Let’s Get Physical
By Jeffrey Crupi

As we all know, modern advances in technology, computer games and TV have caused our present lifestyle to become more sedentary than previous generations. Moreover, with concerns about neighborhood safety and with physical education programs being cut out of school budgets, the classroom teacher is often given the additional responsibility of teaching the importance of fitness to his or her students.

When teaching physical fitness, consider the following guidelines:

• When transitioning between subjects, bring the kids outside for a bit of physical activity. If your goal is to have your students work on their abdominal muscles, plan a variety of abdominal stations to strengthen these muscles. Your students can choose which station will appropriately meet their physical capabilities: sit-ups, crunches or isometric abdominal contractions (sitting in place and contracting then relaxing your abdominal muscles).

• When introducing an exercise, state why the activity is important for overall health. When teaching students abdominal exercises, explain that strong abdominal muscles will help promote good posture and that these muscles also support one's back.

• When teaching any subject area, you continually reinforce skills that have been introduced. The same holds true when instructing students regarding the importance of physical fitness. Kids need to repeat exercises/station activities several times in order to fully internalize and master each physical fitness skill.

• Show, don't tell applies to physical fitness, too. Instead of lecturing, be sure to show them how to maintain a healthy body. When teaching about muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance or flexibility, it's important for students to engage in hands-on activities. These activities will teach children firsthand how they can establish their own physical fitness regimen.

Teaching students the importance of physical fitness is a crucial component of educating the whole child. An active fitness program will help produce healthier adults who can make physical fitness an essential part of their lifestyle.

Note: Students should have a physical prior to starting any exercise routine. If you have any questions regarding a student's health, contact their parents and/or school nurse prior to any physical activity.

Jeffrey Crupi is the owner of Peak Fitness Gym in Westport, CT. He is a certified fitness specialist with a degree from Marymount Manhattan College.