Preview Video - Short video clips are included in courseware demo.
Courseware Demo - Demo contains Lesson 3 only.

Physical fitness is attainable by anyone in varying degrees and at different rates of progression. Becoming Physically Fit moves a student toward improving personal physical fitness and an overall healthier lifestyle at a pace specific to each individual. Main topics include:

• An Introduction to Physical Fitness
• Fitness Assessment
• Exercise Prescription
• Implementation of the Exercise Plan
• Evaluation of Fitness Activities
• Nutrition
• Weight Management
• Stress Management
• A Healthy Lifestyle

Throughout the course, students are asked to make behavioral, as well as physical, changes in their lifestyle. The successful implementation of these changes serves to motivate students to maintain personal fitness, proper nutrition and lifelong healthy lifestyle choices. Students are presented with cognitive information regarding physical fitness and healthy lifestyle choices. Video clips enhance the presentation of lesson information. Fitness testing and individualized exercise prescriptions are essential elements in this course as students complete their physical fitness assessments, which guide them to develop personal exercise prescriptions. Students then practice and report their exercise plans on a weekly basis throughout the course.  

Course components include a textbook, workbook, multimedia CD-ROM with video clips, testbank, and faculty guide.   


Course Objectives     

• Evaluate personal fitness levels and health behaviors. 
• Describe the components of health-related and skill-related physical fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. 
• Develop a prescription plan to improve personal fitness and health behaviors. 
• Discuss the contribution of physical activity to overall physical, social, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, emotional and occupational well being. 
• Explain basic nutrition principles. 
• Explain the principles of weight management. 
• Discuss stress management techniques. 
• Integrate physical fitness, nutrition, weight management, and stress management into lifelong healthy behaviors.

Lesson Titles/Descriptions  

1. Introduction/Overview - Students will understand the importance and pertinence of physical fitness and healthy lifestyle choices and be able to define related behaviors in each segment. They will understand the importance of motivation and behavior modification and the need for personal medical clearance to begin a fitness program.
   
   
2. Assessment - Students will understand the concepts and terminology of both cardiovascular and muscular fitness as they assess their own cardiovascular fitness level; their muscular strength, endurance and flexibility; their body composition; their body mass index; and determine their ideal body weight.
   
   
3. Exercise Prescription/Plan - Students will learn the principles of the components of cardiovascular fitness and muscular fitness as performed in their assessment tests. They will write a personalized program, determine goals and learn motivational techniques.
   
   
4. Evaluation of Fitness Activities - Students will learn the advantages, benefits and methods to enhance aerobic workouts. They will learn the sequence of an aerobic workout and the benefits skill related fitness activities contribute to wellness.
   
   
5. Nutrition - Students will define nutrition and become aware of the myths associated with it. They will learn the various food groups; how they function in the body and use that knowledge to achieve a balanced diet. They will become familiar with the causes and medical problems that are associated with eating disorders.
   
   
6. A Healthy Lifestyle - Students will be able to progress towards the development of a healthy lifestyle by defining and understanding physical fitness and the components of overall well-being. They will be able to identify unhealthy lifestyle choices, which could lead to disease or abuse.
   
   
7. Weight Management - Students will be able to define and understand the principles of weight management as they learn the relevance of the Basal Metabolic Rate and exercise to weight loss. They will be able to design a personal weight loss program and identify behavior modification techniques.
   
   
8. Stress - Students will be able to define and recognize sources of stress and the body's response to it, as they learn stress management techniques and the role of physical exercise in reducing stress.

Course Content includes:

• personalized workbook for students to record and track their fitness goals, aerobic activities (weight, heart rate, type of exercise and time spent), strength training, flexibility and nutrition data
• procedures for post-testing assessment
• goal setting and personal fitness profile
• video segments that demonstrate proper techniques
• home gym and other fitness ideas
• extensive tracking tools for accountability

Design and Production Team

• Content Specialist - Steffani S. McQueen, EdD
• Director of Production - Craig Mayes
• Video Producer - Linda Dippel
• Director of Production - Suzanne Dunn, PhD
• Interactive Course Instructional Designer - Marlena Mooney
• CD-ROM/Web Producer - Thomas Upton, EdD
• Flash Programmer - Lewis A. Gonzales

These veteran distance learning professionals developed this courseware in concert with a local advisory committee comprised of faculty and other leading experts in the field of physical education.