HEALTH-RELATED FITNESS TESTING GUIDELINES
Health-related fitness education is an important component of a physical
education program. A well-designed fitness assessment process provides
students, teachers, and parents with the necessary information to design an
individualized program of fitness for each student.
The sequential program of physical fitness instruction in Virginia is based on the
personal fitness strand in the Standards of Learning that focuses student learning
on achievement of a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Students who
participate in effective physical fitness programs will be more likely to develop
lifelong habits that promote health and learning.
The Virginia Standards of Learning personal fitness goal for elementary students
is to become aware of health-related fitness components (cardio respiratory
endurance, body composition and muscular endurance, strength and flexibility)
while engaging in a variety of physical activities.
The Standards of Learning personal fitness goal for middle school students is to
continue to learn more about the components of fitness, how they are developed
and improved, how they interrelate, and how they contribute to overall fitness.
While in high school, students plan, implement, evaluate, and modify a personal,
goal-driven fitness plan that enables them to achieve and maintain a level of
fitness that allows them to meet their personal goals for various work-related,
sport, and leisure activities.
A unit of fitness includes:
¾ Instruction on activities and fitness concepts.
¾ Student participation in conditioning activities.
¾ Instruction on test items.
¾ Assessment of fitness levels.
¾ Planning individualized fitness programs and setting goals.
¾ Promoting and tracking physical activity.
¾ Reassessment of fitness levels.
The Virginia fitness testing program provides basic health-related fitness
assessments to help students identify areas of fitness that are directly linked to
overall quality of life