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Health and Fitness

Through our health and physical education classes, NSA develops students who are prepared for healthy competition and academic performance. The correlation between a physically fit body and outstanding academic performance is in keeping with our mission to engage our students to reach their fullest potential intellectually, emotionally, and physically. See NSA Physical Fitness classes in action; click here.

All Health and Fitness classes are non-academic, which means that grades earned during the school year are included when determining Academic Progress, Honors and High Honors Lists, but final averages are not included when calculating the yearly grade point average.

Only academic courses will be included when determining final grade point average and honor graduate status.

Courses

HEALTH AND FITNESS II
Grade 9

Prerequisite: Health and Fitness I.

Students are shown how to develop a personal fitness program that will fit their individual needs. Each student is instructed in proper weight-training methods and flexibility exercises and shown how to develop and maintain cardiovascular endurance. Basic skills and rules are taught in a variety of lifetime sports so that students may pursue these sports in a recreational setting. Instruction is offered in areas such as mental health (including stress), the life cycle, substance abuse, AIDS and STDs.

ADVANCED PHYSCIAL FITNESS/ ALTERNATIVE SPORTS
Grades 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite: Health and Fitness I and II.

This course is designed for both males and females who are interested in participating in non-traditional sports rarely offered as Physical Education activities. Sports will be selected by the department and may include but will not be limited to biking, ultimate Frisbee, rollerblading, skateboarding, ping-pong, horseshoes and corn hole. Emphasis will be placed on developing basic skills, rules, playing strategy and etiquette involved in these games. Students can expect to take occasional field trips to participate in sports at local venues.


ADVANCED PHYSCIAL FITNESS/ STRENGTH TRAINING
Grades 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite: Health and Fitness I and II.

Strength training is designed for both males and females who wish to increase their physical strength or just stay physically fit. Younger sophomores, however, should be cautioned that lifting heavy amounts of weight before their growth plates solidify can cause stress fractures. Growth plates normally solidify at approximately 16 years of age, according to many orthopedic surgeons. As for the weekly routine in this course: Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be upper-body workdays; Tuesday and Thursday will be lower body workdays. Core workouts will be done every day between the regular workout sets. All strength training will be progressive: as the student gets stronger, weight will be added to the appropriate exercise. Each student or his individual sport coach will design a training program that will assist the student in achieving the desired goals.  Individual daily records will be kept to show strength gains at each lifting station. The activities presented in this course will be performed while demonstrating the correct form and safety standards.