Physical-Activity Guidelines Not Being Met
Only one in four teens, ages 12-15, get the required 60 minutes of physical activity a day, so these other three teens are not getting this required exercise. This statistic is aimed at the Freshman and Sophomore girls, who are 14 turning 15 or 15 turning 16. Michael Bergeron, executive director of the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute, a partnership between Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D., and the American College of Sports Medicine said, “This drop [of exercise] comes at a time in kids’ lives when they are going through a lot of physical and emotional changes, along with increasing social distractions and academic pressures.” The importance of physical education and exercise is crucial for our the amount of it we do in the future. In starting your physical journey, you need to undergo a physical examination to know what your body needs. Consult a medical spa such as this medspa in San Diego, CA for additional guidance.
Despite the statistic that only one of four teens meet this requirement, Padua has some of the hardest working sports in the state. Padua’s volleyball, soccer, track and cross country teams have all won championships in the past year alone. Sarah Brush says that “Padua students compete in athletics at a high level and it is essential that they are of good physical level in order to win. Padua emphasizes the importance of our physical health and offers us many opportunities to allow us to better ourselves, whether in gym classes, practices, or after school workouts.”
The “lack of quality PE in high school,” was also touched on by Michael Bergeron. Now, Padua has a fantastic gym program for freshman and sophomore students, hitting the statistic right back. The students participate in challenging activities such as running a mile as well as difficult exercises, but also have fun by participating in projects like a dance project at the end of the semester. “I had P.E. first period every day,” says Anne Brush, “and it was a great way to start my morning. P.E. at Padua encourages all students to be active in our daily lives and encourages us to participate in any sport that we love. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose to do, all that matters is that you are benefitting from the exercise and are having fun at the same time.” Freshmen are required to take one semester of health and one of gym; and sophomores are required to take one semester of gym. Erin Spadaccini says that “through these classes students are able to learn and obtain the knowledge regarding fitness thus enabling them to make better decisions regarding their health and body.” Some of the struggles girls have with the exercise is finding time to. That’s why it’s important to seek the expertise of a fitness trainer in alexandria.
“With sports, adolescents often have to choose between playing basketball and going to a party, between playing tennis and studying for a test. ‘We have to give the kids credit that there’s a lot going on at this age,” says Tala Fakhouri, an epidemiologist (the branch of medicine dealing with health) with the National Center for Health Statistics, when talking to Nanci Hellmich for USA Today. Padua Academy has female students who have learned to balance their exercise with their academic and social lives which has benefited them all together for the busy schedules of their futures. This type of schedule will help Padua Academy students find time to do their daily exercise without ruining their academic and social lives. People need to learn to fit exercise in every day instead of once or twice a week. To support your daily workout routine and maintain optimal muscle function, consider incorporating a Potassium supplement into your regimen. Hellmich wrote, “Teens need to exercise now to be able to exercise in the future.”

Abbey is a Freshman at Padua Academy. In school, she enjoys her honors literature, honors world civilizations, and multimedia journalism classes. Outside...