Activity Promotion and Adherence

SHAPE America Appropriate Practices

  • 1.2.1 Teachers promote exercise for its contribution to a healthy lifestyle, encouraging students to participate in physical activity and exercise outside of the physical education setting for enjoyment, skill development and health reasons.
  • 3.2.2 Students are educated to become wise consumers of the fitness/wellness and nutrition industries.
  • 3.6.1 The physical educator helps all students experience the satisfaction and joy that result from learning about and participating in physical activity regularly.
  • 3.6.2 Physical educators help students understand that physical activity is an important part of everyday living.

 Transtheoretical Model - Strategies to Become and Stay Active

"The transtheoretical model posits that health behavior change involves progress through six stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination" (Boston University School of Public Health). Also check Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity (CDC).

Guidelines for the Teacher

  • Discuss ways to overcome barriers to physical activity and relapsing.
  • Educate students on the many health benefits of physical activity, not just weight loss and body image. For example, do students know that physical exercise improves video game performance?​
  • Find out what motivates your students and what they enjoy. Include these activities in the curriculum when possible.
  • Focus on the process (lifestyle behaviors) and not the outcome/product (fitness level).
  • Give students choices for fitness activities when possible.
  • Lend equipment to students to use outside of school (teacher lending and library lending).
  • Provide positive physical activity experiences.
  • ​Teach students a variety of skills and tools to be successful in physical activity.
  • ​Use strategies from the Transtheoretical Model (see section above) to help students improve or maintain their physical activity levels. First assess what stage the student is in and then use the appropriate strategies.

Guidelines for Students

  • Choose enjoyable activities and individualize your program.​
  • Create an exercise contract.
  • Listen to music during activity.
  • Obtain social support; work with a partner or group.
  • Participate in a variety of activities.

​Guidelines for Relapsing

  • Develop coping strategies to deal with stressful situations.
  • Plan for and accept minor setbacks.
  • Reduce feelings of guilt whenever you are not able to meet expectations.

​Basic Arousal Techniques

  • Complete a pre-workout.
  • Fake it until you make it.
  • Increase breathing rate.
  • Listen to music.
  • Use energizing imagery.
  • Use mood words and positive statements.

Goal Setting Guidelines

  • ​Create a plan to meet your goals.
  • Develop strategies to meet goals.
  • Find social support.
  • Focus on improvement​​.
  • Re-evaluate goals and revise when necessary.
  • Reward yourself.
  • Set goals that are challenging, yet achievable.
  • Set long and short term goals.
  • Write your goals down.

Self-Management Skills

​Learning self-management behaviors has been proven more effective in increasing physical activity behaviors than solely teaching students about the benefits of physical activity. Check out Fitness for Life (Corbin, C. & Lindsey, R.) for more information and see our supplemental assignment on PDF. It includes student assignments that address the self-management skills listed below.
  • Building Intrinsic Motivation
  • Building Performance Skills
  • Building Positive Attitudes
  • Building Self Confidence
  • Choosing a Good Activity
  • Controlling Competitive Stress
  • Finding Social Support
  • Improving Self-Perceptions
  • Learning to Self Assess
  • Learning to Self Monitor
  • Learning to Think Critically
  • Managing Time
  • Overcoming Barriers
  • Preventing Relapse
  • Reducing Risk Factors
  • Saying "No"
  • Setting Goals
  • Thinking Success