Are You Fitter Than a Fifth-Grader?

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson released last week the results of the 2009-10 California Physical Fitness report. The report tested students across the state in grades five, seven, and nine in six different activity categories: aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength, and flexibility.

Statewide 28.7 percent of fifth-graders met all healthy zone requirements for all six categories, 34.6 percent of seventh-graders met all the healthy zone requirements, and 38.5 percent of ninth-graders met all six of the healthy zone requirements.

In Marin, the numbers were slightly higher with 44.1 percent of fifth-graders meeting all six health standards, 47.4 percent of seventh-graders in Marin met the standards, and 53.7 percent of ninth-graders met all requirements.

Ross Valley students were even healthier, with 50.5 percent of fifth-graders and 54 percent of seventh graders.

Of the elementary schools, proved the healthiest with 61.7 percent of fifth-graders meeting all the requirements. Over 90 percent of Wade Thomas fifth-graders achieved the healthy fitness zone standards in every category except for upper body strength, where only 63.8 percent met the goals. A full 100 percent of the Wade Thomas students achieved the abdominal strength goals.

was the least healthy of the K-5 schools with only 26.3 percent of the students meeting all six of the health standards. Only 57.9 percent met the aerobic capacity goals and only 45.6 percent met the upper body strength goals.

At Drake, 72.6 percent of the students met all six of the healthy zone requirements, higher than the 67.2 percent of students throughout Tam Union District.

See all the results here.

Could you meet the standards? Are you fitter than a fifth-grader? A chart of the standards kids ages 10-16 have to meet is available here.

Girls, age 10, have to run a mile between 9:30 and 12:30, do 7-15 push-ups, one to two pull-ups, and be able to sit and reach nine inches.

Ten-year-old boys have to run a mile in 9 to 11:30 minutes, do 7-20 push-ups, one to two pull-ups, and sit and reach eight inches.