
    • Fitness for Life Video DVDs - Lifetime Fitness package of 5, Wellness package of 5
    • Test bank
    • www.fitnessforlife.org Web site - Internet access
    • Equipment for activities
    • Computer, computer projector, and screen

    Note: The Fitness for Life high school program provides two options for teachers. The original ancillary package for the updated 5th edition was included in a plastic packet. A new wraparound notebook is also available for those who prefer that option. Before presenting a workshop, be sure you have both packages so that you can let users decide which they prefer (contact Scott Wikgren at scottw@hkusa.com if you need more information). You can visit the links below to get more information concerning these packages.

    Fitness for Life Wraparound Teacher Edition and Resources Kit
    Click here to visit this product page.

    This package includes a notebook binder with lesson plans "wrapped around" pages of the student text. All resources materials are included in the second section of the binder. Included in the resource kit (in plastic sleeves in the binder):

    • Fitness for Life Lesson Plans CD-ROM
    • Fitness for Life Teacher Resources and Materials CD-ROM
    • Fitness for Life Activity and Vocabulary Cards CD-ROM
    • Fitness for Life Presentation Package CD-ROM
    • Physical Education Sound Tracks Package (includes volume 1 and 2 on two CD-ROMs)
    • Fitness for Life DVD: Lifetime Fitness
    • Fitness for Life DVD: Wellness

    Fitness for Life Teacher Ancillary Package
    Click here to visit this product page.

    This original ancillary package is included in a plastic packet. The lesson plans are included in a book rather than a notebook for those who prefer this type of binding. The resource materials are included in a separate section of the plastic packet. Included in plastic boxes with the packet:

    • Fitness for Life Lesson Plans CD-ROM and print version
    • Fitness for Life Teacher Resources and Materials CD-ROM and print version
    • Fitness for Life Activity and Vocabulary Cards CD-ROM
    • Fitness for Life Presentation Package CD-ROM

    The following items are available separately:

    • Physical Education Sound Tracks Package (includes volume 1 and 2 on two CD-ROMs)
    • Fitness for Life DVD: Lifetime Fitness
    • Fitness for Life DVD: Wellness

    Prior to presenting a workshop, please contact the sales representative for the area where your presentation will be made. Click on the "Contact your sales rep" button on either the middle school or high school Web site to determine the name of the appropriate representative. The representative will be able to help you with pricing for texts and ancillaries.

    The two DVDs containing 10 video programs and two CDs containing music tracks are now part of the ancillary program for adopters of Fitness for Life (High School).

  
  
• Updates and Additional Information
  •   Equipment list for Fitness for Life: Middle School

    Planning for Fitness for Life: Middle School may require you to check in with colleagues regarding equipment and space availability. For your convenience, we have listed the equipment necessary to conduct the basic Fitness for Life: Middle School program (one semester base plan) below. Even though the Fitness for Life: Middle School Teacher's Guide lists the equipment needed for each lesson plan, we thought it would be helpful to see a list of the equipment you will need at a glance.

    General Equipment

    Two lessons from each chapter are classroom lessons. It is recommended that you have a designated classroom or space (such as a multipurpose room) for these lessons.

    You'll need a computer and a printer to print the activity resources and worksheets needed for many of the lessons. All resources and worksheets are found on the CD-ROM.

    If you plan to use music to motivate students or to manage the class (for example, as a cue to start or stop an activity), you'll need audio equipment, such as a CD player. Physical Education Soundtracks CDs are available and contain music tracks for routines and exercise circuits.

    If you plan to show video from the Internet in class, you'll need a computer, an Internet connection, and an LCD projector. If you plan to show DVD videos, you'll need a DVD player and a television, or a computer that plays DVDs and an LCD projector.

    Specific Equipment (Classroom Lessons)

    30 pencils
    Sticky notes
    Blackboard or flip chart
    Folders or binders for Fitness for Life student portfolios (1 per student; can have students provide)

    Specific Equipment (Activity Lessons)

    Area Management
       30 pinnies (6 colors, 5 pinnies/color)
       20 cones (6 slotted cones for activity cards)
       20 polyspots
       1 to 3 rolls of colored floor tape

    Balls and Play Equipment
       15 foam balls
       15 volleyballs
       15 basketballs
       2 old basketballs that have slippery surfaces
       15 playground balls
       15 soccer balls
       10 beach balls
       15 Wiffle balls
       15 tennis balls
       10 crazy balls
       10 hackey sacks
       5 footballs
       6 medicine balls (maximum 5 pounds [about 2 kg])
       10 plastic Frisbees
       10 foam Frisbees
       10 spinning Frisbees
       Balloons
       Variety of juggling implements (such as scarves, beanbags, balls)
       Badminton/pickleball nets (low nets for footvolley games)

    Exercise Equipment
       6 large calculators
       3 stopwatches
       20 exercise mats
       10 regular jump ropes
       5 speed jump ropes
       4 long ropes (for double dutch jumping)
       3 padded benches (weight benches or benches for seating with a soft pad)
       1 to 2 weight scales
       1 measuring tape (30 foot [9 meter])
       2 benches or 2 rows of bleachers
       10 elastic exercise bands for stretching and strengthening exercises
       48-inch wands, 3/4-inch diameter (dowelling with sanded ends)
       24-inch wands, 3/8-inch diameter (dowelling with sanded ends)
       Plastic rulers, 12-inch (30 centimeter)
       Yardsticks, 36-inch (1 meter)
       Back-saver sit-and-reach box
       PACER CD
       Music CDs for relaxation (soft music)
       Music CDs for activity (upbeat music)
       Music CDs for themes (such as surf music, circus music, training music, etc.)

    Specialized Equipment
       6 cotton 3/4-inch ropes (12 feet [4 meters])
       Dish detergent to make ropes slick
       3 to 5 plastic jars that have different types of lids (such as slippery or ridged)
       1 box of wet wipes
       4 carpet squares
       4 to 8 shoe boxes
       1 roll of duct tape
       1 aerobic dance/Tae Bo/kickboxing tape
       20 paper plates

    Optional Equipment
       Fitnessgram/Activitygram software
       35 pedometers
       15 to 30 heart rate monitors

  •   Corrections

    Click here to access a list of corrections to any Fitness for Life: Middle School materials.

  •   Maximal Heart Rate Formula: Keeping up to Date

    On page 41 of the Fitness for Life: Middle School student textbook, a chart provides students with target heart rate zones for building cardiovascular fitness. The text of that lesson includes a pointer to a Web topic that lets students calculate their target heart rate using two different methods (Web Topic 4.4). Students input their age, and their maximal heart rate is calculated.

    The maximal heart rate formula used for the target heart rate calculations is 208 — (.70 × age in years). This formula was developed by researchers interested in a more accurate formula than the one used in the past (220 — age in years). The researchers found that the old formula tends to be quite accurate for middle aged people (approximately 40 years old) but not so accurate for people older and younger than middle age.

    Since Fitness for Life: Middle School is meant for younger people, the student textbook uses the new formula, not the old formula.

    The following references contain the research on which the new formula is based.

    Schnirring, L. (2001). A new formula estimates maximal heart rate. The Physician and Sportsmedicine 29(7), 13-14.

    Tanaka, H. et al. (2001). Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. Journal of American College of Cardiology 37(1), 153-156.

    Gellish, R.L. et al. (2007)*. Longitudinal modeling of the relationship between age and maximal heart rate. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(5), 822-829.

    *This study, published six years after the revised formula was developed, suggests a slightly different formula from the one used in the Fitness for Life book. This formula (207 — [.7 × age]) is very similar and produces similar results. The research supports the use of the formula used in the book as opposed to the formula typically used in the past (220 — age).

  •   MyPyramid: Supplementing Student Text Content

    The Food Guide Pyramid from the 1990s has been revised and is now known as MyPyramid. Physical activity has been added as an important component, . Physical activity is represented as a stairway on the side of the pyramid. The steps in the stairway correspond very well with the various levels of the Physical Activity Pyramid as described in Fitness for Life: Middle School.

    The MyPyramid is shown here, with the types of activity from the Physical Activity Pyramid included. Click here to get more information on MyPyramid. Additional information on MyPyramid is available in the student text (chapter 8, pages 99 to 100) and at the Student Information page under Web Topic 8.8.

    
  •   ACSM Updated Physical Activity Recommendations for Adults

    American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association: Updated Physical Activity Recommendations for Adults

    In 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) published new recommendations for physical activity and health for adults (18-65) and for older adults (65 and older and people over 50 with health problems). The new recommendations are intended to eliminate confusion and misinterpretation associated with previous guidelines that have been issued by a variety of organizations and to clearly outline the amount of physical activity necessary for promoting good health. The new recommendations build on the adult physical activity recommendations of the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity (1996) published more than 10 years ago.

    The recommendations for adults are different from those for youth. Youth guidelines provide the basis for information for middle school and high school students presented in the Fitness for Life books. Guidelines for youth can be found in documents published by NASPE and CDC (see NASPE [2004] and Strong et al. [2007]). Although the adult recommendations are not explicitly used in the Fitness for Life books, it is important for teachers to be up to date on all physical activity recommendations, including those for adults.

    The new ACSM/AHA recommendations are similar to those of the surgeon general in 1996 that recommended at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity equal in intensity to brisk walking on most, or all, days of the week. The updated recommendations were improved in the following ways:

    • Moderate activity frequency was changed to 5 days a week minimum (from all or most days of the week). The intensity of moderate activity did not change.
    • Vigorous activity was explicitly incorporated. For those healthy adults who enjoy vigorous activity, it can be substituted for moderate activity. Vigorous activity should be done at least 3 days a week, for at least 20 minutes at target zone intensity (as described in Fitness for Life).
    • Moderate and vigorous activities are both included as methods of meeting the guidelines, and the two methods can be combined to meet guidelines. For more details see Haskell et al. (2007).
    • The recommended amount of aerobic activity is in addition to light activity and short bouts of daily activity (less than 10 minutes).
    • Emphasis is placed on the fact that amounts of activity above recommended minimum levels provide additional health benefits.
    • The minimum length of bouts of activity meeting recommendations is clarified as 10 minutes in length.
    • Muscle fitness exercises are now incorporated into the guidelines.
    • For clarification, minor wording changes were made.

    References

    Haskell, W.L., I. Lee, R. Pate, K. Powell, S.N. Blair, B.A. Franklin, C.A. Macera, G.W. Heath, P.D. Thopson, and A. Bauman. (2007). Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendations for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(8): 1424-1434.

    National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). (2004). Physical activity for children: A statement of guidelines for children ages 5-12. Reston, VA: NASPE.

    Nelson, M.E., J. Rejeski, S.N. Blair, P.W. Duncan, J.O. Judge, A.C. King, C.A. Macera, and C. Castaneda-Sceppa. (2007). Physical activity and public health in older adults: Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Health Association. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(8): 1435-1445.

    Strong, W.B., R.M. Malina, C.J. Blimkie, S. Daniels, R. Dishman, B. Gutin, A. Hergenroeder, A. Must, P. Nixon, and J. Pivarnik. (2007). Evidence-based physical activity for school-age youth. Journal of Pediatrics 146(6): 732-737.

    United States Department of Health and Human Services. (1996). Physical activity and health: A report of the surgeon general. Atlanta: Center for Chronic Disease Prevention.

  •   PAR-Q: Readiness for Physical Education

    PAR-Q stands for physical activity readiness questionnaire, and it was developed by researchers in Canada. Considerable research was conducted to develop the questionnaire with a goal of providing an instrument that would help people ages 15 to 65 determine if they are free of problems that would limit their participation in physical activity.

    Many middle school students are younger than 15 but still can benefit from reading the PAR-Q and answering the questions. Of course, middle school students should be advised not to make decisions about readiness for physical activities without consulting a parent or guardian. Students may want to ask their parents to take the questionnaire since their parents are in the appropriate age range.

    The PAR-Q is covered in greater detail in high school level Fitness for Life classes. For access to the PAR-Q, click here.

  •   New Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

    New Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

    On October 7, 2008, new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans were published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These guidelines are especially significant because they are the first guidelines to cover all age groups from children through senior adults. The guidelines are based on previous guidelines developed by a variety of professional and governmental associations and groups. The new guidelines have the clout of the government and the support of important physical activity groups such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), and the American Heart Association (AHA). Currently legislation is pending in congress to require DHHS to issue updated guidelines every five years, just as the government updates nutrition guidelines every five years.

    The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are based largely on previous guidelines published by ACSM, NASPE, CDC, and various committees representing professional groups. Many of the members of the current committee participated in the development of earlier guidelines. A summary of early guidelines for youth (Physical Activity for Children: Current Patterns and Guidelines) is available in the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest (June 2004). A summary of early guidelines for adults (Making Sense of Multiple Physical Activity Recommendations) is available at the same Web site (December 2002). References to the most relevant guidelines issued prior to the new DHHS guidelines, as well as DHHS documents related to the new guidelines, are included in the references list at the end of this document.

    In 2007, ACSM and AHA published new guidelines for young adults (Haskell et al., 2007) and older adults (Nelson et al., 2007). The new physical activity guidelines from DHHS are very similar to the ACSM/AHA guidelines, but there are some differences. It is recommended that you read both documents and visit both the DHHS Web site for the new activity guidelines and the ACSM Web site.

    Highlights of the new guidelines are summarized below.

    Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans—Summary. Department of Health and Human Services (www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/)
    

    Age group	Moderate activity	Vigorous activity	Muscle fitness
    Youth 6-17	Daily requirement. 1 hour or more a day. Either moderate or vigorous activity or a combination of the two.	Youth should perform vigorous activity on at least three days per week as part of meeting the guideline in the moderate activity box.	Youth should perform muscle and bone strengthening activity on at least three days per week.
    Adults 18-64	Weekly requirement. A minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activitya. Length of Activity Bouts Exercise sessions should be at least 10 minutes in length and should be spread throughout the week. Activity for Added Health Benefits Additional health benefits can be achieved by performing up to 5 hours per week (300 minutes) of moderate activity.	Weekly requirement. One hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activityb may be substituted for the 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity or combined with moderate activity. Length of Activity Bouts Exercise sessions should be at least 10 minutes in length and should be spread throughout the week. Activity for Added Health Benefits Additional health benefits can be achieved by performing up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of vigorous activity per week.	Adults should perform muscle-strengthening activities for all of the major muscle groups on two or more days of the weekc.
    Older adults	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows. Perform exercises to improve balance if at risk of falling.	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows.	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows.
    Adults with disabilities	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows. Avoid inactivity.	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows.	Follow adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows.
    Children and adolescents with disabilities	Follow youth guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows. Work with health care provider to identify types and amounts based on individual needs.	Follow youth guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows. Work with health care provider to identify types and amounts based on individual needs.	Follow youth guidelines. If this is not possible due to health status, perform as much as ability allows. Work with health care provider to identify types and amounts based on individual needs.
    Pregnant and postpartum women	2 hours and 30 minutes per week (spread throughout the week) for those not currently vigorously active. Consult with health care provider throughout pregnancy and postpartum period.	Women who are currently doing vigorous activity can continue this activity provided condition remains unchanged. Consult with health care provider throughout pregnancy and postpartum period.	No specific recommendation.

    ^a Note: The ACSM/AHA recommends moderate activity for 30 minutes on at least five days per week.
    ^b Note: The ACSM/AHA recommends vigorous activity for 20 minutes on at least three days per week.
    ^c Note: The ACSM/AHA recommends 8-12 repetitions of 10 muscle strength training exercises (for major muscle groups) on at least 2 days per week.

    References

    DHHS. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee report. Available free of charge at DHHS Web site.

    DHHS. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Available free of charge at DHHS Web site.

    DHHS. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans toolkit. Available free of charge at DHHS Web site.

    DHHS. At-a-glance: A fact sheet for professionals. Available free of charge at DHHS Web site.

    DHHS. Be active your way: A guide for adults. Available free of charge at DHHS Web site.

    Haskell, W.L., I. Lee, R.R. Pate, K.E. Powell, S.N. Blair, B.A. Franklin, C.A. Macera, G.W. Heath, P.D. Thompson, and A. Bauman. (2007). Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendations for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(8): 1424-1434.

    National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2004). Physical activity guidelines for children: A statement of guidelines ages 5-12. 2nd ed. Reston, VA: NASPE.

    Nelson, M.E., W.J. Rejeski, S.N. Blair, P.W. Duncan, J.O. Judge, A.C. King, C.A. Macera, and C. Castaneda-Sceppa. (2007). Physical activity and public health in older adults: Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Health Association. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and Sport 39(8): 1435-1445.

    Strong, W.B., R.M. Malina, C. Blimkie, S. Daniels, R. Dishman, B. Gutin, A. Hergenroeder, A. Must, P. Nixon, J. Pivarnik, T. Rowland, S. Trost, and F. Trudeau. (2005). Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth. Journal of Pediatrics 146: 732-737.

    Web Sites

    ACSM Guidelines

    DHHS Guidelines