Physical Fitness Testing
Physical fitness testing is one of the ways our physical education teachers evaluate Edina kids. Our district and our state have decided this is an important element to watch kids progress. Kids are tested two to three times each year.
Fitness tests are not considered the only way to judge someone's fitness level, but they are a good standardized way to see how our kids are doing over time and compared to a grade level expectation.
Since lifelong fitness and love of activity is our goal, we can watch kids from year to year on these tests:
PARTIAL CURL-UPS
This test has recently changed. The one minute test has been
replaced by a better test of muscular endurace.
Students do as many curl-ups
as they can to assess muscular endurance and strength. They DO NOT have
someone holding their feet and they use a bent knee position with their feet
twelve inches from their seat. Arms are extended with fingers pointing
to knees. The student curls up slowly and slides his or her hands up until fingertips
reach knees and then goes back down until their shoulders reach the floor. This
is done to a metronome in rhythm with one complete curl-up every three seconds.
The student is done when they lose rhythm or stop.
PUSH-UPS
Push-ups assess muscular strength. Push ups are done on hands and toes. Students must go down far enough to touch their chin to a foam ball or the teachers hand. They do as many push-ups as they can without stopping. If their legs, tummy or knees go down, they are done. An option on the President's Challenge is modified (knee) push ups or pull-ups. This modification is only used when necessary for the student.
1/2 MILE AND MILE WALK/RUN
Students in first and second
grade run the half mile, while the intermediate grades run a mile. The
distance to assess cardiovascular fitness remains a mile through high school.
Students are taught the value of training on endurance, and are given strategies
for doing their best on this walk/run. Some things they learn are:
- effective stretching
- pace
- breathing techniques
- healthy food choices before and after endurance activities
SIT AND REACH
This test assesses the flexibility of one of the student's larger muscle groups: the hamstrings, back and gluteals. With shoes off, students reach as far as they can past their toes (with straight legs). A standardizing box is used to measure the distance in centimeters. Student's feet fit under part of the box, so foot level is 23 centimeters. If your child's score is 23 cm, they reach their toes with straight legs.
SHUTTLE RUN
We have recently decided as a district staff that this test
is not easily performed ar assessed accurately, and therefore have decided not
to formally include it.
This test is officially
looking at agility. Students run a distance of 30 feet, pick up a
block, run back and set it down, then repeat the whole process. Students
are timed.