Meet the Fitness Five!

Your body can do amazing things! The 'Fitness Five' are the five parts of being physically fit. Knowing them helps you become a well-rounded, healthy superstar.Heart Power (Cardiovascular Endurance): How well your heart and lungs supply oxygen to your body while you exercise. It's what lets you play longer!Muscle Power (Muscular Strength): The biggest amount of force a muscle can create in one single effort. Think: one big push or lift!Staying Power (Muscular Endurance): The ability of your muscles to keep working for a long time without getting tired.Stretchy Power (Flexibility): The ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. It helps you bend and reach without injury.Body Composition: This is all the stuff your body is made of, like muscle, bone, and fat. A healthy b...

Maria loves playing tag at recess. She runs, dodges, and chases her friends all over the playground. Her heart beats fast and she breathes more deeply. This is her Heart Power, or cardiovascular endurance, at work!The more she plays tag, the stronger her heart and lungs get. This means she can play for even longer next time before feeling out of breath. Activities like running, swimming, and jumping rope are all great for building Heart Power.

Kevin is helping his dad in the garden. He uses his Muscle Power (muscular strength) to lift a heavy watering can to water the plants. It takes one big effort to lift it up.Later, he has to rake all the leaves in the yard. He has to pull the rake back and forth over and over again. This uses his Staying Power (muscular endurance) because his arm and back muscles have to do the same motion many times without getting too tired to finish.