LESSON 1

Physical education is the earliest form of education known to human beings. Learning how to move is
vital for one's survival. Learning the most basic functions such as turning over, sitting up, crawling,
standing, walking, and running are but a few of the essential skills that a child has to learn. Growing up,
a variety of more complex movement skills must be acquired. In the primitive era, one must learn the
skills of hunting and gathering food, of looking for shelter, as well as defending one's territory. The
desire for propagation and mating is said to have been the origin of dance and play.

Ancient civilizations have forms of physical education as part of their past and culture. China has records
of forms of music, dance, and archery, as well as other forms of activities such as wrestling, tug of war,
polo, grappling, kite flying, and water games. India has records of the earliest forms of dances, as well as
other forms of activities such as throwing balls, dice, tumblings, chariot races, marbles, riding elephants,
plowing contests, horse riding, wrestling, swordsmanship;* boxing, and dancing. In Egypt, young boys
were given weapons to play and train with, and were trained in gymnastics, while the girls were taught
dance to entertain royalties. In Persia, the empire was built through the military. The whole life of the
individual is a life of military training.

The Greeks valued physical education as well. In Athens, life was a democracy, and physical education
was for the purpose of perfection and beauty. In Sparta, physical education was primarily used for
strengthening the army. Defective babies were thrown off the cliff, and young boys started their training
by six years of age. Spartans trained in wrestling, jumping, running, discus and javelin throwing, riding a
horse, hunting, marching, and other activities. When Rome conquered Greece, such practices in physical
training were assimilated in the life of the the Roman soldier: As the Roman empire started to become
materialistic, there was a decline in physical education, and the focus went into gladiatorial combat as a
form of entertainment. With the decline of the Roman empire, physical education experienced a decline
as well.

The importance of physical education reemerged during the era of feudalism. With the rise of the feudal
system, there was a need to put up small armies and fiefs, as training for military skills resurfaced.
People were trained on how to use the sword, shield, and the bow and arrow. Horseback riding and
scaling walls were also taught.

During the Renaissance period, physical education was also seen as an important part of life. While the
mind was given premium, the people believed that the body must have rest and recreation as well.
Eventually the practice of physical education and gymnastics spread across Europe, and was formalized
in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain. Physical education was made part of the school
curriculum and was experiencing refinement. Eventually the United States followed suit. It formalized
physical education in schools, establishing sports clubs and programs for teacher training. Basketball
was invented, and broad and extensive programs were established for sports and recreational activities.

As the Philippine educational system is modeled after the American educational system, a similar system
of physical education and sports was set in place. However, Philippine physical education has its own
roots. The Philippines is home to a wide array of indigenous dances and plays, as well as local games.
The Philippines is also home to the martial art of stick-fighting, known as arnis, which is also known by
other names such as eskrima and kali, or what is now known as FMA (Filipino Martial Arts). As physical
education became formalized in schools, there was a move to include these dances, games, and martial
arts as part of the physical education curriculum.

In the K to 12 Physical Education and Health Curriculum, it is widely noted that health should also be a
major component. Whereas physical education was primarily for survival in the past and utilized for
military purposes, today, the shift in purpose is to build a citizenry that is fit for life. This entails that the
individual must be physically fit and healthy as well.

Physical education curricula may vary among schools. However, there exists a set of standards,
protocols, and goals that are promulgated in order to promote public health and fitness. Health-
Optimizing Physical Education or H.O.P.E. is the term used when the physical education curriculum was
designed in order to address aspects that will enhance and help improve public health goals. Under the
new Philippine K to 12 Curriculum, H.O.P.E. topics as stated in the curriculum guide are:

1. Proper etiquette and safety in the use of facilities and equipment

2. Optimization of energy systems

3. Health behaviors (eating habits, sleep and stress management), health risks factors, and physical
activity performance

4. Types of eating (fueling for performance, emotional eating, social eating, eating while watching TV or
sports events)

5. How to self-assess health-related fitness (HRF) status, barriers to physical activity participation, and
one's diet

6. How to set FITT goals based on training principles to achieve and/or maintain HRF

7. School and community resources in case of an injury or emergency

8. How to analyze physiological indicators such as heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, and pacing
associated with MVPAs to monitor and/ or adjust participation or effort

9. How to observe personal safety protocol to avoid dehydration, overex-ertion, hypothermia and
hyperthermia during MVPA participation

10. Health- and fitness-related career opportunities

11. How to organize a fitness event for a target health issue or concern

Proper Etiquette and Safety in the Use of Facilities and Equipment

When engaged in training and exercise, a lot of the activities make use of the school facilities and
equipment. The following guidelines need to be followed in order to allow everyone a fair, orderly,
maximal, safe usage, and avoid equipment hugging, lessen chaotic movement of students and
equipment, and prevent possible accidents.

1. Take care in using facilities and equipment.

A lot of money has been invested to provide students with facilities such as fields, courts, and
multipurpose halls to be used for various functions including physical education programs. Specific
sports equipment are purchased for the use of students in various sports and games so that fitness can
be encouraged in fun and engaging activities. In consideration of the school's effort and of other
students who will benefit from using the facilities and equipment, it is good form and behavior to handle
them with care and to use them based solely on their purpose (e.g., chess pieces are only for playing on
the chess board, and not to be used for a game of catch in the field, as pieces might get lost and will
render the chess set incomplete).

2. Only use equipment that you already know how to use.

If you are unfamiliar with the use of a certain equipment, do not handle it until such time as the teacher
gives instructions on how to operate the said equipment. You could break the equipment or cause harm
to yourself or others (e.g., swinging a tennis racquet without being taught the proper grip might lead to
letting go of the racquet unintentionally, possibly damaging the racquet, part of the facility, or harming
someone). If unsure on how to use the equipment, ask the teacher. Chances are, if you were not taught
how to use the equipment, then it is still not part of your program and thus, must refrain from touching
it for reasons stated earlier.

3. Be alert and aware in the training area.

While practicing care and alertness, another person might be careless and could cause accidents or
mishaps. Developing presence of mind could help avoid accidents, whether these are caused by your
own actions or by the carelessness of others.

4. In performing exercises and movement in general, practice good form first.

Many students, for example, may want to perform a lot of push-up repetitions, but doing it in improper
form may result in only two things: one, he or she may not reap the benefits of that exercise, and two,
wrong form may cause injury.

5. Bring back all equipment in place after use.

Often, in a regular-sized school, gym or sports equipment is not equal to the number of students. This
means not all students can use the equipment at the same time. Because of this, a rotation system will
be used by the teacher. In order to facilitate a faster rotation, equipment may be passed on to the next
batch of students, or left in a station for others to use. After use, equipment must be returned to its
original storage area to prevent having them misplaced, stolen, or unnecessarily cluttered in the training
area, as this may cause accidents that can injure people or damage the equipment.

6. Do not hug the equipment:

Usually, even while on rotation, a certain equipment is monopolized by a small group of students. For
everyone to have a chance to use the equipment, students must practice sharing the equipment.
Students must be conscious that they are given only a certain amount of time to use the said equipment
or venue. They should allow everyone a fair use of the facilities.

7. Return the equipment properly, or leave the venue clean.

If you have sweat all over a bench you just used, towel it down. If you finished off bottles of drinks,
throw them in the trash can. Suffice to say, any equipment or facility that has been used should be clean
and ready for the next user-you should not leave or pass on equipment that is in complete disarray or is
dirty.

8. Check yourself—practice proper personal hygiene and care.

While this might be stating the obvious, take a bath and / or use a deodorant—this is in consideration of
your classmates who will be doing physical activities with you. Also, if you are feeling sick, do not force
yourself to engage in physical activities. Report your condition to your teacher. You might cause yourself
harm, or spread your sickness to your classmates.

9. Move on the double; do not loiter around the venue or hang on to equipment doing nothing.

While you might not be feeling up to it, other people may be excited in engaging in the physical activities
for the day. If you do not feel like exercising, allow others to use the venue or train with the equipment
—they will make much more use of it than you would on such days that you are not in the mood for
exercise.

10. Remember to be nice, as a general rule.

By being courteous and friendly, you will improve the atmosphere during class activities. Being helpful to
others will always produce positive atmosphere of friendship and fun.

Optimization of Energy Systems

The body needs energy to function, even during sleep and rest. During exercise, energy must be
produced at a faster rate as compared to its resting state. With different forms of activity, muscles are
used, and the heart compensates by beating faster to deliver oxygen to the whole body. For all these
functions, energy is needed. Energy comes from what we eat which are in the forms of:
1. Carbohydrates

2. Fat

3. Protein

Carbohydrates

Our muscles live and store carbohydrates in what is known as glycogen. Glycogen is used as fuel by the
body when it is broken down as glucose.

Fat

Fat is stored under our skin or adipose tissue. It serves as insulation for the body to prevent heat loss.
Fat, or triglyceride, serves as fuel too when it is broken down into two types of molecules-glycerol and
fatty acids. Energy is released when these are broken down.

Protein

One of our fundamental building blocks is protein. This is used for the repair and growth of body tissue.
It is not normally stored in the body the way carbohydrates and fat are. Only when in excess will protein
be stored and converted as fat. Energy can also be produced when protein is broken down, but this only
happens in prolonged endurance events such as marathons.