PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TOWARD

HEALTH AND FITNESS 1

Module 5 FITNESS TRAINING

INTRODUCTION:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in our lives. As the
routines so many of us base our lives around have been altered, among the victims has
been many providers’ personal fitness.
The physical activity and exercise benefits have been demonstrated across the
lifespan. Our body’s systems work better when we are consistently physically active and
have a fitness training.
We are all managing additional stress related to the growth of the COVID-19
pandemic and it’s potential to threaten the health of ourselves, our families, and our
communities. Please consider using physical activity and exercise as a strategy to
maintain health during this stressful period. This is in no way to suggest that physical
activity and exercise is a form of prevention for COVID-19.
Although many things feel beyond our control right now, we do have the ability to
be creative and to build physical activity and exercise into each of our days. We may
even look back on this difficult time as the turning point when we learned new ways to
build our emotional resilience and our physical health.
In this module, we recommend you simple fitness training that you can enjoy and
experience while you are at home.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the module, the students would be able to;

 Identify the different kinds of fitness training;
 Recognize the value of optimizing one’s health through participation in
physical activities
 Perform the different fitness exercises.
 Create a physical activity log.
 LEARNING CONTENT:

1. Aerobic fitness
Aerobic activity, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the
cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic activity or exercise causes you to
breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood.
Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your
lungs.
The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and
blood vessels transport oxygen throughout your body — and the easier it is to complete
routine physical tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in
the pouring rain.
Aerobic activity includes any physical activity that uses large muscle
groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing,
and aerobics.

2. Strength training
Muscular fitness is another key component of a fitness training program.
Strength training can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness, and it can
help you manage or lose weight. It can also improve your ability to do everyday
activities. Aim to include strength training of all the major muscle groups into your
fitness routine at least twice a week.
Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and
other tools for strength training. But you don't need to invest in a gym membership or
expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training.
Hand-held weights or homemade weights — such as plastic soft drink
bottles filled with water or sand — may work just as well. Resistance bands are another
inexpensive option. Your own body weight counts, too. Try pushups, pull-ups,
abdominal crunches and leg squats.

3. Core exercises
The muscles in your abdomen, lower back and pelvis known as your core
muscles help protect your back and connect upper and lower body movements. Core
strength is a key element of a well-rounded fitness training program.
 Core exercises help train your muscles to brace the spine and enable you
to use your upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So what counts as a core
exercise? A core exercise is any exercise that uses the trunk of your body without
support, such as bridges, planks, sit-ups and fitness ball exercises.

4. Balance training
Balance exercises can help you maintain your balance at any age. It's
generally a good idea for older adults in particular to include exercises to maintain or
improve balance in their routine exercises. This is important because balance tends to
deteriorate with age, which can lead to falls and fractures. Balance exercises can help
older adults prevent falls and maintain their independence.
However, anyone can benefit from balance training, as it can help
stabilize your core muscles. Try standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to
improve your overall stability. Activities such as tai chi can promote balance, too.

5. Flexibility and stretching

Flexibility is an important aspect of physical fitness, and it's a good idea to
include stretching and flexibility activities in a fitness program. Stretching exercises can
help increase flexibility, which can make it easier for you to do many everyday activities
that require flexibility.
Stretching can also improve the range of motion of your joints and may
promote better posture. Regular stretching can even help relieve stress and tension.
Consider stretching after you exercise when your muscles are warm and
receptive to stretching. But if you want to stretch before a workout, warm up first by
walking or exercising for five to 10 minutes before stretching.
Ideally, you'll stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise
regularly, you might want to stretch at least two to three times a week after warming up
to maintain flexibility. Activities such as yoga promote flexibility, too.
 Module 5 Activity
Core Strength Training
Instruction: Before starting your workout, do a warm-up routine for at least 5 to 10
minutes. This can include brisk walking, jogging on the spot, or movements that work
your legs, arms, and other major muscle groups.
Take a video of yourself while doing the activities and send this to your professor.

1. Lunges

To do this exercise:

1. Start by standing up tall, feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Step forward with your right foot, and lower your hips
toward the floor until your right leg is at a 90-degree
angle and your left knee is parallel to the ground.
Make sure your front knee doesn’t go beyond your
toes.
3. Lengthen your spine to keep your torso upright.
4. Hold this position for 5 seconds or longer.

5. Then step your right foot back to meet your left, and repeat this movement with your
left leg.

You can do these variations like walking lunges, jumping lunges, lunges with a
torso twist, and side lunges.

Rubrics for Scoring

Excellent Good Fair Poor

5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points
Walking Excellent Good Fair Poor
Lunges(5
lunge Complete 5 missed one missed 2 missed 3
minimum) lunges step steps steps
Correct Form
knee doesn't
touch ground
Back straight
High motivation
 2. Planks

To do this exercise:

1. Rest on your forearms and toes only, keeping your

body in a straight line with your buttocks clenched
and your abdominal muscles engaged.
2. Try to hold this position for 30 seconds. If that’s
too hard, start with 20 seconds.
3. As you gain strength and fitness, try to hold the plank position for 1 minute or
longer.

You can try lifting one leg at a time while you’re holding the plank position.

Scoring: The score is the total time completed. The table below is just a rough
guide to scores for both males and females created by Topend Sports. In 2020, 62-
year-old former US Marine George Hood set the world planking record with a time of
eight hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds.

Rubrics for Scoring

3. Rating Time

Excellent > 6 minutes

Very Good 4-6 minutes

Above average 2-4 minutes

Average 1-2 minutes

Below average 30-60 seconds

Poor 15-30 seconds

very poor < 15 seconds

Pushups
 To do this exercise:

1. Start in a plank position with your palms directly

under your shoulders.
2. Keeping your back flat and bracing your core,
lower your body by bending your elbows until your
chest almost touches the floor.
3. Immediately push your body back up to the
starting position.

More challenging pushup variations, you can try doing these plyo pushups, close
stance pushups, and decline pushups.

Rubrics for Scoring

Poor Fair Good

1 points 2 points 3 points
90 Degree
Student does not achieve a 90 Student achieves a 90 Students achieves a 90 degree
Angle degree bend in the elbow on degree bend in the bend in the elbows with the upper
any repetition elbows on nearly all arms parallel to the floor with each
repetitions repetition
Arm
Student does not fully extend Student fully extends Student fully extends arms with
Extension arms on any repetition arms on nearly all each repetition
repetitions

Body
Student fails to maintain proper Students maintains Student maintains proper body
Position body position throughout the proper body position for a position, keeping a straight line
test portion of the test from head to toes throughout the
test
Pace
Student frequently stops to rest Student maintains Student maintains a rhythmic pace
and is unable to maintain a rhythmic pace for the of one push-up every three
rhythmic pace during the test majority of the test period seconds for the entirety of the test
period period

4. Bridge

To do this exercise:

1. Start on your back. Bend your knees and plant

your feet on the floor at hip width. Place your
hands at your sides, palms down.
2. Tighten your core and glutes.
 3. Raise your hips until your knees are in line with
your shoulders.
4. Hold for 10–30 seconds.

Rubrics for Scoring

Poor Fair Good
1 points 2 points 3 points
Bridge
Student does not raise hips Student can raise hips until knees Student can raise hips until knees
until knees are in line with are in line with the shoulder but are in line with the shoulders and
the shoulders. hold less than 10 seconds hold for 10–30 seconds
Cannot hold for 10–30
seconds

5. Crunch

To do this exercise:

1. Start on your back. Bend your knees and plant

your feet on the floor at hip width. Line up your
head and spine. Cross your arms across your
chest.
2. Tighten your core and relax your neck and shoulders. Tuck in your chin and lift your
upper back, keeping your lower back, pelvis, and feet on the floor. Pause.
3. Slowly lower your upper back to return to the starting position.

Rubrics for Scoring

Identified for Average Above Excellent
Fitness Fitness Average Fitness
Improvement Performance Fitness Performance
Performance
1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points
Crunches
Core abdominal Core abdominal Men 25 Men 30
muscular strength muscular strength
is at a low level is below Women 20 Women 25
and needs average/may have
improvment. improved since
the last
assessment.
 6. Supine Toe Tap

To do this exercise:

1. Start on your back. Lift your legs, knees bent to 90

degrees. Place your hands at your sides, palms
down.
2. Tighten your core. Lower your right foot and gently
tap the floor, keeping your left leg still and your
back flat.
3. Raise your right leg to return to the starting
position. Repeat with your left leg.

Rubrics for Scoring

Poor Fair Good
1 points 2 points 3 points
Supine
Student hardly lift legs and does not Student achieves a 90 degree Student achieves a 90
Toe Tap achieve a 90 degree knees bend and knees bend and keeps degree knees bend and
cannot keeps right/left leg still and right/left leg still and back flat keeps right/left leg still and
back flat on nearly all repetitions on nearly all repetitions back flat with each repetition

7. Bird dog

To do this exercise:

1. Start on all fours, hands below your shoulders and

knees below your hips.
2. Tighten your core. Lift and straighten your right leg
to hip level. Simultaneously lift and extend your left
arm to shoulder level, palm down. Pause.
3. Repeat with your left leg and right arm.
Rubrics for Scoring

Poor Fair Good

1 points 2 points 3 points
Bird
Student hardly lift and Student achieves to lift and Student achieves to lift and
Dog straighten right leg to hip level. straighten right leg to hip level. straighten right leg to hip level.
Cannot simultaneously lift and Simultaneously lift and extend left Simultaneously lift and extend left
extend left arm to shoulder arm to shoulder level on nearly all arm to shoulder level on nearly all
level. repetitions repetitions with each repetition

8. Mountain climber

To do this exercise:

1. Start in a plank with your hands below your

shoulders. Tighten your core.
2. Lift your right knee toward your chest, keeping
your back straight and hips down.
3. Return your right leg to the starting position as you
simultaneously lift your left knee toward your
chest.

4. Continue alternating legs.

Rubrics for Scoring

Poor Fair Good
1 points 2 points 3 points
Mountain
Student incorrectly Student achieves to lift right knee Student achieves to lift right knee
climber lift right knee toward your chest, keeps back toward your chest, keeps back straight
toward chest, back straight and hips down. Returns right and hips down. Returns right leg to the
 not straight and leg to the starting position as starting position as simultaneously lift
hips upward simultaneously lift left knee toward left knee toward chest on nearly all
chest on nearly all repetitions repetitions with each repetition

Cool down
Finish your workout by cooling down for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows your
breathing and heart rate to transition into a resting state. Options include walking on the
spot and gentle stretches.