Medicine ball for all: A novel program that enhances physical fitness in school-age youths

lementary and secondary physical education teachers are incorporating a variety of lifetime physical activities into their curriculum. Not only are these activities exciting and challenging for the students, but adding variety to the curriculum provides students with an opportunity to enhance their physical, mental, and social/emotional development (National Association for Sports and Physical Education [NASPE], 2004). In addition to aerobic activities such as inline skating and mountain biking, activities that involve strength exercise can also be part of a health-enhancing curriculum (Faigenbaum, 2001). Despite outdated concerns associated with youth strength training, a compelling body of evidence indicates that strength-building activities can be a safe and effective method of conditioning for school-age youths provided that appropriate training guidelines are followed (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001; Faigenbaum, 2003; Falk & Tenenbaum, 1996). Although it is diffi cult to determine the exact number of boys and girls who strength train, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 52 percent of high school students reported that they performed exercises to “strengthen or tone ” their muscles on three or more days per week (Centers for Diseas