Background/Purpose As part of being competent, physically educated people, physical education-teacher education (PETE) majors/minors are expected to achieve and maintain a health enhancing level of fitness for all five health-related fitness (HRF) components (NASPE, 2008). The purpose of this study was to determine if PETE majors/minors were achieving health enhancing levels of fitness for all five HRF components and establish a baseline for a longitudinal study.
Method PETE majors/minors (N = 179) at one Midwestern university completed FitnessGram assessments that measured all five components of HRF (BMI, pacer, push-ups, curl-ups and sit and reach). All assessments were administered by PETE faculty.
Analysis/Results Data were analyzed based on health-related fitness zones (HFZ) established by FitnessGram. Results indicated that 35% of participants were in the HFZ for all five assessments. Percentages in the HFZ were 59% for BMI, 59% for the pacer, 94% for push-ups, 92% for curl-ups, and 85% for sit and reach. Male percentages in the HFZ were 50% for BMI, 58% for the pacer, 94% for push-ups, 90% for Curl-up, and 90% for sit and reach. Female percentages in the HFZ were 76% for BMI, 60% for the pacer, 95% for push-ups, 95% for Curl-up, and 76% for sit and reach.
Conclusions Results indicate participants in this PETE program are lacking in their ability to demonstrate competency (HFZ) in all components of HRF. It is important that future PE teachers are able to demonstrate fitness competency as students view them as role models. Thus, longitudinal tracking of fitness levels of majors/minors is warranted.
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