INTRODUCTION

Legal Bases of Physical Education

The following are some of the laws that reiterate the importance of Physical Education and achieving
holistic development.

SPORTS

1. 1987 Constitution, Article XIV: Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports

Section 19.

(1) The State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league
competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster
self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert
citizenry.

(2) All educational institutions shall undertake regular sports activities throughout the
country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other sectors.

2. Republic Act No. 5708: An act providing for the promotion and financing of an integrated
physical education and sports development program for the schools in the Philippines:

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as "The Schools Physical Education and Sports
Development Act of 1969."

SEC. 2. An integrated physical education and sports development program in all schools In
the Philippines shall be undertaken by the Department of Education in accordance with the
following guiding principles:

1. The goal of physical education is to instill in young citizens a proper appreciation of the
importance of physical development hand in hand with the mental development in
individual and social activities;
2. The sports and other activities in a physical education program should provide opportunities
for the athletic development of children and youth who have the competitive spirit as well
as grace, coordination, stamina and strength;
3. A well-rounded physical education program must be addressed to physical growth, social
training, and personal discipline for all pupils and students, as well as superior athletic
achievement for those who are psychologically inclined and physically gifted; and
4. An integrated program for sports development in the schools requires effective
organizational planning and administration with provisions for adequate training facilities
and sustained stable financing.

What is Physical Education?

Physical Education is "education through the physical". It aims to develop students’ physical
competence and knowledge of movement and safety, and their ability to use these to perform in a
wide range of activities associated with the development of an active and healthy lifestyle. It also
develops students’ confidence and generic skills, especially those of collaboration, communication,
creativity, critical thinking and aesthetic appreciation. These, together with the nurturing of positive
values and attitudes in PE, provide a good foundation for students’ lifelong and life-wide learning.

"Physical education is the study, practice, and appreciation of the art and science of human
movement" (Harrison, Blakemore, and Buck). While movement is both innate and essential to an
individual's growth and development, it is the role of physical education to provide instructional
activities that not only promote skill development and proficiency, but also enhance an individual's
overall health. Physical education not only fulfills a unique role in education, but is also an integral
part of the schooling process.

Understanding the Importance of Physical Education

Physical education is beneficial for both the bodies and minds of students. By being more
active, students will also benefit by being able to better avoid injury, they will have more confidence,
and they can see improved mental health. It's important to educate students on the benefits of
playground and in-school physical activity and instruct them on issues related to the human body
and other health-related issues to give them a better understanding of how their body works.

What is FITNESS?

Fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities without undue fatigue.

What is Physical fitness?

Is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of
sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper
nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest.

BENEFITS of Physical Fitness

•Reduce risk of disease

•Development of physical components

•Provide better health

•Builds stronger Bones, Joints, and Ligaments

•Maintenance of Optimal Body Weight

•Boost in energy level

•Improved Appearance

•Relaxation and Stress relief

•Causes Delayed Aging

 •Improve your overall health

•Healthier, Longer Life Reduces risk of disease

•People who participate in regular exercise have a decreased risk of developing:

heart disease

diabetes

metabolic syndrome

different types of cancer Development of physical fitness components

Your Guide To Understanding The Different Components Of Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is divided into different component categories that vary from person to
person. Each person can be trained on these components of physical fitness to improve certain skills
or performance in activities. Building on specific components can bring about the changes you desire
in your fitness levels, mental health, and lifestyle.

Physical fitness is made up of both health-related fitness components and skills-related

components. The health related-fitness components relate to how well the systems of your body
operate. Are your heart and other muscles in good shape? This type of physical fitness is related to
your overall state of health. The skill-related fitness items are concerned with abilities related to
sports activities. Are you fast? Do you have good hand-eye coordination?

Both kinds of fitness are important for successful participation in sports activities. However,
only the health related components can be related to the prevention of disease and the promotion
of health. That is why they are called the health-related components of fitness. Maintaining an
acceptable level of the health-related components of fitness is recognized as a key element in
maintaining a healthy lifestyle. People who attain such levels of fitness reduce their risks of
developing health problems, such as heart disease, low back pain, and obesity, and improve their
body’s ability to function. This is why health-related fitness should be the concern of everyone,
regardless of age.

“Many people do not have a clear understanding of physical fitness. Some people think you have to
be a good athlete to be physically fit. This is not what a personal fitness awareness program is about!
Being physically fit is about understanding the Components of Fitness and working towards
improving them as best as you can.”

Health Related Components

1. Flexibility

Flexibility describes the range of movement possible at various joints. It is probably the most
frequently overlooked component of fitness. If you want to be as good as you can, you must
 work on flexibility as regular as you work on muscular strength and endurance or cardiovascular
efficiency. Because flexibility is specific to each joint, no single test can provide complete
information about the flexibility of all major joints of your body. However, there are several tests
that will give you an indication of flexibility in joints most likely needing attention. These tests
include the sit and reach test, the shoulder stretch test and the v-sit test.

“The lack of regular movement through a joint’s full range of motion results in a decrease in
flexibility, and sedentary living is the greatest contributor to the loss of flexibility with aging.”

2. Cardiovascular Endurance

Cardiovascular fitness relates to the ability of the heart, blood, blood vessels and the
respiratory system to supply oxygen and necessary fuel to the muscles during physical activity.
The best type of physical activity for improving cardiovascular fitness is aerobic activities.
Aerobic activities are those which force the body to use a large amount of oxygen for a
sustained period of time. Sustained means that the physical activity should be done for a
period of 15 to 30 minutes to get the aerobic benefits. Examples of aerobic activities are
jogging cycling, swimming, rope jumping, and aerobic dance.

Certain sports like basketball and soccer also provide the workout needed to achieve an
aerobic training effect. Aerobic activities provide a safeguard for your physical and mental
health. Cardiovascular fitness can be measured in a number of ways. The most accurate
measurement is a stress test performed on a stationary bicycle or treadmill. The most
common test is the one mile run for time.

“Cardiovascular fitness is the most important aspect of physical fitness because of its
potential to reduce risks of developing chronic diseases.”

3. Muscular strength

Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle group to apply a maximal force against a
resistance one time.

4. Muscular endurance

Muscular endurance is the ability to repeat muscle movement for a long period of time.

Today, more than ever before, women want to have well toned muscles. An important
fact to remember though is that young women cannot develop the large muscles for the
simple reason that they do not have enough of the necessary hormone testosterone. Young
men on the other hand have high levels of testosterone, enabling them to greatly increase
their muscle size. Regardless of your gender, improving your muscle development will
improve your overall fitness. The partial sit-up test can be used to measure abdominal
strength. Push-ups, pull-ups and the flexed arm hang are used to measure muscular strength
and endurance of the upper body.

5. Body composition

Body composition is the ratio of fat to muscles, bone, and other tissues that compose
your body. A certain amount of body fat is necessary for good health. Extremely high or low
amounts of fat can cause health problems. Most young adults desire a low percentage of
 body fat. However, your health may suffer if your percentage of body fat is too low or high.
Looking good and feeling good depend a great deal on making sure you have the correct
amount if body fat.

Body composition can be correctly evaluated in several ways. Although underwater weighing
is the most accurate, it is also the most expensive means to measure body fat. Body
composition is most commonly assessed by a device called a skinfold caliper. However, there
are also several body composition measurement devices on the market which can give you a
general measurement. Another common measurement of body composition widely used
today is the body mass index (BMI). The body mass index provides an indication of the
appropriateness of your weight relative to your height. One important note to the BMI
though is that it does not indicate the presence of fat.

Skill Related Fitness Component

Skill-related fitness is broken down into six different components; agility, speed, power,
balance, coordination, reaction time. These skill-related components are movements that are
necessary for an individual to successfully demonstrate a variety of motor skills and movement
patterns.

If you want to develop your level of fitness beyond the basic requirements for health, adjust
your workout program to include exercises designed to improve the skill-related components of
fitness.

1. POWER

Power combines speed and strength. In essence, it's how fast you can generate a maximal
force. In sports, "power athletes" are those who exert brute strength in short, all-out efforts,
such as Olympic weightlifters, football players, and gymnasts. Athletes in other sports, like
basketball, volleyball, and tennis, can also benefit from developing greater power. Jumping
to get a rebound requires leg power, while forcefully spiking volleyball requires a
combination of upper- and lower-body power.

2. AGILITY

Agility is the ability to move quickly and to easily change direction. Basketball players, for
instance, are incredibly agile. They have to move in every direction, jumping, sliding,
twisting, and backpedaling in quick response to the movement of the ball and other players.
Their bodies have to be trained to respond and change course at the drop of a hat.

3. BALANCE

Balance itself refers to your ability to adjust your body position to remain upright. It
deals with proprioception, or knowing where your body is in space, and being able to make
adjustments to your position as your center of gravity changes during movement. There are
few sports where balance doesn't play an important role, and there are lots of activities
where balance is required for enhanced performance and safety.

4. REACTION TIME
 Reaction time refers to how quickly you can respond to an external stimulus. Think
about a tennis match for a moment: The best competitors react almost instantaneously
when the ball comes off their opponent's racquet, sprinting toward the location where they
expect the ball to bounce.

Reaction time hinges heavily on your mind-body connection. Your eyes see a
stimulus, your mind interprets the stimulus, and your body reacts in accordance with that
interpretation.

Much of this mind-body reaction relates to knowledge of the sport or activity in question. A
professional tennis player can almost instantly interpret and predict the movement of a ball.
This knowledge enables them to react more quickly (and accurately) to the stimulus.

5. COORDINATION

Coordination is the body’s ability to perform smooth and efficient movements. Good
coordination requires the athlete to combine multiple movements into a single movement
that is fluid and achieves the intended goal. This is contrary to what many people first think
of, which is hand-eye coordination which refers to the relationship between eye movements
and hand movements, so that our hands make an intended movement in response to our
eye movement, usually tracking a ball or something similar.

Coordination also includes hand-eye coordination and foot-eye coordination. This

type of coordination relates to the movement of the hands or feet in response to eye
movement, as it tracks moving objects or people. Someone with good hand-eye
coordination is going to be more successful at throwing, catching, and hitting. This enables
them to be more successful in sports such as netball, basketball, tennis, cricket, baseball,
NFL, AFL, hockey, rugby codes and much more. Good foot-eye coordination will mean better
success in kicking, controlling, and stopping objects with your feet.

6. SPEED

Speed is the rate at which something moves. Speed relates to power, as you have
already learnt, and relates to the force and the mass of the object the force has acted upon.
Speed is the distance an object travels in a set period of time and is usually measured in m/s
or km/h.

Speed relates to movement efficiency and performance because there are many sport in

which the speed at which someone is moving is advantageous. This includes all racing
sports, such as: sprinting, swimming, triathlons, marathons and much more. For these sports
the faster the athlete can move, the better they will perform. In relation to efficiency, high
speed will frequently require high energy consumption and result in fatigue. Furthermore, if
an athlete has higher speed, it does not mean they have a higher speed without fatigue.
marathon runners, often don’t have the best speeds when it is tested, but can maintain
higher speeds for longer periods of time when compared to sprinters.