Enrich
Your Physical Education Program with HEARTalker
By
Cindy
Martin (HEARTalker)
Heart rate monitors, just like balls, hoops and jump ropes, help you teach your students fitness and provide exercise guidelines for a healthy heart and fit body. HEARTalker monitors in PE programs are an excellent tool that will help you teach these lessons more effectively, and help you:
Terms such as resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, recovery rate and target zones may be new to you, or you may not be sure how to apply these concepts in your PE classes. With HEARTalker monitors the process need not be complicated, expensive or difficult; HEARTalker monitors make PE more fun for students, and help you achieve your goals.
What You Need to Know About "Target Zones"
The generally accepted method for calculating target zones is the Karvonen Formula. This formula uses the theoretical maximum heart rate of 220 beats per minute, minus age. Fifty-five to eight-five percent of that resulting number is your "target zone". This formula is based on figures for adults and is not recommended for use with children. It is important to teach students pacing and intensity, but specific target zone training is not appropriate for use in children. Greg Welk, Ph.D. of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Studies responds to teacher’s questions regarding target zone training for children:
There have been recent discussions about the selection of appropriate heart rate guidelines for children and I think it is worth noting that there is no definitive level that can be recommended. The levels that are often cited for both children and adults can only be used as "guidelines".
The most recent recommendations on activity levels in children (NASPE /COPEC Guidelines) do not even mention a specific target zone. Instead, the goal is to "...accumulate at least 30-60 minutes of age appropriate activity on all, or most, days of the week". The guidelines indicate that some of children's activity should be "...in periods lasting 10-15 minutes or more that include moderate to vigorous activity..." but the criterion for this intensity is most likely intentionally omitted. I would encourage teachers and practitioners to worry less about whether a child is in their target zone and to instead focus on helping them to enjoy the activity they are participating in.
Gregory J. Welk, Ph.D.
The American Heart Association guidelines for exercise with children states: Children are remarkably able to adjust their levels of activity to their individual capability. Maximum heart rate in healthy children is about 200 beats per minute, and there is no need to arbitrarily restrict them to lower heart rates. Therefore, taking target heart rates in healthy children is neither recommended nor necessary.
Physical Education with HEARTalker
HEARTalker PE programs use age appropriate fitness lessons. Students receive the cardiovascular exercise they need, while in an appropriate range for their age, but without the strict adherence to specific zones. Children can play above or below zones and still receive a healthy and fit body, and have fun doing it. Again, the American Heart Association states:
Healthy children, when in an environment conducive to physical activity, will be active. Emphasis should be placed on play (rather than exercise) and on activities that the child enjoys, that are consistent with the child's skill level, and that can be accomplished given the family's personal resources and interests. A healthy level of physical activity requires regular participation in activities that increase energy expenditure above resting levels. An active child participates in physical education classes, plays sports, performs regular household chores, spends recreational time outdoors and regularly travels by foot or bicycle.
Recovery time, resting heart rate and maximum heart rate are three important assessment points that will be the foundation of your programs using HEARTalker monitors. An understanding of these terms is essential to using heart rate monitors effectively in PE. Resting Heart Rate is number of heart beats per minute at rest, usually taken first thing in the morning. Maximum Heart Rate is defined as maximum heart beats per minute while involved in vigorous activity. While intensity of exercise is maintained or increased heart rate does not. Recovery Time is the heart rate measured at certain intervals after exercise, usually at one minute, three minutes and five minutes.
Getting Started
Getting started with HEARTalker heart rate monitors is easy. No time consuming or expensive "special training" is required for the instructor to implement using the HEARTalker monitors in physical education classes. These monitors have been designed with your needs in mind. Not only have we eliminated the difficult programming functions, the menu driven design makes it simple to set up the monitors in advance of class, or have students set them up.
Students of all ages and fitness levels can successfully use heart rate monitors indoors or out, with organized games or self- discovery activities.
For questions or comments about this article, contact Cindy Martin
(Information provided courtesy of www.pelinks4u.org)