9-18181 WA2-2003 Fitness Gr8 ADP 5-1-03 i
Fitness Performance
Assessment
A Classroom-Based Assessment
for Washington Students
Grade 5
A Component of the
Washington State Assessment Program
9-18186 WA2-2002 Fitness CD Gr5 ADP 7-28-03 ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Health Fitness Award c hart adapted from The President� s Challenge Physical
Activity and Fitness Awards Program booklet. Reprinted by permission.
Standards for Healthy F itness Zone Charts from Fitnessgram: T est Administration
Manual. Reprinted with permission of The Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX.
FITNESSGRAM� is a registered trademark of The Cooper Institute for Aerobic
Research.
Copyright � 2003 by W ashington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. All
rights reserved. Educational institutions within the State of Washington have
permission to reproduce this document. All other individuals wishing to reproduce this
document must contact OSPI.
1
A Model for Conducting Fitness Performance Assessments
Introduction
F itness assessments encompass a variety of measures designed to
provide individualized feedbac k regarding one�s overall fitness status
and/or physiological responses to physical effort. Fitness assessments
can and should be developmentally appropriate.
Fitness assessments may include �traditional� assessments such as those
of VO
2
max with the one-mile w alking test, or more simplistic
assessments of basic physiological responses such as heart rate during
moderate physical activity. The purpose of fitness assessments is not
solely to rate an individual� s fitness. In fact, an education assessment
might provide physiological feedback regarding a process that can then
be used to explain and illustrate fundamental fitness principles. A
simple measure of resting heart rate, followed by a determination of
heart rate during exercise, followed by an assessment of recovery heart
rate can constitute a broad interpretation of what fitness assessments
represent in an educational setting. Such an assessment:
� provides physiological feedbac k for the student, and
� can be used to illustrate important concepts regarding how heart
rate responses vary dependent upon cardiovascular fitness level.
Although fitness assessments provide some �concrete� information, they
are not without fla ws and concerns. Fitness assessments should not be
used without careful consideration of the benefits and ramifications they
might bring to a learning environment. The following is a short list of
what fitness assessments can do and a list of what they cannot do.
F itness assessments should be used in the curriculum to:
� provide an opportunity to teac h and reinforce essential concepts
related to the benefits and importance of choosing to live a
healthy lifestyle now and in the future
� provide an opportunity to teac h students how to self-assess their
own health-related fitness throughout their lives
� provide students with confidential baseline information from
whic h accurate and reasonable short-term and long-term fitness
and activity goals can be established
� provide a forum for teac hing students the theory, rationale,
accuracy and appropriate use of fitness assessments throughout
their lives, and
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� provide an opportunity to critically reflect on how individual
differences, inc luding genetic and maturity levels and/or goal
setting and personal programming accuracies or errors, might
ha ve impacted perceived or expected fitness progress.
F itness assessments should not be used in the curriculum to:
� evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum in physical education,
health, or fitness
� evaluate the effectiveness of teaching
� determine to any degree student grades in physical education,
health, or fitness
� make blind assumptions regarding student physical activity levels
� prove student health status, or
� provide a basis for punishment or rewards.
Specific Issues and Special Concer ns in Conducting Fitness
Assessments of Children and Youth
Developmental and Physiological Considerations�A Brief Synopsis
Issues in Cardiorespiratory Functioning
Aerobic function expressed as a relative measure of oxygen consumption
(VO
2
peak in ml/kg/min) is similar between children, adolescents, and
adults. However, the biomec hanical efficiency of movement is
considerably compromised in younger children and pre-adolescents. This
biomec hanical disadvantage makes locomotor skills utilized in most
fitness assessments of VO
2
peak more costly in c hildren compared to
adults. As such, VO
2
peak represents the physiological functioning of the
cardiorespiratory system in c hildren and youth but fails to be a strong
reflection of cardiorespiratory endurance. In other words, children and
youth might be unduly fatigued due to biomechanical disadvantages in
movement patterns. As c hildren grow, the movement patterns become
more efficient and allow for an �artificial� improvement of VO
2
peak to
be achieved (or for VO
2
peak to remain unc hanged despite actual
reductions in the physiological capacity of the aerobic system). The
implication of this is that the tracking of VO
2
measures over time is
likely to be positively influenced by naturally occurring improvements in
biomec hanical movement patterns.
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Maximum heart rate is higher in children and adolescents than in
adults. Children and adolescents have lower stroke volume, which is
partially compensated for by an increase in heart rate. However, total
cardiac output remains lower than that of adults until the late teenage
years. The implication of this is that predictions of maximum heart rate
(suc h as 220 � age) are less useful for children or early adolescents. This
is a critical issue as most field tests of cardiorespiratory endurance use
an estimate of maximum heart rate as a fundamental point to which
submaximal responses are extrapolated (such extrapolations are the
basis for most prediction equations).
Because c hanges pertaining to the cardiorespiratory system will be
dependent upon maturational timing (rather than chronological age),
attempting to adjust for c hanges based solely on chronological age
becomes problematic. Early- or late-maturing adolescents will be
adversely affected by suc h adjustments.
Finally, to further complicate the above issues, differences exist between
boys and girls with regard to the pattern of change seen over time. For
boys, relative measures of VO
2
peak remain largely unchanged between
the ages of 8 and 16 before beginning a gradual decline into adulthood.
However, girls show a rather constant dec line in relative measures of
VO
2
peak beginning sometime between the ages of 10 and 12. These
c hanges are due in part to maturational factors including, but not
limited to, changes in body composition. The implication of this is that
the tracking of relative fitness measures over time might inadvertently
benefit boys over girls even when activity levels between both groups are
similar.
Issues in Muscular F
itness
Musc le fiber number and type is fixed within the first year of life. As a
result, there is a large genetic and uncontrolled factor governing
musculoskeletal performance of humans. However, most health-related
thresholds are reasonable and can be accomplished by the vast majority
of individuals with training. Nerve development, motor unit activation,
muscle fiber size, and testosterone are all lower in the child/prepubertal
adolescent than in adults. As a result they exhibit less strength, power,
and muscular endurance per unit of weight than adults. Due to
musculoskeletal immaturity, maximum strength testing should be
avoided in c hildren and young adolescents.
4
There are minimal differences in strength measures between boys and
girls before puberty. However, during and after puberty, boys increase
musc le mass and girls increase fat mass under the influence of
testosterone and estrogen, respectively.
1
The gap in maximal strength
measures widens between the sexes as maturity progresses, becoming
more evident in upper body versus lower body locations.
The practical implication of these differences suggests that muscular
strength and endurance assessments will naturally improve for boys,
even without physical activity or effort, and will naturally tend to
decrease in girls, even with regular physical activity. As such,
assessments of these components must account for these changes.
P oor flexibility is typically not an issue for children and adolescents.
However, despite popular conceptions, children are not always more
flexible than adults, and girls are not always more flexible than boys.
Some patterns that ha ve been established with regard to particular
muscle groups/joints include:
� Anterior lumbar flexibility decreases during adolescence in both
boys and girls, but regains earlier levels of flexibility during
adulthood.
� Lateral spinal flexibility increases during adolescence and then
declines throughout adulthood.
� Hamstring flexibility (as measured by the Sit-and-Reach) improves
consistently in girls ages 5�18, but exhibits a �U-shaped
progression� in boys, and the values for girls are generally higher
than for boys.
During periods of rapid growth, the musculoskeletal structures become
tighter across joints, potentially temporarily impacting performance (and
increasing injury risk) on flexibility measures. The practical implications
suggest that flexibility as tested by common measures may be somewhat
subject to individual differences in maturation and growth rates.
Issues in Body Composition
Body composition is a complex and controversial topic, even without
adding in the considerable developmental issues.
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Body composition testing in sc hools should take the following into
consideration:
1. There are significant methodological concerns with body
composition testing in general, and the most commonly used
techniques in sc hools are fraught with the most potential for
error.
2. Interpretation of results is not clear-cut or agreed upon,
especially when dealing with the results of children and
adolescents.
3. F atness as an independent risk factor for disease is not without
considerable legitimate argument (such as the well-established
overriding effects of regular physical activity in attenuating
disease risk).
4. Results of tests, accurate or not, can inadvertently reinforce
cultural prejudices and ma y serve to further accentuate
obsessions with thinness, feelings of fatness, and related negative
health behaviors.
When body composition is conducted in schools, comprehensive and
accurate education about body composition (including genetic
influences/individual differences , fat distribution patterning issues,
assessment limitations, how to interpret results responsibly and in a
greater context of health/fitness , how physical activity and exercise can
help to maintain the best body composition for each individual but not
the same composition for all individuals, etc.) should be provided and
supplemented with optional body composition testing. If testing is done,
testing procedures and results should be kept confidential.
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Common Questions and Answers Regarding Fitness Assessments
W hat are criterion-referenced standards?
Criterion-referenced standards are predetermined standards of
performance tied to specified domains of behavior. Health-related
criterion-referenced standards attempt to establish the minimal
threshold of a fitness measure that is necessary for the attenuation of
disease risk. Criterion-referenced standards are different from
norm-referenced standards. Norm-referenced standards compare student
performance on a test to the scores of other students having common
characteristics. Suc h standards offer no comparison to any meaningful
health criterion, and often serve to dissuade or discourage children who
rank in the lower percentages.
Despite the advantages of using criterion-referenced standards
(primarily inc luding the potential for all to succeed and the apparent
connection to meaningful health information), it must be noted that
most criterion-referenced standards set for children and youth are based
on normative scores, empirical evidence, and judgment, not on scientific
studies.
2,3
This is understandable given that children and youth do not
generally suffer from c hronic illness or die from lifestyle-related
diseases. Thus, it is impossible to truly establish threshold levels that
are scientifically meaningful. Nonetheless, criterion-referenced
standards are deemed more appropriate for use in the interpretation of
fitness assessments than are norm-referenced standards.
How do fitness assessments, if they aren�t good, correlate to health
or activity in youth?
F itness assessments are valuable learning tools and can be used to
personalize and reinforce important concepts. They also allow for
meaningful and relevant fitness and activity goals to be set that follow
the principles of overload and progression. As long as students
understand their inherent limitations and use them in the context of
comprehensive fitness education, fitness assessments are meaningful
and valuable.
Should I grade students based on their scores?
Since fitness assessments are greatly influenced by maturational timing,
genetics, gender, body type, body size, and body mechanics, and are less
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influenced by time or effort spent in physical activity, it is inappropriate
to tie fitness assessment scores to student grades.
Is it okay to grade students based on their improvement from the
beginning of the semester to the end?
Due to maturation, most students will post improvements in fitness
assessments without any effort up through puberty. Following puberty,
it is unlikely that time spent in physical education will result in
significant gains in fitness for all students. Furthermore, students who
are engaged in extracurricular activities will have an advantage over
students who are not engaged in extracurricular activities.
Although some might view this as acceptable (or even desirable), it
creates unethical and unintentional discrimination against those
students who are unable to be active outside of school due to
socioeconomical, cultural, or other barriers beyond their personal control.
Furthermore, error in the accuracy of prediction equations (the basis for
most assessments) can hide or exaggerate true change in unpredictable
ways. Finally, students ma y try to �beat the system� by intentionally
performing below their ability on the pretest, in order to assure
improvement on the posttest.
4
Therefore, it is probably not wise to use
improvement scores as a required component of a student�s grade.
How do I make time to do all of these fitness assessments?
Testing students in a �pull out� is time-consuming and compromises
overall supervision of activities . Having students self-assess or
peer -assess fitness can be a viable and defensible way to save time and
achieve learning objectives. Conducting mass testing, establishing a
testing circuit, or using partners for testing are recognized strategies.
However, if peer assessments are used, it is critical that students be
permitted to self-select their partners. Potential inaccuracies from the
lac k of testing experience must be clearly acknowledged when peer- or
self-assessment strategies are employed.
Wo n�t allowing students to self-assess their fitness create even more error?
Yes. Again, what is the purpose of the testing and what is the philosophy
and goal of the educational program? Rarely is �accurately assessing the
fitness levels of students� a high priority objective within a quality
educational program.
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W hy isn�t student improvement a reflection of the curriculum or my
teaching?
Student improvement in fitness measures is more closely related to
maturational timing, genetics, gender, body type, body size, and body
mec hanics than to effort or time spent in physical activity. Regardless,
excellent teac hing implies that learning has occurred. Measures of
physical fitness ha ve no established correlation to knowledge or
understanding of fitness concepts . On the other hand, assessments that
demonstrate a student� s ability to apply fitness concepts and principles
to real-life situations can be used to evaluate program effectiveness.
Introductory comments prepared by Karen E. McConnell, Ph.D, CHES, and
reviewed by Pam Tollefsen, R.N., M.Ed, Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction.
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Cited References:
1. Plowman, S. S. �Children Aren�t Miniature Adults: Similarities and
Differences in Physiological Responses to Exercise.� ACSM�s Health and
Fitness Journal 5 (2001): 5�6.
2. Corbin, C. B. �Physical Activity for Everyone: What Every Educator
Should Know About Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity.� JTPE 21,
no. 2 (January 2002).
3. Corbin, C. B. �Physical F itness in the K�12 Curriculum: Some Defensible
Solutions to Perennial Problems.� JOPERD 58, no. 7 (1987): 49�57.
4. Strand, B. N., Scantling, E., and Johnson, M. Fitness Education:
Teaching Concepts Based F itness in the Schools. Scottsdale, Arizona:
Gorsuch Scarisbric k Publishers, 1997.
Additional References:
Allsbrook, L. �Fitness Should Fit Children.� JOPERD , (August 1992):
47�49.
Bouchard, C. �Heredity and Health-related Fitness.� Physical Activity
and Fitness Research Digest 1, no. 4 (1987): 1�8.
Bouchard, C., Shephard, R.J. and Stephens, T., eds. Physical Activity,
Fitness and Health: International Proceedings and Consensus Statement.
Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1994.
Brynteson, P., and Adams, T. M. �The Effects of Conceptually Based
Physical Education Programs on Attitudes and Exercise Habits of
College Alumni After 2 to 11 Y ears of Follow-up.� Research Quarterly for
Exercise and Sport. 64, no. 2 (1993): 208�212.
Cureton, K. J. and Wa rren, G. L. �Criterion-referenced Standards for
Youth Health-related Fitness T ests: A Tutorial.� Research Quarterly for
Exercise and Sport 61, no. 1 (1990): 7�19.
Pangrazi, R. P., and Corbin, C. B. �Physical Activity for Children and
Youth.� JOPERD 67, no. 4 (1996): 38�43.
Pangrazi, R. P. and Corbin, C. B. �Physical Fitness: Questions Teachers
Ask.� JOPERD 64, no. 7 (1993): 14�19.
Pangrazi, R. P., Corbin, C. B., and Welk, G. �Physical Activity for
Children and Youth.� JOPERD 67, no. 4 (April 1996).
Park, R. J. �Measurement of Physical Fitness: A Historical Perspective.�
ODPHP Monograph Series (1991): 1�37
Slava, S., et al. �Long T erm Effects of a Conceptual Physical Education
Program.� Research Quarterly f or Exercise and Sport 55, no. 2 (1984):
161�168.
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Assessment Administration Considerations
This model fitness assessment is provided to assist schools not currently
using one of the most commonly available fitness assessments (such as
the Fitnessgram and the President�s Challenge ) to provide items that can
be used in conjunction with instruction for students in grades 5, 8, and
high school. It is not intended to replace fitness assessments already in
use. It is hoped that a fitness assessment will be used to assist students
in learning how they can self-assess and monitor their own fitness levels
throughout their lives, analyze their results, set goals, and create a plan
to maintain or improve their measurements.
A suggested student record form and a fitness planning log/journal are
provided to assist in connecting the performance of fitness assessments
to understanding how they apply to the health and fitness essential
academic learning requirements.
More than one option of measurement is provided for each component of
fitness. For some options, additional instructions are provided to assist
in preparing to conduct a fitness assessment for your students.
Car
dior espirator y�options
One-Mile Run �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Students who ha ve not experienced running this distance should be
provided an opportunity at least several days prior to the assessment date
to run/w alk this distance. This will allow them to experience the length of
the course and to realize how pacing will help them to do their best.
The Pacer �Grade 5
Teachers ma y obtain a copy of a tape or CD for this assessment from the
Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research or from Human Kinetics.
The Step Test �Grade 8 and High School
This assessment requires students to step to a 4-beat cadence. This can
be provided through a tape or CD created by the teacher or by use of a
metronome. The pace calls for 96 beats per minute for a stepping rate of
24 completed steps per minute. The YMCA protocol provides for a
12-inch bench height. A prerecorded tape is available from Fitnessgram ,
Human Kinetics.
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Muscular F itness�options
Flexed-Arm Hang �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Pull-Ups �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Modified Pull-Ups �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Push-Ups �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Note: An additional option to this assessment would be a modified
push-up in which the student lea ves both the feet and knees on the floor.
Curl-Ups �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Fle
xibility�options
Back Saver Sit-and-Reach �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
This option requires a modified box approximately twelve inches high with
a yardstic k secured on the top. The yardstick extends over the top of the
box with the nine-inc h mark at the edge of the box nearest the student.
Trunk Lift (Prone Arm Lift) �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
V Sit-and-Reach �Grades 5, 8, and High Sc hool
Bod
y Composition�options
The concept of body composition is important for students to
understand. Body composition is complex in its implications to many
students. In terms of its relationship to overall fitness, levels of physical
activity ma y be a better measure than body composition. Actual
assessment of this component of fitness is provided as an option at the
high-school level. Only one of the options included in this model, the skin
caliper measurement, actually provides a measure for percentage of lean
body mass or percentage of body fat. The body mass index measures the
ratio of body weight to body height. It cannot actually determine the
percentage of body fat and lean body mass.
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Many sc hools use a variety of other resources to measure body fat
percentages. Reliability for most of them is subject to variables including
hydration, time of day, and medications a student may be taking.
Body composition measurements should be offered only as an option for
students and in a private setting . Prior to conducting body composition
measurements, students should receive instruction about the positive
and negative elements of body fat, the importance of balance in eating
patterns, and physical activity and the normal genetic variations in body
structure, as well as differences between males and females.
Skin Caliper �High School
Body Mass Index �High School
Norms and Standar
ds�options
Norms and standards are a vailable from several sources for each of the
assessments provided. Those most commonly used in schools include:
The President� s Challenge Physical Fitness Program
400 East 7
th
Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-3085
www .indiana.edu/~preschal
FITNESSGRAM, Human Kinetics
P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
www .americanfitness.net
Norms and standards are included in the Appendix.
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Student Name ________________________________________
Fitness Name of Test Practice Score(s) Best Score DateComponent
STUDENT FITNESS ASSESSMENT RECORD
Student Name ________________________________________
Fitness Name of Test Practice Score(s) Best Score DateComponent
STUDENT FITNESS ASSESSMENT RECORD
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My Fitness Journal
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________________________________
Fitness Component: ______________________________________________
Name of Assessment: _____________________________________________
Measurement Results:
Analysis of Results:
My goal for this component of fitness:
My plan for reaching this goal (inc lude principles of FITT) :
Meeting My Goals:
Barriers that could affect my plan:
Strategies to overcome these barriers:
Identify two forms of physical activity you enjoy and describe
how they will help you meet your fitness goal:
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Assessment Activity: One-Mile Run
Fitness Category: Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Testing Procedure:
The teac her selects a one-mile flat course, free of obstacles and safety
concerns.
The teacher will use a stopwatc h to measure how long it takes a student
to complete a one-mile run.
The student will:
� warm up
� start to run on the teacher� s call
� pace him- or herself by finding a comfortable pace that is
maintainable for the entire mile
� be permitted to w alk if he or she can no longer run; however, when
walking, the student should try to walk at a fast pace instead of
strolling.
The teac her will inform the student of his or her time as he or she
crosses the finish line.
The student will record his or her time on the individual record form.
Norms can be used to help students assess their measurements. Norms
and standards have been inc luded in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: Y our fitness program should include
activities that use the cardiorespiratory system for 20 minutes or more,
three to four times per week. Recommended heart rate levels during the
activities should be between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate
for improvement to occur.
An aerobic w arm up should be included in all daily activities. Perform
activities including, but not limited to, the following: running, walking,
swimming, cross-country skiing, and sports. Aerobic dance activities are
highly recommended. Inc lude circuit training as a regular part of your
program to promote improvement.
Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: The Pacer
Fitness Category: Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Testing Procedure:
This activity ma y take place on a level field or in a gym. There are two
lines 20 meters apart, one at eac h end of the activity area.
The student:
� will start at the first line (a CD or tape will start with an
explanation of the test and a countdown to the start of the test)
� will run across the area to the second line when they hear �Go�
� will have nine seconds to reac h the second line in the beginning of
the test
� who is not at the second line by the sound of the beep will incur a
mistake (two mistakes end the test for any student)
� who makes it to the second line in time will turn around and run
bac k to the first line when the beep sounds, but not
before the
beep.
This will continue for one minute. At that time the students will hear a
triple beep. The triple beep means the students should continue, but the
time frame to get across the area has just been reduced by a half second.
Time will keep decreasing every minute, and the pace will get faster. A
partner or the teac her will count the number of lines a student runs.
The student will record his or her time on the individual record form.
Norms can be used to help students assess their measurements. Norms
and standards have been included in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: Y our fitness program should include
activities that use the cardiorespiratory system for 20 minutes or more,
three to four times per week. Recommended heart rate levels during the
activities should be between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate
for improvement to occur.
An aerobic w arm up should be included in all daily activities. Perform
activities including, but not limited to, the following: running, walking,
swimming, cross-country skiing, and sports. Aerobic dance activities are
highly recommended. Inc lude circuit training as a regular part of your
program to promote student improvement.
Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: Flexed-Arm Hang
Fitness Category: Muscular Endurance
T esting Procedure:
The student will:
� grab the horizontal bar with an overhand grip, palms facing
forward
� be assisted so that his or her arms are flexed, the chin is above the
bar, and the body hangs straight down.
A spotter ma y hold a rigid arm against the student�s legs to prevent the
student from swinging. As soon as this position is reached, the teacher
will start a stopwatch. Time is stopped when the chin touches, goes
below the bar, or the head tilts backward.
The student will record his or her time on the individual record form.
Norms can be used to help students assess their measurements. Norms
and standards have been inc luded in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: P erform the flexed-arm hang two or
three times a week and do sets of regular pull-ups two to three times a
week.
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Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: Pull-Ups
Fitness Category: Muscular Endurance
T esting Procedure:
The student will:
� grasp a horizontal bar above the head with palms facing forward
and arms fully extended
� raise his or her body until the chin is above the bar
� lower him- or herself until the arms are fully extended.
If the student fails to either get the chin above the bar or to fully extend
the arms when lowering the body, or if he or she swings or bends the
legs to aid the motion, it is a correction. The test ends when the student
receives two corrections.
The student will record his or her number completed on the individual
record form. Norms can be used to help students assess their
measurements. Norms and standards have been included in the
Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: P erform sets of pull-ups and sets of
partner -assisted pull-ups and practice the flexed-arm hang two to three
times a week.
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Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: Modified Pull-Ups
Fi tness Category: Muscular Endurance
Testing Procedure:
The teac her will provide a modified pull-up bar with a parallel elastic
band stretched 7 to 8 inc hes below the bar.
The student will:
� lie facing up, under the modified pull-up bar
� be assisted in grabbing the bar with the palms facing toward the feet
� begin with straight arms and only the heels touching the floor
� pull his or her straight body toward the bar until the chin is above
the elastic band (an alternate method is to require the student to
raise the c hin as high as the bar).
If the student stops to rest or fails to keep the body straight, it is a
correction. The test ends when the student receives two corrections, and
the partner will tell the student how many pull-ups were completed.
The student will record his or her number completed on the individual
record form. Norms can be used to help students assess their
measurements. Norms and standards have been included in the
Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: P erform sets of modified pull-ups two
to three times a week.
Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: Push-Ups
Fitness Category: Muscular Endurance
T esting Procedure:
The student will:
� lie face-down on a mat with the hands beneath the shoulders and
the palms down and elbows up; the legs will be straight and
slightly apart, and the toes will be bent forward
� raise the body until the arms are fully extended, and then lower
the body until the upper and lower arms form a right angle (the
body should be held in a straight line, from head to heels, during
each repetition)
� complete one push-up approximately every three seconds.
The partner will count the number completed. If the student slows to
rest, fails to fully extend the arms, or neglects to lower him- or herself
until the 90-degree angle is formed, it is a correction. The test ends when
the student receives two corrections, and the partner will tell the
student how many push-ups were completed.
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Performance Tasks
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Performance Tasks
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The student will record his or her number completed on the individual
record form. Norms can be used to help students assess their
measurements. Norms and standards have been included in the
Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: P erform sets of push-ups throughout
the week. P erform bicep and tricep exercises with weight machines and
free weights.
Assessment Activity: Curl-Ups
Fitness Category: Muscular Endurance
T esting Procedure:
The student will:
� lie on his or her back on a gym mat with both feet flat on the floor
and the knees bent (a partner will hold the head and count how
many curl-ups are completed)
� ha ve both arms crossed, with the hands on the opposite shoulders;
hands and arms remain in contact with the body; the objective is to
isolate abdominals
� pull his or her belly button towards the spine and flatten the lower
back against the floor
� slowly contract his or her abdominals, bringing the shoulder blades
one to two inches off the floor
� exhale as he or she comes up keeping the neck straight and
chin up
� return to the starting position.
This will be performed for one timed minute. The partner will tell the
student the number of curl-ups completed in this time.
Performance Tasks
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The student will record his or her number completed on the
individual record form. Norms can be used to help students assess
their measurements. Norms and standards have been included in
the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: P erform sets of curl-ups throughout
the week.
Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: Back Saver Sit-and-Reach
Fitness Category: Flexibility
Testing Procedure:
Prior to participating in flexibility measurements, students should
engage in mild cardiorespiratory activities such as brisk walking or slow
jogging to warm up musc le groups.
The student will:
� remove shoes, sit on the floor, and place the bottom of one foot
against the interior w all of a modified box (the other leg will be bent
suc h that the foot is on the ground a few inches from the inside of
the first knee)
� place one hand on top of the other, palms facing down, and slowly
lean forw ard until he or she feels slight discomfort
� repeat this four times and hold the last one for one second so that
the partner can measure and record the reach.
The student will repeat the exercise for the other leg. The leg being
measured must remain straight, and the hands must move forward
evenly. The hips must also remain square to the box.
The student will record his or her distances on the individual record
form. Norms can be used to help students assess their measurements.
Norms and standards have been inc luded in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: Stretch on a daily basis, before
and after exercising. Develop a stretching routine that will work all
the muscles in the body.
Performance Tasks
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Assessment Activity: T runk Lift (Prone Arm Lift)
Fitness Category: Flexibility
Testing Procedure:
The student will:
� lie face down holding a ruler or a stick in both hands; fists should
be tight and facing down
� raise his or her arms and the stick as high as possible; forehead
should remain on the floor and the arms should remain straight
� remain still while a spotter measures the height of the stick with
a ruler
� return to resting position.
The spotter will tell the student the distance between the ground and
ruler. The student will record the height on the individual record form.
Norms can be used to help students assess their measurement. Norms
and standards have been inc luded in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: To increase your lower-bac k strength,
perform toe-touching exercises, while using a straight back and bringing
the trunk up to a standing position.
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Assessment Activity: V Sit-and-Reach
Fi tness Category: Flexibility
Testing Procedure:
The teac her marks two lines on the floor forming a capital �T.� The top
line of the �T� should measure two feet long. The leg of the �T� is the
measuring line and should ha ve inch increments numbered on it,
totaling four feet.
The student will:
� remove both shoes
� sit centered on the leg side of the �T�
� overlap his or her hands, so the ends of the fingers are the same,
with the palms facing down
� hold the legs eight to twelve inches apart, with both feet
immediately behind the top line of the �T�
� lock both knees and reac h as far forward as possible.
On the third attempt, the student is told to hold the stretch. The third
attempt will be recorded.
Performance Tasks
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The student will record his or her distance on the individual record
form. Norms can be used to help students assess their measurements.
Norms and standards have been inc luded in the Appendix.
Activities to Improve Results: Stretch on a daily basis, before and
after exercising. Develop a stretching routine that will work all the
muscles in the body.
Performance Tasks
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Appendix
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Partial Curl-Ups and V Sit-and-Reac h Norms
Age Partial V Sit-and- V Sit-and-
Curl-Ups Reac h in Reach in
Inches Inc hes
(Girls) (Boys)
9 15 2 1
10 20 2 1
11 20 2 1
12 20 2 1
13 25 3 1
14 25 3 1
15 30 3 1
16 30 3 1
17 30 3 1
Appendix
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Appendix
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Maximum and Target Hear t Rates by Age
Age Maximum Heart Target Hear t Rate
Rate * Range **
9 211 127�169
10 210 126�168
11 209 125�167
12 208 125�166
13 207 124�166
14 206 124�165
15 205 123�164
16 204 122�163
17 203 122�162
* The Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) is calculated by using the following formula:
MHR ? 220 ? age
** The Ta rget Heart Rate Range (THR) is calculated by using the following formula:
THR zone ? .60 ? MHR to .80 ? MHR
�E�`m� ��
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