Fitness Assessments

In the Physical Education Department at Batavia High School, we assess our students' current level of physical wellness through a variety of assessments. The purpose of these assessments is to allow the students to reflect on their current level of physical fitness and to allow the department to adjust and adapt the curriculum to reach the goal of building healthy students for today and into the future. These tests are annual assessments for students and results are recorded and compared from year to year.

Fitness Assessments

Upper body strength/endurance:

  • Pacer push-up measures student's upper body strength and endurance by using a repeated push-up every three seconds until failure

  • This assessment tool may be used as a lifetime activity for upper body fitness.

Abdominal strength/endurance:

  • Measures student's abdominal strength and endurance through a repeated curl-up until failure

  • This assessment tool may be used as a lifetime activity for abdominal fitness.

Bicep strength:

  • Use of the Trifit 620 machine in the form of the bicep strength test to assess the student's upper arm strength.

Muscular strength is very important to your overall health and fitness. Adequate levels of strength are necessary to perform your daily routines at home, school and work, without excessive fatigue or stress.

High levels of Muscular Fitness can:

· Reduce the incidence of lower back pain

· Reduce injury to the musculoskeletal system

· Assist your cardiovascular system in sustaining physical activity

BHS assessments: Push-ups, 1 minute curl-ups, Bicep Strength

Cardiovascular endurance:

  • A one-mile run or walk or progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run(PACER) which measures a students aerobic capacity

  • At a minimum, only one of these measures will be assessed each year

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, lungs and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to working muscles efficiently, and allows activities that involve large muscle groups (walking, running, swimming, biking, etc.) to be performed over long periods of time.

Regular Cardiovascular Exercise can:

· Reduce your risk of heart disease

· Lower elevated blood pressure

· Reduce blood cholesterol

· Increase circulation and improve performance of your heart and lungs

· Help you look and feel better

BHS assessments: mile run, mile walk, Pacer test

Lower body flexibility:

  • Use of the Trifit 620 machine in the form of the sit and reach will assess a student's flexibility in lower back and across the hip.

Flexibility is the ability to move a joint fluidly through its complete range of motion and is important to general health and physical fitness. Flexibility is reduced when muscles become short and tightened.

Proper levels of Flexibility can:

· Reduce injury and strains

· Allow you to perform daily activities comfortably

BHS assessments: modified sit and reach test

Body composition:

  • Use of the Tanita Scale (Electric Impedance) measures a student's hydration, weight, and body fat percentage.

Blood Pressure:

  • Use of a blood pressure machine that will measure a student’s blood pressure.

Blood Pressure is the measure of the force or pressure exerted by blood on your arteries. There are two different measures of blood pressure: systolic (higher number), and diastolic (lower number). The systolic pressure relects the force on your arteries when your heart contracts forcing a large volume of blood into your arteries. The diastolic pressure is the measure of the force on the arteries when the ventricles are relaxed and your heart is filling with blood.

Blood Pressure Tips

You can lower you elevated blood pressure by: exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, decreasing salt intake, avoiding tobacco and consuming less dietary saturated fats.

BHS assessment: Blood pressure.