Physical Activity

Why get active?

Regular physical activity is an important part of being healthy and staying healthy.

Regular physical activity helps with:

healthy growth and development
building strong bones and muscles
improved balance and develop skills
maintaining and develop flexibility
achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
improved cardiovascular fitness
reduced stress and feeling more relaxed
improved posture
boosts confidence and self-esteem
having fun with their friends and making new ones

People who don’t get enough physical activity are at a greater risk of becoming overweight or obese.

Being overweight can also make people more prone to conditions such as asthma, flat feet and joint sprains. In the long term, it can contribute to conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and liver disease.

To stay healthy or to improve health, young people need to do three types of physical activity each week: aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity.

To maintain a basic level of health, children and young people aged 5-18 need to do: At least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day, which should be a mix of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as fast walking, and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as running.

On three days a week, these activities should involve muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups and bone-strengthening activities, such as running.

What counts as moderate-intensity aerobic activity?

Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk but you can't sing the words to a song.

Examples of activities that require moderate effort for most young people include:

walking to school
playing in the playground
skateboarding
rollerblading
walking the dog
riding a bike on level ground or ground with few hills

What counts as vigorous-intensity aerobic activity?

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

Examples of activities that require vigorous effort for most young people include:

playing chase
energetic dancing
aerobics
running
gymnastics
playing football
martial arts, such as karate
riding a bike fast or on hilly ground

What counts as muscle-strengthening activity?

For young people, muscle-strengthening activities are those that require them to lift their own body weight or to work against a resistance, such as climbing a rope.

Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include:

games such as tug of war
swinging on playground equipment bars
gymnastics
rope or tree climbing
sit-ups
sports such as gymnastics, football, basketball and tennis

What counts as bone-strengthening activity?

Bone-strengthening activities produce an impact or tension force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength.

Examples of bone-strengthening activities suitable for young people include:

dance
aerobics
weight-training
water-based activities
running
sports such as gymnastics, football, netball, hockey, badminton and tennis
skipping with a rope
martial arts

You should take part in activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

For further sports related information check out the following links: -

brianmac

Get Active

Watching TV, surfing the web and playing computer games or small handheld devices can be good fun – and even educational! But spending too much time sitting still each day can be bad for your health. It’s important to balance screen time with active play time so your body can grow strong, fit and healthy.

Google Sites

Report abuse