Minds On

Choose your physical activity

What type of physical activity do you like? Is it played on a team, with a partner, or individually? Different types of fitness affect the body differently.

Watch this video of two people strolling in front of a building.

Explore this video of a person practicing yoga with a dog on their back.

Check out this video of a swimmer training front crawl and taking deep breaths.

Brainstorm

Brainstorm and reflect

Do these activities affect the body in the same way? Why?

Do you have a preferred activity? Why?

Action

Benefits of physical activity

Some of the more noticeable changes resulting from physical activity may include:

  • a lower heart rate during activities and a lower resting heart rate
  • increased muscle strength
  • increased endurance (able to do an activity for longer without having to rest)
  • increased bone strength (less chance of breaking bones)
  • increased flexibility
  • improved body composition (more muscle, stronger bones)

In addition to those fitness components, physical activity and exercise can also result in benefits for mental health, such as:

  • improved self-esteem
  • better posture and balance
  • more energy
  • good sleeping habits

Press the following tabs to explore more detailed descriptions of each of these components of physical activity:

Cardiorespiratory fitness is how fit our heart and lungs are as we are physically active.

Muscular strength is the ability to lift and hold heavy objects.

Flexibility is the ability of our body to move easily at all joints. Flexibility is about how our muscles stretch and how to control our muscles.

Mental health is the way we think, feel, and talk about ourselves. It also involves how we act and the ability to cope with challenges.

Muscular endurance is how long your muscles can work without getting tired.

To check your understanding of these benefits, you will now access a fill-in-the-blanks activity. For each sentence about the benefits of physical activities, select the missing phrase from the drop-down menu.

Experience the benefits of physical activity

Safety

Before you begin:

Some fitness movements help improve our heart health and lung health. This is called cardiorespiratory fitness.

Try It

Try it

Move on the spot for one minute. You choose whether you want to run, dance or wheel around.

Stop. Put your hand on your heart. How fast is it beating? How fast are you breathing?

Some fitness movements help improve our ability to hold something heavy and for longer a longer amount of time. This is called muscular strength and muscular endurance.

Try It

Try it

Get into a plank position or any endurance activity of your choice. You choose whether you are on your toes or knees. You choose whether you are on your elbows or your hands. Hold that position for 30 seconds.

Stage lights
Kids in costumes

Some fitness movements help improve how our muscles stretch and how to control our muscles. It is called flexibility and balance.

Try It

Try it

Get into airplane pose or a balance of your choice and hold for 30 seconds.

Consolidation

Because I’m happy

Being happy and having joy improves our physical and mental health.

Think about an activity that makes you happy.

For example, playing cricket with others. To be a better cricket player you should improve your cardio fitness to field the ball and run between the wickets more successfully and without getting tired.

Maybe someone enjoys singing. To be a better singer, it is important to have strong core muscles and good posture, which affects their muscular strength and endurance.

Maybe someone enjoys hanging at the park and doing parkour. Parkour affects their flexibility and balance.

Pause Reflect

Pause and reflect

  • Which component of fitness matches an activity that you enjoy? What would you need to practice? Why?
  • How will you know if you are successful?

Choose exercises that affect your body in the way in which you want. You may use this interactive activity to come up with ideas or you may use any activity that you enjoy: just make sure they affect the body in the way in which you want.

For each exercise, select the corresponding ways in which it affects the body.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.