Texas Health Skills for High School: Engaging in Physical Activity

Lesson 8.1 Understanding Physical Activity and Fitness

• Essential Question: What does it mean to be active and fit?
• Physical Activity vs. Exercise (Myth vs. Fact):
  • Myth: All physical activities are exercises.
  • Fact: Exercise is only one specific type of physical activity. It is characterized as being planned, structured, and intended specifically to increase physical fitness.
  • Fact: Other forms of physical activity, such as carrying groceries or biking with friends, do not count as formal exercise even though they involve movement.
• Defining Physical Fitness:
  • Physical fitness is defined as the body’s ability to respond to the physical demands placed upon it.
  • It involves having the energy required to perform daily life activities.
  • It also includes having the energy to meet unexpected physical demands, such as being suddenly active with friends.
• Categories of Fitness:
  • Health-Related Fitness: Fitness used to perform daily activities with energy and ease.
  • Skill-Related Fitness: Fitness used specifically to perform a sport or a leisure activity.
• Components of Health-Related Fitness:
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness.
  • Endurance.
  • Muscle strength.
  • Flexibility.
  • Body composition.
• Components of Skill-Related Fitness:
  • Speed.
  • Agility (defined in the review as the ability to rapidly change the body’s momentum and direction).
  • Balance.
  • Power.
  • Coordination.
  • Reaction time.

Benefits of Physical Activity

• Physical Health Benefits:
  • Lower risk of various diseases.
  • Stronger bones and muscles.
  • Better weight management and improved body composition.
  • Higher-quality sleep.
• Cognitive and Social Benefits:
  • Improved mental, emotional, and social health.
  • Better academic performance.
• Daily Habit Changes to Increase Activity:
  • Watching less TV.
  • Spending less time using the computer.
  • Joining a team sport.
  • Jogging with a friend each morning.
  • Walking or biking to and from school at least one day per week.

Lesson 8.2 Getting Enough Physical Activity

• Essential Question: What skills can you use to get enough physical activity?
• Differentiating Behaviors:
  • Active Behaviors: Engaging in movement and physical exertion.
  • Sedentary Behaviors: Activities that involve little to no movement; the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting these.
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (Ages 6–17):
  • Daily Duration: $1$hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day.
  • Primary Focus: The majority of daily activity should be spent on aerobic activities.
  • Muscle-Strengthening: Activities should be performed at least $3$days a week.
  • Bone-Strengthening: Activities should be performed at least $3$days a week.
• Strategies for Engaging in Activity:
  • Choose physical activities that you enjoy.
  • Integrate activity naturally into daily life.
  • Take advantage of local school and community programs.
  • Participate in cross training, which is defined as participation in various types of physical activity to help improve skill in another type.

Managing Intensity, Strength, and Flexibility

• FITT Factors: To increase fitness, one should vary the following factors:
  • F: Frequency.
  • I: Intensity.
  • T: Time.
  • T: Type.
• Target Heart Rate Calculations:
  • Maximum Heart Rate Formula: $220 - \text{age in years} = \text{maximum heart rate}$
  • Target Heart Rate (THR): The measurement of the number of heartbeats per minute that is safe and effective for a given intensity.
  • Moderate-Intensity Activity: Target heart rate should be $50\% - 70\%$of maximum heart rate ($\times 0.5 - 0.7$).
  • Vigorous-Intensity Activity: Target heart rate should be $70\% - 85\%$of maximum heart rate ($\times 0.7 - 0.85$).
• Stretching and Flexibility Guidelines:
  • Frequency: Stretch muscles regularly, at least $2$to $3$days each week.
  • Warm-Up: Perform a warm-up for $5 - 10$minutes before stretching to increase heart rate and blood flow to muscles.
  • Sensation: Stretch until you feel tightness, but never to the point of pain.
  • Duration: Hold each stretch for $10 - 30$seconds.
  • Technique: Do not bounce while stretching. Breathe naturally to ensure oxygen is provided to the muscles.
  • Repetition: Repeat each stretch $2$to $4$times to work the muscle and increase flexibility.

Questions & Discussion

• 8.1 Lesson Review:
  • Question: What is the difference between physical activity and exercise?
  • Response: Exercise is a specific physical activity that is structured, planned, and intended to increase physical fitness.
  • Question: What brain chemicals that improve mood are released during physical activity?
  • Response: Endorphins.
  • Question: Which component of skill-related fitness refers to the ability to rapidly change the body’s momentum and direction?
  • Response: Agility.
• 8.2 Lesson Review:
  • Question: What does the acronym FITT stand for?
  • Response: Frequency, intensity, time, and type.
  • Question: What is the measurement of the number of heartbeats per minute that is safe and effective for a given intensity?
  • Response: Target heart rate.
  • Question: What is cross training?
  • Response: Participation in various types of physical activity to help improve skill in another type.
• Warm-Up Activity Statements (Agree/Disagree):
  1. Physical activity mostly benefits physical health. (Note: It also significantly benefits mental, emotional, social, and academic health).
  2. Walking to school and between classes is physical activity. (True).
  3. Physical fitness is based on how you look. (False; it is based on the body's ability to respond to physical demands).
  4. Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the strength of your heart and lungs. (True).
  5. You cannot be too flexible. (Considered a prompt for student research).
  6. Coordination refers to the gracefulness of your movements. (Considered a prompt for student research).