Fit GA Testing

The FIT GA Assessment Test is an important part of our physical education program and plays a key role in promoting health and fitness among our students. This statewide assessment helps us track and support students’ physical well-being, which is essential for their overall development and academic success.

The FIT GA Assessment evaluates students in four key areas:

1. Aerobic Capacity:
  - Measures cardiovascular endurance through activities such as the PACER Test or the 1-Mile Run.
2. Muscular Strength & Endurance:
  - Students complete curl-ups and push-ups to assess strength and endurance.
3. Flexibility:
  - The sit-and-reach test measures flexibility, which is important for injury prevention and maintaining a healthy range of motion.
4. Body Composition:
  - Assesses overall body weight in relation to height.

Our goal is to help students understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, proper nutrition, and adequate rest. Results from this assessment allow us to better tailor our PE curriculum to meet the needs of all students and support individual growth.

Key Testing Details

Testing Dates: Assessments will take place during PE classes in February and March.

Height & Weight (Grades 1–5): February
Push-Ups & Curl-Ups (Grades 4–5): February & March
Sit-and-Reach (Grades 4–5): February & March
1-Mile Run (Grades 2–5): Tuesday, March 3rd
- Rain Date (*if needed*): Tuesday, March 10th

Results & Support

Individual results will be shared with students and parents/guardians and will be used to help students set personal fitness goals. We will also provide recommended at-home workouts that students can complete three times per week. These workouts will be available on our PE website.

Please note that the FIT GA Assessment is focused on personal growth, not competition. Our goal is to encourage students to improve at their own pace and develop a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. We are here to support every student on their journey toward better health.

Below, you’ll find additional details about each assessment and tips for practicing at home.

Aerobic Capacity

Aerobic capacity is a critical component of fitness for elementary-age children, as it supports overall health, physical development, and cognitive function.

Recommended Activity Levels

The CDC and WHO recommend that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, with aerobic activities making up a large portion of that time. Activities such as running, biking, playing sports, and active play are excellent ways to build cardiovascular endurance.

Connection to Health & Learning

Higher aerobic capacity in children is linked to many positive outcomes, including:

Improved academic performance
Better mood and mental well-being
Reduced risk of obesity
Lower likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease later in life

Building aerobic fitness at a young age helps set the foundation for a healthy, active lifestyle now and in the future.

1-Mile Test

Students will complete the one-mile test in March. To prepare for this assessment, we incorporate running into every PE class beginning in August. Students start with two-minute runs and gradually build up to five-minute runs as the year progresses. During each run, students count their laps and set personal goals, which they are encouraged to maintain and improve over time.

In addition to PE class, Running Club provides another opportunity for students to build aerobic fitness. Running Club is offered during both the fall and spring seasons, giving students extra chances to practice endurance, set goals, and track their progress.

Fall Session: August – December
Spring Session: March – April

If your child hasn’t registered for the Running Club, [Click Here to Register].

Flexibility

Maintaining adequate joint flexibility is important for overall functional health. While decreased flexibility is generally not a major concern for young children, flexibility plays an important role in injury prevention and healthy movement patterns. The sit-and-reach test specifically measures flexibility in the hamstrings, which are the body’s largest muscle group and one of the most commonly injured.

Sit-N-Reach Test:

Objective: Students will attempt to reach within the Healthy Fitness Zone using both the right and left legs.

How the Test Is Performed:

Students will remove their shoes and sit on the floor with legs fully extended, knees straight, and feet flat against the sit-and-reach box.
Students will place one hand on top of the other, palms facing down, with fingers fully extended.
Keeping their hands aligned and palms flat, students will slowly reach forward, extending as far as possible without bouncing or jerking.
Students must keep their legs straight and avoid lifting them while reaching.

Curl Up Test

The curl-up test measures abdominal strength and endurance, which are important for posture, balance, and overall core stability.

Starting Position

The student lies on a mat with their back flat, head touching the mat, and arms extended at their sides.
Feet should be flat on the floor with knees bent.
The student is positioned so their fingertips are just short of a 4.5-inch measuring strip placed on the mat.

Curl-Up Execution

The student performs a curl-up by lifting their upper back off the mat until their fingertips reach or cross the measuring strip.
Movements should be controlled and smooth, following the testing cadence and avoiding any jerking motions.

Common Form Errors

Not lifting the upper back high enough for fingertips to reach the measuring strip
Stretching arms across the strip without properly lifting the upper back
Lifting the feet off the mat
Failing to return the head to the mat between repetitions
Inability to maintain the proper testing pace

Error Correction & Conclusion

If a form error occurs, the student will be given an opportunity to correct it.
If a second form error occurs, the test will conclude for that student.

These guidelines help ensure the curl-up test is performed safely and accurately, providing a reliable measure of each student’s abdominal strength and endurance.

Curl Up Test Intro Video

Curl Up Test Cadence

Push Up Test

The push-up test measures upper-body strength and endurance, which are important for overall fitness, posture, and daily movement.

Starting Position

Students begin in the “up” position with hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Arms are fully extended, the body is in a straight line, and toes are on the ground.

Lowering Phase

Keeping their back straight, students lower their body by bending their elbows until they reach at least a 90-degree angle at the elbows.

Rising Phase

Students push back up to the starting position by fully extending their arms, staying in time with the testing cadence to complete one push-up.

Common Form Errors

Elbow Bend: Not lowering to at least a 90-degree angle
Pace: Stopping or falling out of cadence
Body Alignment: Not maintaining a straight back
Full Extension: Failing to return to the “up” position with fully extended arms
Ground Contact: Allowing any part of the body other than hands and feet to touch the ground

Error Correction & Conclusion

If a form error occurs, the student will be given an opportunity to correct it.
If a second form error occurs, the test will conclude for that student.

These guidelines help ensure the push-up test is performed safely and accurately, providing a reliable measure of each student’s upper-body strength and endurance.

Push Up Test Intro Video

Push Up Test Cadence

Workout to IMPROVE your Fitness Levels!

Darebee is a fantastic fitness resource for students and families. It is a free online platform that offers workout routines, challenges, and fitness programs for a wide range of skill levels. Darebee is known for its simple, visual workout guides and focuses on bodyweight exercises, making it perfect for kids. No special equipment is needed, and the workouts are designed to be fun, safe, and accessible.

How Darebee Workouts Help Elementary-Age Children Improve Fitness

Age-Appropriate Exercises

Darebee workouts include movements such as animal walks, jumping jacks, squats, and planks, which align with children’s natural movement patterns. These exercises are safe for developing bodies and help build coordination and strength.

Bodyweight-Focused Routines

Because Darebee workouts don’t require heavy equipment, they are safer and easier to modify for children. Bodyweight exercises improve functional strength, flexibility, and endurance, all of which are important for fitness assessments.

Building Key Fitness Areas

Darebee routines support the key fitness components measured during school fitness testing:

Core Strength: Curl-ups, planks, and similar exercises strengthen abdominal muscles used in curl-up assessments.
Upper Body Strength: Push-ups and wall push-ups help build strength needed for push-up tests.
Flexibility: Stretching routines and sit-and-reach-style exercises improve flexibility and range of motion.

Engagement & Motivation

Darebee uses visual guides and gamified movements (such as animal-themed exercises), making workouts engaging and fun. This helps students stay motivated and enjoy being active.

Progressive Difficulty

Workouts are easily scalable, allowing students to progress at their own pace. For example, students can begin with knee push-ups and gradually work toward full push-ups as strength improves.

Encouraging Healthy Habits

Darebee’s fun and easy-to-follow workouts help foster a love for physical activity, encouraging students to build lifelong healthy habits that lead to improved fitness and overall well-being.

Click image to access workouts!

Darebee Workouts

Frequency: Aim for 2–3 workouts per week. This allows muscles enough time to recover while still building strength and endurance.
Duration: Keep workouts short — 15–20 minutes is ideal. This helps children stay engaged, focused, and excited about being active.
Intensity: Choose low- to moderate-intensity Darebee workouts to avoid overloading young bodies. Look for routines that use bodyweight exercises and focus on flexibility, balance, and basic strength, such as planks, squats, and light cardio activities.
Variety: Mix up the workouts to keep them fun and motivating! Darebee offers a wide range of themed workouts, including superhero and adventure-style routines. Rotating themes helps maintain interest and encourages continued participation.

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