Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

Focused on physical literacy and measurable outcomes, empowering physical educators to help students meet the Common Core standards, and coming from a recently renamed but longstanding organization intent on shaping a standard of excellence in physical education, National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education is all that and much more. Created by SHAPE America — Society of Health and Physical Educators (formerly AAHPERD) — this text unveils the new National Standards for K-12 Physical Education. The standards and text have been retooled to support students’ holistic development. This is the third iteration of the National Standards for K-12 Physical Education, and this latest version features two prominent changes: •The term physical literacy underpins the standards. It encompasses the three domains of physical education (psychomotor, cognitive, and affective) and considers not only physical competence and knowledge but also attitudes, motivation, and the social and psychological skills needed for participation. • Grade-level outcomes support the national physical education standards. These measurable outcomes are organized by level (elementary, middle, and high school) and by standard. They provide a bridge between the new standards and K-12 physical education curriculum development and make it easy for teachers to assess and track student progress across grades, resulting in physically literate students. In developing the grade-level outcomes, the authors focus on motor skill competency, student engagement and intrinsic motivation, instructional climate, gender differences, lifetime activity approach, and physical activity. All outcomes are written to align with the standards and with the intent of fostering lifelong physical activity. National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education presents the standards and outcomes in ways that will help preservice teachers and current practitioners plan curricula, units, lessons, and tasks. The text also • empowers physical educators to help students meet the Common Core standards; • allows teachers to see the new standards and the scope and sequence for outcomes for all grade levels at a glance in a colorful, easy-to-read format; and • provides administrators, parents, and policy makers with a framework for understanding what students should know and be able to do as a result of their physical education instruction. The result is a text that teachers can confidently use in creating and enhancing high-quality programs that prepare students to be physically literate and active their whole lives.

This text describes how to create a programme that addresses the specific needs and capabilities of middle school students, while helping them through the transition from childhood to young adulthood. This edition is fully updated and revised.

Ergonomics in Sport and Physical Activity: Enhancing Performance and Improving Safety is also available as an e-book. The e-book is available at a reduced price and allows readers to highlight and take notes throughout the text. When purchased through the Human Kinetics site, access to the e-book is immediately granted when the order is received.Ergonomics in Sport and Physical Activity: Enhancing Performance and Improving Safety is the first text to provide an in-depth discussion of how the principles of ergonomics can be applied in the context of sport and other physical activities to reduce injury and improve performance. The textblends concepts from biomechanics, physiology, and psychology as it shows how ergonomics is applied to physical activity. This comprehensive text outlines methods for assessing risk in and procedures for dealing with stress, eliminating hazards, and evaluating challenges posed in specific work or sport environments. It discusses issues such as the design of effective equipment, clothing, and playing surfaces; methods of assessing risk in situations; and staying within appropriate training levels to reduce fatigue and avoid overtraining. The text not only examines sport ergonomics but also discusses ergonomic considerations for physically active special populations. Ergonomics in Sport and Physical Activity explains what ergonomics is, how ergonomists solve practical problems in the workplace, and how principles of ergonomics are applied in the context of sport and other physical activities when solving practical problems related to human characteristics and capabilities. The text shows readers how to improve performance, achieve optimal efficiency, enhance comfort, and reduce injuries by exploring topics such as these: Essential concepts, terms, and principles of ergonomics and how these relate to physical activity Physical properties of the body and the factors limiting performance Interactions between the individual, the task, and the environment Injury risk factors in relation to body mechanics in various physical activities Injury prevention and individual protection in the review of sports equipment and sports environments Comfort, efficiency, safety, and details of systems criteria in equipment design This research-based text uses numerous practical examples, figures, charts, and graphs to bring the material to life. In addition, descriptions of technological advances show where we have been and how technology has advanced the field. Through the book’s discussion of the various stressors and adaptive mechanisms, readers will learn how to cope with various environmental conditions. They will also learn how various training modes can be used to alter sport-specific capabilities and enhance performance. Presenting a wide range of approaches, theoretical models, and analytical techniques, Ergonomics in Sport and Physical Activity: Enhancing Performance and Improving Safety illustrates the potential for ergonomics to be extended across recreation, competitive sport, and physically active work environments. Bridging the gap between ergonomics and exercise science, this unique text will assist both health care and exercise professionals in developing an improved awareness of how human capabilities are best matched to physical activities.

Sociocultural Issues in Physical Education: Case Studies for Teachers is useful to a wide range of individuals interested in increasing their sociocultural awareness and knowledge in order to consider how students’ experiences are shaped in and through physical education classes. This book may be especially useful to teacher candidates and as a professional development tool. What happens in physical activity learning spaces is of great significance to the learners that occupy those spaces. Broadly speaking, one cannot deny that education is rife with error, nor can one ignore the presence of global-level issues in physical education. Using a case study approach, this book addresses social and cultural issues that can and do arise in physical education. This book offers a tool for studying and better understanding how social and cultural issues impact student learning in physical education. Chapter authors point toward possibilities for better understanding sociocultural issues in physical education settings.

"There's more to helping participants develop motor skills than just coming up with relevant drills. If you want participants to succeed, you need to structure learning tasks to keep them interested and engaged. Although there are many resources available to help teachers and coaches improve their curriculum, teaching skills, and management, little has been written about the critical issue of effective task design ... until now." "This text takes the most current research on learning and teaching movement activity and translates it into practical, down-to-earth suggestions for coaches and teachers. Using examples both in the gym and on the playing field, the book shows teachers and coaches alike how to develop instructional tasks that maximize students' learning and retention."--BOOK JACKET.