Practical Programming for Physical Education

Rationale for Split Week Program

  • Limited Time:

    • Physical education programs have a limited time to teach a lot of material. Split week programming allows for fusing all the material in a short amount of time.

  • Foundational Elements Throughout:

    • Optimal learning requires interweaving key content throughout the week.
    • Traditional education often teaches a three-week unit, then moves on without connecting it to anything else, leading to forgotten information.
    • Split week programming takes foundational elements (movement quality, exercise, plan development) and interweaves them, building upon each other throughout the semester.
    • By the end of the semester, students are equipped with the tools to develop and implement their own health-enhancing fitness plans.

  • Engagement Through Variety:

    • A full year program keeps students engaged through variety by introducing new elements regularly.

  • Enhances Fitness:

    • Fitness education is a staple, enhancing fitness throughout the semester which motivates them to continue outside of the semester.
    • Success breeds success.

  • Enhance Functional Motor Competence:

    • Foundational functional movements (squat, hip hinge/deadlift, overhead press) are introduced and reinforced throughout the semester.
    • Students become great functional movers, applying it in their everyday life or in a fitness setting.

  • Individualized Fitness Plan Development:

    • Teach bits and pieces about how to develop their own fitness plan throughout the semester.
    • Assessments throughout the semester start small and grow larger, with feedback given to guide students.

Staples of Physical Education Fitness

  • Daily foundational fitness elements can be incorporated into warm-ups.

  • Squats and Lunges:

    • Functional movements with many variations.
    • Teach a wide variety to allow students to find the ones they like and can implement.
    • Targets musculature and enhances range of motion/functional movement.

  • Abdominal and Glute Exercises:

    • Abdominals, especially stabilization abdominals, are crucial for posture.
    • Teach a variety of plank exercises, along with traditional exercises like sit-ups and leg lifts.
    • Glute exercises are important because many people sit a lot, leading to weak glutes.
    • Weak glutes can cause lower back issues.
    • Teach bodyweight glute exercises.

  • Push Ups:

    • Include upper body pulls, but push ups are easier to implement without equipment.
    • Teach different push up variations to target different muscles (chest, triceps, anterior delt).

  • Hamstring, Hip, and Lower Back Range of Motion/Flexibility:

    • Implement stretches after workout for cooldown.
    • Focus on posterior chain stretches.
    • Implement static stretching after workouts, not before.

  • High Impact Loading (Plyometrics):

    • High compressive forces on the bone elicit peak bone mass density.
    • Important for building strong bones, especially in a society where kids are often sedentary.
    • Counteracts the lack of bone loading in modern lifestyles.

  • Weekly Foundational Fitness:

  • Heart Rate Above 70% Max Heart Rate:

    • Aim for at least 25 minutes above 145 bpm for youth.

    • Adult recommendations: 75 minutes of vigorous or 150 minutes of moderate physical activity.

    • Challenges the heart to get bigger and stronger.

    • Conditions students to vigorous physical activity, making it easier in the future.

    • Releases endorphins and dopamine.

      • Heart Rate Reserve=(Maximum Heart Rate−Resting Heart Rate)×%Intensity+Resting Heart Rate{\text{Heart Rate Reserve} = (\text{Maximum Heart Rate} - \text{Resting Heart Rate}) \times \% \text{Intensity} + \text{Resting Heart Rate}}

  • Skipping, Broad Jump, Jump Rope:

    • Skipping: Power skip, speed skip, directional (front, back, left, right) for mind-body alignment and rhythm.
    • Broad Jump: Coordinated movement evaluating lower body strength and explosiveness; recruits type II motor units.
    • Jump Rope: Coordination, rhythm, and movement; teach various drills and variations.

Backward Design

  • Start with the end in mind:

    • What must students know and be able to do before they leave you?
    • Identify imperative objectives and structure teaching around them.

  • Secondary physical education should focus on developing healthy fitness plans.

Overview of Split Week Program

  • Health-related fitness education is the foundation, with three days dedicated to it.

  • Outdoor recreation, sports and games, or rhythmic activities fill the other two days.

  • Monday (Day 1):

    • Bodyweight movement and knowledge application.
    • Focus on exercising without equipment.
    • Knowledge components: benefits of exercise, goal setting, time management, fitness plan development.

  • Wednesday (Day 3):

    • Weight room and knowledge application.
    • Learn how to lift in a weight room or fitness facility.
    • Knowledge components directed towards working in a weight room or fitness facility.

  • Friday (Day 5):

    • Knowledge component: heart rate, heart rate zones, cardiovascular fitness.
    • Cardio workout, with nutrition education or small-sided gameplay directed towards cardiovascular enhancement.

Deeper Dive into Each Day

  • Monday (Day 1): Fitness Education

    • 50% Physical Activity

    • Educational Warm-Up:

      • Includes: Squats, lunges, abdominals, glutes, plyometrics, upper body push and pull.

    • Teach Movements:

      • Squat, lunge, burpee, hip hinge, split squat, one leg dead lift, push up, pull up, body weight movements etc.

    • Educational Workout:

      • Teach ways to program, various workout structures
      • AMRAP, chipper, Tabata, etc.
        *Two minutes static stretches with cooldown

    • Closure and Application:
      *Review contents taught, check for understanding
      *Knowledge: components from week one on establishing fitness plans

  • Day 2: Outdoor Rec, Sport, Game, Rhythmic Activity

    • 75% Physical Activity
    • Fitness Education:
      *Fitness plan development; educational warmup/ workout
      Teach area skills

  • Day 3: Weight Room
    *Auxiliary and Foundational lifts
    *Give instructions during educational workout
    Two minutes static stretching cooldown
    *Knowledge application and closure of lessons

  • Day 4: Outdoor Rec, Sport, Game, Rhythmic Activity

    • 75% Physical Activity
      *Fitness plan skill work outs

*

  • Day 5 :Cardiovascular fitness
    75%PA or 35%PA
    Check heart, rest rate, cardio
    Different activities

  • Day 5 (Friday):

    • Knowledge component: heart rate, heart rate zones, cardiovascular fitness.
      *If heart not wrong everything can impact

      *

*

    • Nutrition to Education:
      *Natural foods, cut processed foods
      *Have plan that's 80/20 with the use of natural foods and processed foods
      *Different gameplay

Models discussed

  • Total Program time break downs:
    • 225 minute/ week for program overall *Total PA 585% or higher

      • *Fitness Ed. around 70%
        *Different split models and ideas for curriculums
        Minimum 60/40 or 70/30 models for physical education in schools
        Conclude it by talking about outcomes in different areas and the goals