Vista Ridge High School Physical Education Program
"The New PE"

Obesity and health problems are on the rise across the nation. Vista Ridge High School is going to be a national leader in high school fitness. There are several important aspects of the overall education process that all Phys. Ed. students will be involved in. There will be an academic portion to the class. They will be expected to learn physiological, nutritional, and safety issues involved with exercise. The students will be involved in interpersonal skills and team building.

The most important aspect of Phys. Ed. is lifetime fitness. Our number one goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle after high school is completed. The Phys. Ed. students at Vista Ridge High School will have the opportunity to exercise on the most advanced equipment in the state of Texas. The National School Fitness Foundation (NSFF) has established a grant to promote and research fitness levels of today’s youth.

Overview of the L.I.F.T. program:

National School Fitness Foundation (NSFF) is a foundation that is dedicated to improving the fitness levels of today’s youth. Vista Ridge High School has been given the opportunity to pilot this program.
The 4 major components of fitness covered:

Muscular strength and endurance- plenty of capacity to accomplish needed tasks and be productive, even over long periods of time.
Cardio-respiratory (aerobic) ability- heart, lungs, circulatory system functioning well, giving more energy, more vitality.
Flexibility of joints and body structure- a physical body that is more lithe, resilient, dynamic.
Healthy body composition- high level of lean muscle mass (“calorie furnace”) relative to fat mass: more attractive, more freedom to eat well, higher resistance to disease.
Why should the kids lift if they are not participating in athletics?

It’s a well-known formula. Every pound of muscle you gain raises your metabolic rate. A pound of calorie-hungry muscle needs 30-50 calories per day just to maintain itself. A pound of fat supports itself on only two calories per day. Increase your muscle mass and your metabolic rate goes up accordingly. What’s the most effective way to increase your muscle mass? A systematic regimen that combines cardio-respiratory exercising plus weight exercising.

We are the only high school in central Texas to have this program. We are also the only high school in the state to have the advanced equipment that has come out this year. NSFF. is granting us the use of this equipment as long as all Physical Education students participate and all data is collected and sent to the foundation. The requirement is that all PE students workout following a designed routine.

We will maintain a safe environment. We will not take a chance on injuries due to horseplay, facility neglect, or poor instruction. We suggest that all students get a physical exam, though it is not required.
Each student will be involved in self-assessment.

He or she will have a workout designed according to his or her individual fitness level.

The 7 assessments:

1) Structure (age, height, and weight)
2) Shoulder Flexibility
3) Blood Pressure and Resting Heart Rate
4) Body Composition
5) Heart Recovery Rate
6) Overall Flexibility
7) Strength Assessment

Equipment used:

Aerobic Products
2 upright bikes
Club elliptical machine
2 treadmills
Recumbent bike

Muscle Specificity
Incline chest press
Pullover
Hip flexor stand
Pullup/dip weight assisted machine
Total hip
Seated leg press

Circuit Training
Shoulder press
Lat. Pulldown
Bicep curl
Tricep press
Abdominal crunch
Back extension
Leg extension
Leg curl
Seated leg press
Pec deck
Seated chest press
Seated row

Muscle Systems Targeted:

Deltoid
Bicep
Abdominals
Sartorius
Quadriceps
Lats
Pectorals
Hip Flexors
Abductors
Adductors
Trapezius
Tricep
Lumbar Extensors
Gluteals
Hamstring