PATHFIT 1

LESSON 1.1. INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Introduction
Physical Education is an integral part of the educational program designed to promote the optimum
development of an individual physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually through total body movement
in the performance of properly selected physical activities.
It is dominated by movement and fitness education content and aimed at physical literacy and the physical
activity dispositions of all learners from the basic to the tertiary education levels. (CHED). In 1946, The Constitution
of World Health Organization (WHO) came up with a definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental
and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Later in its 1998 constitution, WHO
again modified its definition and defined health as “a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and
social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Few points should be noted down from these definitions of health by World Health Organization;
i. health is not equivalent to absence of disease or symptoms,
ii. health is dynamic in nature,
iii. not just your physical wellbeing but your mental, social and spiritual wellbeing are equally important and,
iv. our health is a combination of four dimensions; physical, mental, social and spiritual.
Legal Basis of Physical Education
Article 14, Sec. 19 of 1987 Constitution States that 1. “The state shall promote Physical education and
encourage sports program 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”.
Republic Act No. 5708: An Act Proving for the Promotions 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 “The Schools Physical Education and Sports Development Act of 1969”.
Section 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 sport and other activities in a Physical Education program should provide opportunities for the athletic
development of students and youth who have the competitive spirit as well as grace, coordination, stamina
and strength;
3. A well–rounded program for sports development in the schools requires effective organizational planning
and administration with provisions for adequate training facilities and sustained stable financing.
Objectives of Physical Education
Physical Education as part of the educational system strives to help or facilitate the development of the
potentialities of the individual so that he can attain total fitness that enable him to enjoy a good and useful life. It
includes the acquisition and refinement of motor skills as well as develops and maintains fitness for optimal health
and well-being. The objectives of Physical Education are focused on the acquisition of those skills through the
following aspects of development.
1. Physical Development 3. Emotional Development
2. Mental Development 4. Social Development
Major Goals of Physical Education
1. Teaching Essential Body Management Skills
The most well-known goal of any physical education class is to promote movement, but there’s more needed
to help students break out of a sedentary lifestyle. PE classes teach students the skills that they will use throughout
their entire lives. For many younger students, physical education classes offer their first chance to learn about the
relationships between nutrition, exercise, and health while acquiring basic body management skills such as:
1. The ability to stop and start on signal
2. Spatial awareness
3. Body part identification
4. Balance and control

2. Promoting Physical Fitness as Fun

Quality instruction from dedicated educators helps children develop fundamental motor patterns. But it’s also
important for teaching students that being active can be a fun, natural habit. Students consider physical fitness a
natural part of their daily schedule, the more likely they are to be engaged in fitness as they age, leading to a
healthier lifestyle.

3. Developing Teamwork, Sportsmanship, and Cooperation

Physical education allows students to experience healthy social interactions, as it teaches cooperation
through group activities and encourages teamwork through identification as one part of a team. These social skills
stay with students throughout their lives, increasing the chance they’ll become involved in their communities, take
leadership roles, and build lasting relationships. Social skills develop confidence while contributing to academic
performance and mental health.

LESSON 1.2: PHYSICAL FITNESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Physical Fitness is one of the core preconditions of health. We cannot imagine a person to be healthy
without being physically fit. Physical fitness, therefore needs to be appreciated in full measure. Physical Activity
refers to all energy expended by movement, and is defined as any body movement produced by skeletal muscles
that results in energy expenditure above resting level.
• Physical Activity- Cause • Physical Fitness- Effect

Benefits of Physical Fitness

The benefits of being physically fit for the individual are manifold. The quality of life of an individual
improves when he/she consciously adopts healthy lifestyle which promotes physical fitness as follows:

1. improves the functioning of heart and lungs by increasing the availability of oxygen to all tissues and
organs in the body system
2. improves muscle tone
3. promotes the development of good posture, proportionate figure, and thereby positive body image and
physical appearance
4. ensures quick recovery after injury and illness
5. decreases the risk of cardio-vascular disease; (like Heart attack, Asthma etc.)
6. reduces and controls undesirable body fat. When the individual does exercise, takes proper diet that also
fulfils nutritional requirement, it helps maintain ideal body weight
7. increases energy level of a person
8. improves the mood by reducing depression and anxiety
9. helps people to meet challenges of life, makes them self-confident and delays the ageing process.
LESSON 1.3: COMPONENTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

Health- Related Fitness

1. Cardiovascular Fitness - cardio-respiratory endurance reflects the ability of the body’s circulatory and
respiratory systems to supply fuel during sustained physical activity.
2. Muscular Strength - is the amount of force applied on muscle or muscle groups, is able to exert for one
maximal effort (contraction). The key to making your muscles stronger is working them against resistance,
whether that be from weights or gravity. If you want to gain muscle strength, try exercises such as lifting
weights (under proper supervision).
3. Muscular Endurance - is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force against a submaximal
load for a given length of time (or number of repetition) before fatiguing to the point of failure.
4. Body Composition - refers to the proportion of team body mass to body fat, it includes amount of muscle,
fat, bone, and other vital parts of the body. Body composition is important to be considered for health and
managing the body fat.
5. Flexibility - is the range of motion around a joint. Good flexibility in the joints can help prevent injuries
through all stages of life. If you want to improve your flexibility, try yoga, gymnastics and basic stretching
exercise program.
Skill- Related Fitness
1. Agility - is the ability to change and control the direction and position of the body while maintaining a
constant, rapid motion. For example, changing directions to hit a tennis ball.
2. Balance - is the ability to control or stabilize the body when a person is standing still or moving. For
example, handstand in gymnastics.
3. Speed - is the ability to move your body or parts of your body swiftly. Many sports rely on speed to gain
advantage over opponents. For example, a Basketball player making a fast break to perform a lay-up, a
tennis player moving forward to get to a drop shot, a football player running the defense to receive a pass.
4. Coordination - is the ability to use the senses together with body parts during movement. For example,
dribbling a basketball. Using hands and eyes together is called hand-eye coordination.
5. Power - is the ability to move the body parts swiftly while applying the maximum force of the muscles.
Power is a combination of both speed and muscular strength. For example, volleyball players lifting up to
the net and lifting their bodies high into the air.
6. Reaction Time - is the ability to reach or respond quickly to what you hear, see or feel. For example, an
athlete quickly coming off the blocks early in a swimming or track event, or stealing a base in baseball.