Thanks to all of you who post comments! I love to hear from you!

As I write, we are nearing the end of physical fitness post-testing in PE class. Some of you may wonder: why do we have to HAVE physical fitness testing? What's the point of having to do 7 different tests?

Simply put, it's the law. All 5th, 7th and 9th graders in California MUST be tested for physical fitness, and their scores reported to Sacramento, as a way to see how healthy our students are.

So, I test 4th and 6th graders too, because they will have their scores reported the following year, and physical fitness is something that has to be built up. It is not like studying for test, where you can prepare and absorb all the information in a short amount of time. Fitness takes months to build, so we constantly work on it in PE class.

As a teacher, I don't think you should take a test unless it has a purpose. And the purpose of physical fitness testing is to show YOU where you need to get healthier. It's not just for the people in Sacramento. It's for YOU! After all, as I've told you many times in class, it's YOUR body, and since you only get one, take good care of it and it will take care of you.

So, as you take your tests, commit to improve on ONE area of fitness, the one you are the weakest at. If it's flexibility, then stretch more often. If it's curlups or pushups, then practice them daily. And if it's running or body weight, then do more walking, drink water not soda, and eat more fruits and vegetables. And don't give up!

Here's the question to respond to in this post: what is your favorite physical fitness test?