Personal fitness is a lifetime commitment. Achieving the highest level of health and fitness requires knowledge, dedication and hard work. Do not be satisfied with achieving minimal standards, instead strive for the highest or "optimal" level of health.
          The material presented in this text provides a sound scientific basis to guide you in developing a fitness program that is right for you. In addition to information on how to evaluate your fitness level, you will find valuable guidelines for establishing a training program; exercising safely; and descriptions of a variety of exercise programs to develop cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Nutritional guidelines and weight control information are also provided. Additional topics include understanding the cardiorespiratory and muscular systems, stress management and consumer awareness.
          Throughout the text, photographs, diagrams and charts are used to help you gain a better understanding of the concepts presented. Chapter objectives, key words and a glossary provide additional guidance.
Once you understand the benefits of exercise and impact of sound lifestyle choices, make the commitment to good health. The decision is yours-only you can make the choice to seek personal fitness.

Teacher's Resource Manual

• Detailed lesson plans
• 70 Laboratory Activities Worksheets (individual, partner and group)
• Chapter Crossword Puzzles
• Chapter Tests
• Final Examination
• Resource List of CD-ROM discs, videodiscs, videos, books, and equipment

Chapter Study Guides
(available in English and Spanish)

Subject Supplements
Weight Training, Walking, Jogging, Aerobics, Aquatics

Audiovisual Support Materials
Personal Fitness for You Videotape
Video explaining the Personal Fitness course and describing how to administer the health related fitness tests. The introductory section can be shown to parents.

Chapter Overviews Videotape
A video which gives a brief introduction to each chapter in the book

Color Transparencies
Extensive collection of transparencies for each chapter in the book

Classroom Posters
Colorful, informative posters which can used in the classroom or fitness room

Technology Support Materials
Test Bank
Test questions for each chapter and a final exam

Lesson Plan Program
Lesson plans for each chapter which can be revised

Student Portfolio Program
Program for students to prepare a computerized portfolio

Goal Setting Software Programs
A program which helps students design their own fitness program.

Health Related Fitness Test Program
Allows students to enter fitness scores and print out results

Nutrition CD-ROM Discs - 3
Menu Planner, Weight Loss Planner, Executive Diet Helper

Internet Information (provided in the Teacher Resource Manual)
Basic information on using the Internet, resources for classes, and web sites for personal fitness

Additional Instructional Software Programs
Weight Training
Exercise Physiology
Food Pyramid Guide
Aerobic Fitness
Health/Wellness Inventory
Human Anatomy

Food Pyramid Game
          See the Teacher Resource Manual for details and sample cards for this game which promises to get your students involved and give them a good workout. Basically the idea is for you to prepare a set of cards with a food named on one side and an exercise on the other side. Students pick up a card and do the exercise. After a set time period, students place the cards on the pyramid to see if all groups have been identified.

Circuit Workout
          Prepare large posters with the names of exercises to be completed (i.e. curl-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, flexibility exercise). Place the cards in a circle around the track, gym or any large area. Divide the class so that there are 3 or 4 students at each station.
           On the signal students begin doing the exercise at their station. When the whistle sounds, students stop the exercise they are doing and jog around the circle to the next exercise station. However, each time they must go past the next station and make a complete circuit around the stations to come back to the next station. The time of exercises can be adjusted based on the fitness level of the group.

Predictor Mile Run
Organize class into 2-4 teams. Each team writes down the time it will take each member and the entire team to complete a mile run. After the run, the team closest to the prediction wins.

Flash Card Review
          Prepare a series of large cards which have answers to fitness questions. Place the cards at the opposite end of the gym, track, or other area appropriate for jogging. When the teacher asks the class a question, the first student in line runs to the cards, finds the one with the correct answer and runs back to the group. The first student to hold up the card with the correct answer gets a point.

• About 1 percent of U.S. children and adolescents have high blood pressure.
• Average blood pressures tend to rise with age-slowly before adolescence and faster after puberty.
• Children's high blood pressure tends to persist into adulthood, even for children with high-normal pressure.
• Average blood cholesterol levels in American children and adolescents are too high.
• Children and adolescents with elevated blood cholesterol levels are more likely to have elevated levels as adults.
• Children typically start smoking cigarettes in grades 5 and 6.
• Eleven percent (or 4.7 million) of those ages 6 to 17 are overweight - more than double the percentage of a decade ago.
• Up to 20 percent of overweight children remain so throughout life.
• Most children accumulate at least 1 hour of physical activity daily, but a sizable percentage do not get frequent, vigorous, continuous activity.
• Of high school students, only about half of boys and a quarter of girls do vigorous physical activity three or more times a week.
• Activity levels of girls are below those of boys and tend to decline with age.