Cardiovascular endurance. What the heck does that mean for my kids? According to Answers.com, here is a pretty accurate definition: The ability of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles during physical activity for a prolonged period of time. When I haven't exercised in a while I get that weird blood tasting feeling in my throat. I don't think it's actual blood, but my body is working overtime trying to pump blood to my muscles to get them oxygenated. The heart is a muscle and will get bigger and stronger the more you work it out. The AMA (American Heart Association) recommends kids get 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous aerobic-activity EVERY DAY. Examples: swimming, cycling, dancing, running, fast walking, soccer. Basically any activity that keeps your heart rate up for a sustainable amount of time. (at least 60 minutes everyday). A Few Cardiovascular Activities to play with your child: Frisbee Soccer Jump ...
It's easy to set up a routine for stuff we have to do...like brush our teeth, go to bed, eat, school, work, etc. But exercising might not be an embedded routine, especially in your kids. Your kids might be running around and getting their heart rate up, but there is more to fitness than just exercising your heart. There are 5 components to fitness: 1. Cardiovascular endurance 2. Muscular strength 3. Muscular endurance 4. Flexibility 5. Body composition Now, you might be asking yourself...how do I hit all 5 of these everyday? Well, luckily you can take it one day at a time. I'll be sharing some information about each of these components, and what your child will need to be in the healthy fitness zone for each component. To get started, here are some questions to ask yourself: 1. How much time do I have to dedicate to PE every day/week? 2. What are my resources? Do I have a gym membership, a field to play on, a playground, etc. 3. What ages/skill level do I have? Wh...