Health and PE Module One Lesson Four Notes

Creating Your Fitness Portfolio

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Instruction

Creating Your Exercise Portfolio

It’s time to create a workout plan designed just for you! One that fits your busy schedule, and unique goals, and even leaves room for things you enjoy like that extra Netflix episode. No matter your goal you will learn the tools to help you succeed. We will use your SMART goals, FITT principles, and the concept of progression that you created in the last few lessons and design a fitness plan that you can implement around your homework, sports, or hobbies. By the end of this lesson, you will have your own personal fitness plan to keep you moving toward your goals!

It’s important to create a plan that reflects your life, background, and circumstances. Your fitness journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Consider incorporating activities that are meaningful to you and allow you to use resources that you have available. For example, if you enjoy dancing or martial arts, use them as a fun way to stay active. Everyone’s starting point is different, and your goals should reflect your fitness level, not someone else’s.

Why does this matter?

Your fitness journey is personal, and tracking your progress is key to staying motivated. Whether you’re looking to improve your performance in a sport or simply want to stay healthy, keeping an exercise portfolio will help you stay on track. And remember, this portfolio isn’t just about fitness—it’s about building habits that will benefit your overall well-being and reflect on how far you’ve come.

In this part of the lesson, we will focus on how to create and maintain an exercise portfolio to track your progress, reflect on your achievements, and stay motivated. Next, we will go through the steps of setting up your portfolio, logging your workouts, and reviewing your progress to ensure you stay on track with your goals.

Man using daily activity tracking app on mobile phone showing 10,000 steps daily goal achievement

Step 1: Setting Up Your Portfolio

You have the freedom to choose the format that works best for you. You can use a binder or notebook if you prefer writing things down by hand, or opt for digital tools like Google Docs, or spreadsheets. For those who enjoy technology, there are plenty of free fitness apps that allow you to track your workouts, set goals, and even send reminders.

Your portfolio should include key sections to help you stay organized. Here are the essential sections to include:

SMART Goals: Clearly define your Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals.

Weekly Exercise Logs: Keep detailed records of each workout.

Progress Notes: Track your improvements over time.

Reflections: Write about your experiences, challenges, and achievements.

Step 2: Logging Your Workouts

Your weekly logs will be the backbone of your portfolio. Keeping them detailed and consistent will help you track patterns and make adjustments when necessary. For each workout, record the date and time, type of exercise, duration, and intensity level. Reflect on how you felt during and after the workout, and consider what went well and what challenges you faced.

Record the following details for every workout each week.

Date and Time: Note when you completed the workout.

Type of Exercise: Specify whether it was cardio, strength training, flexibility, etc.

Duration: Record how long the workout lasted.

Intensity Level: Use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to note how hard you worked.

Notes: Reflect on how you felt during and after the workout.

What went well this week?

What challenges did you face?

How did you feel about your progress towards your SMART goal?

What adjustments might you need to make for next week?

Reviewing and Adjusting Your Plan

Monthly Progress Check:

For example, let's say Mia completes a 30-minute cardio workout jog around her neighborhood. She notes that her RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) was about a 7, meaning it felt challenging but doable.

She felt energized at the start, but by the last five minutes, she struggled to keep up her pace. By tracking this, Mia realizes she may need to adjust her pacing or incorporate more endurance training to improve her stamina over time. Reflecting on how she felt during and after the workout helps Mia make informed decisions for the next week

woman making a journal entry while sitting on a yoga mat at home with a water bottle standing next to the mat.

Now, let's look at an example of a simple exercise log entry. The key is to keep it straightforward—don't feel like you need to write down every little detail. If you want to add more notes, that’s fine, but the goal is to avoid feeling overwhelmed by journaling. Notice in the example how, in the note/description section, the individual exercises are listed with reps and sets along with notes about the workout. For a cardio workout, you would similarly name the activity you did and provide information about time and distance where necessary.

Example Exercise Log Entry:
Date: 9/14/2024
Workout Type: Strength Training
Duration: 30 minutes
Intensity: Moderate (RPE 7)- felt challenging but I could do it.
Notes/Description:

Exercises/Sets/Reps:

Push-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps
Squats: 4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8 reps (per arm)

Notes:
"Felt strong throughout the push-ups, but my form started to break down during the last set of squats. Next time, I'll try to maintain better form and reduce rest between sets.

Weekly Reflection: At the end of each week, take a few minutes to reflect on your workouts. Consider these four questions:

What went well this week?
What challenges did you face?
How did you feel about your progress toward your SMART goal?
What adjustments might you need to make for next week?

Quick Check!

Examples of Implementing a Plan

Now that we’ve covered how to create a personalized fitness plan, let’s look at how to put that knowledge into action. We’ll review three real-life scenarios showing different fitness levels, goals, and schedules. These examples will give you a clear idea of how to adjust your plan to fit your specific needs. Whether you're just starting out, already working out regularly, or aiming for advanced fitness goals, you'll see how to apply the SMART goals, FITT principles, and progression concepts we discussed.

Example 1: Beginner Fitness Level

Scenario: Let’s take Michael, a high school sophomore who hasn’t done much physical activity but wants to get healthier. He’s busy with school but he enjoys walking his dog after class. By incorporating his goal of brisk walking into his routine, Michael can gradually increase his stamina while spending time outdoors. He might even bring his earbuds and listen to his favorite podcast or playlist to keep things fun. Let's take a look at what Michael's initial action plan might look like.

SMART Goal: "I want to walk briskly for 30 minutes without stopping by the end of 2 months."

FITT Principles:

Frequency: Walk 3 times a week.
Intensity: Maintain a moderate pace (RPE 5).
Time: Each session will be 20 minutes initially, increasing by 5 minutes every two weeks.
Type: Brisk walking.

Training Plan:

Week 1-2: Walk for 20 minutes, 3 times a week.
Week 3-4: Walk for 25 minutes, 3 times a week.
Week 5-6: Walk for 30 minutes, 3 times a week.

Example 2: Intermediate Fitness Level

Now let’s look at Maria, a junior who’s already active but wants to focus on building upper body strength. She’s part of the school volleyball team and wants to improve her serving power. Maria decides to target push-ups in her training plan. She starts with a few sets and gradually works her way up. By tracking her progress, Maria can see her improvement, which keeps her motivated as she works toward her goal. Here is what Maria's plan might look like.

SMART Goal: "I want to improve my upper body strength by being able to do 15 push-ups in a row within 6 weeks."

FITT Principles:

Frequency: Strength training 3 times a week.
Intensity: Use moderate weights and bodyweight exercises (RPE 6).
Time: Each session will be 45 minutes.
Type: Strength training with a focus on upper body exercises.

Training Plan:

Week 1-2: Perform 3 sets of 8 push-ups, increasing by 2 reps each week.
Week 3-4: Perform 3 sets of 12 push-ups, increasing by 1 rep each week.
Week 5-6: Perform 3 sets of 15 push-ups.

Example 3: Advanced Fitness Level

Finally, there’s Alex, a senior who loves running and has set his sights on completing a 5k race. He’s already pretty active but wants to beat his personal best time. Alex uses a detailed plan that includes interval training to improve his speed and long runs to build endurance. By the time race day comes, Alex is ready to hit his goal and feels confident in his training.

SMART Goal: "I want to run a 5k race in under 25 minutes within 3 months."

FITT Principles:

Frequency: Run 4 times a week.
Intensity: Include a mix of moderate (RPE 6) and high-intensity (RPE 8) runs.
Time: Sessions will vary from 30 to 60 minutes.
Type: Running, including interval training and long-distance runs.

Training Plan:

Week 1-4:
- Monday: 30-minute easy run.
- Wednesday: 45-minute interval training.
- Friday: 30-minute tempo run.
- Sunday: 60-minute long run.
Week 5-8: Increase intensity and distance slightly.
Week 9-12: Focus on maintaining pace and preparing for the race.

By breaking down these components and providing detailed examples, young teens can create comprehensive and effective exercise portfolios that align with their fitness levels and goals.

Quick Check!

Let's Review!

Elevated View Of A Hand Filling Exercise Log On Notebook With Exercise Equipment On Desk In these lessons, we focused on how to design, implement, and personalize your physical activity plan using the SMART goals and FITT principles you’ve learned. You now have the tools to create a plan that fits your current fitness level, schedule, and unique goals, whether you’re balancing homework, hobbies, or sports.

We started by building the foundation of your personalized fitness plan. You learned how to implement your SMART goals and FITT principles and create a structured plan that helps you stay on track and make real progress. You also learned how to document your workouts in an exercise portfolio, which allows you to track each session, reflect on your challenges and successes, and adjust your goals as needed.

The key takeaway from these lessons is that fitness is a journey that is unique to you. Your plan should evolve with your progress and adapt to your changing needs. Whether you’re working toward running a race, building strength, or staying active between school and life’s demands, the skills you’ve learned—setting goals, tracking your progress, and reflecting on your growth—will help you stay motivated and committed.

As you continue on this journey, remember to enjoy the process, celebrate small victories, and don't hesitate to make adjustments when necessary. Your personalized plan is your guide to achieving a healthier, stronger version of yourself. Keep moving forward and trust the process!

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