Tai Le
P.E. 2, Bruno
May 30, 2008
What Does Fit Mean To Me?
If someone were to ask me about what fitness means to me a year or two ago, I would reply “being skinny”. But going through Physical Education this wasn’t just running around and around this year. This year we learned about how to play certain sports and what the rules and regulations for the sports were. In my opinion now, I would define being fit is as keeping the body fit and using the Health-Related Components of Fitness DAILY. The top component of fitness that I think I would use the most (in my opinion) is cardiovascular, muscular endurance, and muscular strength. How? Simple everyday activities in example, for me, walking up stairs as a student aid, or walking home from school. Therefore, fitness means keeping the whole body healthy.
First, I would like to take the chance to talk about my Push Up scores, and how they compare with the National Standards for the average Push up Scores. My first score was for the early test which was zero push ups. The mid-term score was 1 push ups which was a good improvement. Then our final test came, and I was able to accomplish two push ups. The National Standard for average push up score is 23 push ups under one minute. How does that compare with my three scores? I really need to improve on my push up numbers because the difference is huge! If I had to compare my scores from my early scores to the Finals score, I had improved a bit. I rose from zero push ups to 2 push ups. I think the reason for such low scores is because my body is larger than average boys. My legs tend to be hard for me to accomplish a push ups. I definitely have plans to reach my goal of heading towards the National Standards for average push ups.
Second, my sit scores were very close in reaching the Average National Standards for boys. My early score was 22 sit ups under one minute. Mid-Terms came around, and I dropped to 16 sit ups under minute. When Finals for the fitness scores came, I earned a higher score which was 27 sit ups under one minute. How did this compare? My last score was 11 sit ups from reaching the average score. So for now, I am weak at my sit ups. I had improved from the beginning of P.E. by starting at 22 sit ups to 27 sit ups. Except when we had Mid-Terms, I had dropped my score from 22 sit ups to 16 sit ups. What happened? I am only guessing, but I think that that day I wasn’t paying attention to P.E. and my mind was focused on something else while P.E. mid-terms were taking place.
Last, I am going to take this time to talk a little bit about my three scores for the 12 minute run. For the early test score, I received a .87 miles. Then when mid-terms came around, I had dropped my distance to .82 miles in 12 minutes. My last score was a huge improvement for me. I received .97 miles under 12 minutes. How does my scores compare with the National Standards for men under the fair category? The national standard for men under the fair category is 1.38 miles in 12 minutes. My score are a lot below that national standard. I was able to improve every time from starting with a .87 miles in 12 minutes to .97 miles in 12 minutes. With the scores I, myself received, I feel really proud about how far I have gone. The reason that I may have been unable to reach the National Standard is because overall, I tend to run on the straight lines of the lap, and fast walk on the curved lines. Many people who received a higher score than me ran most of the 12 minutes.
If I were to specify which test fell into which Skill-Related Components of Fitness, I would say that our push up tests fell into the muscular strength category. The push up tests required a lot of upper body strength, and you would do it for short periods of time. The Merriam Webster Defines push ups as “a conditioning exercise performed in a prone position by raising and lowering the body with the straightening and bending of the arms while keeping the back straight and supporting the body on the hands and toes”. As you can see, the Merriam Webster defines push ups as bending the arms while making sure that your back is straight. How frequent should you perform push ups? In my opinion you should perform push ups twice a day, and 6-7 times a week, and your duration should go for 1 minute minimum. In conclusion, you can see that push ups require muscular endurance, in balancing your body and “pushing” your body for the exercise, push ups.
I believe that the sit up tests would have to fall under the muscular endurance in the Skill-Related Components of Fitness. Why? The exercise requires your muscles being able to work for periods of time, with less resistance acting on your body. Your frequency for push ups would have to be 2-3 times a day, and 6-7 times a week, and duration should be no less then 1 minute. I find that it helps while doing push ups, you have your hands on your shoulders, and “sit-up” having your elbows touch your knees. The term repetition also comes in mind when you talk about sit ups because with repetition, you are able to strengthen your abdominal muscles (many tend to say abs) and also your hip flexors. With progression, you will be able to develop a consistency in being able to change your duration up higher.
Lastly, we have our 12 minute run which I believe falls under the Cardiovascular Endurance category of the Skill-Related Components of Fitness. Cardiovascular Endurance, to me, would have to be the ability, or power to endure; continue general physical effort for long periods of time. Many people consider two factors that can lead to helping for receive a farther distance. They are, aerobic, and anaerobic. Aerobic is exercise with oxygen, while anaerobic is exercise without oxygen. Ever wonder why after you sprint, your body is gasping for air? That’s because sprinting is a form of anaerobic, using less air, and body sugar. While aerobic is jogging, and using oxygen, while using your body fat metabolisms instead of body sugar. I found that with progression in continuously jogging; get the body to adapt the “lifestyle” of jogging for long periods of time. Your frequency for jogging should be 1-2 times a day, 5-6 times a week, and your duration can go from 12 minutes to one hour.
What are my goals in being able to reach the national standards for each exercise? For push ups, I need to reach at least 23 push ups in one minute. How? I can start by practicing every day at home. The intensity should be low, meaning that whether it’s knees on the ground, or pushing down further from the ground. If I am able to accomplish that everyday, I’ll be able to reach my goal of 23 push ups in 1 minute. My practice should be 1-2 times everyday, and 5-6 times a week. I also think that being a lot less in body fat, and more built in muscular strength will help me reach my push up goals, so incorporating cardiovascular endurance to my exercise is vital. I think that improvement of my score for sit ups is very crucial. If I am unable to reach 38 sit ups in one minute, how am I able to be healthy, and fit? So I think that working on sit ups along with a friend, or family member is critical to achieving a higher score than my current sit up score. With that is mind, continuously doing sit ups 1-2 times a day, and 6-7 times a week will help me build abdominal muscles and maybe even reach above average in my 1 minute sit up test. I think that my jogging scores in one minute can reach a higher score by keep working on that goal everyday. If I go to the gym, or just go running around the neighborhood for half an hour I will be able to build the progression towards receiving a longer distance in 12 minutes. Not only is my body adapting to the jogging, it’s being able healthy in Cardiovascular Endurance. With these goals, I’ll be able to be under the average and good category for the National Standards!
What have I learned this year, and just sitting here, typing away? When I look view my lifestyle right now, I find that it needs to change. From being able to progress everyday in P.E., I’ve learned the importance of daily exercise, and how it helps my body (a lot). I enjoy the feeling or adrenaline that your body receives after jogging. It’s a huge rush that I get from sweating on the track. Not only in jogging vital, but exercises such as sit ups help the abdominal muscles grow, and also helps your hip flexors (which are needed in life). I found that warm ups in P.E. are crucial before a jog, or sprint, or game, because you don’t want to strain a muscle, or hurt your body during a game. I conclusion (finally!), fitness means that my body is receiving more than enough exercises and activities that helps my body grow, and be able to exceed the national standards for fitness training. Those are the reasons why I want to continue being healthy.
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