Is their a benefit of a physical fitness test?

[murphye3]

I don't think this is real important. What do you gain by a fitness test.

[John Kruse]

Fitness testing can be used by both students and teachers. Students gain an understanding of health-related fitness and how to measure it. Teachers can look at the results to determine the needs of their students. When used properly with instruction, the content can be delivered in a much more meaningful way.

In California, students are required to know how to measure their health-related fitness using a scientifically based assessment. As they get older, they are expected to use these results to plan an exercise program.

[exk4085]

Fitness tests can be very useful. They help teachers to see where students are with their overall fitness but they also can show students how fit they are. In one of my classes we had to make a worksheet for students to fill out when they had finished their testing. By making a worksheet the students could tell us what they thought was their strongest part of the test and what was their weakest part so they could work on the components for the next time the test was given.

[Nryan5714]

Fitness tests are tough. What I feel is the best way to give them is to allow students choices for each test. For the presidential test, they can do either push-ups or pull ups. Now, most kids can't do one pull up, so they will lean to push-ups, but guess what, many kids can't do 1 push up. I offer them to do knee push ups, but the problem is there isn't any data.

I think fitness tests can be helpful, but I find the only kids that really "try" or see interested are the ones that are good at them. I know some kids aren't going to be good at any physical test, but we need to find a way for kids to feel they are improving and give them something to strive for.

I stopped just doing the mile run. I now offer the pacer test, mile walk, half mile. I also offer just a time run and get as far as you can in 12 minutes. Over time and doing the mile run, the same kids finish at the end. I want it to be a positive for all kids not just the athletic ones.

nryan5714

[dhubert52]

Fitness tests can be very useful for teachers and students. It allows the teacher to see concrete results about each individual. It also benefits the students because it allows them to see that being fit or overweight can be measured. Fitness tests are a great tool as long as they are valid and are accurate.

[exercise_worldwide]

I believe the benefits of taking a Fitness Test such as the World Fitness Test has proven to be a great motivational tool for myself. I can watch my improvements in different areas. Have a look at the website http://www.worldfitnesssystems.com/

[Sports4Fun]

A fitness test can help each kid understand where they stand in terms of fitness. This can have various effects on each kid depending on their performance; however, it should show all participants who take a fitness test the importance of staying healthy. Showing kids that they are improving physically can be the single most driving factor into getting them interested in staying healthy. Kids react very positively to success and how can they witness any success without testing in the first place?

The previously mentioned website seems nice because students could monitor their success in a test and it does offer different testing alternatives for those who can't do certain exercises. As we know and Nryan made very clear, kids like this will exist everywhere and we can't allow them to feel left out; doing so could only drive them further away.