2008 Grant Proposal Details

Fitness Center Equipment   Kelly Middle School

Total: $2000

Description:  Our proposal is the installation of 15 TRX functional suspension-training workstations in our fitness center. The new workstations are more technologically advanced, require less space, have improved safety characteristics, and are more adaptable to the developmental ranges of middle school children than our old universal weight machines.

Why is this important?  The most advanced (cutting edge) training in all fitness/sport/health categories is functional training that incorporates balance, flexibility, strength, and core stability for people of all fitness levels and abilities. This training targets our student population exactly due to enormous developmental ranges in middle school students, and is especially important because we are using only body weight to teaching weight training to pre-pubescent students. This increases the safety factor by eliminating the possibility that students will strain themselves by improperly lifting weights that are too heavy to handle. The equipment will provide a broader and deeper understanding of functional movement, speed, mechanics and force that are an integral part of our district benchmarks for physical education, specifically movement strand benchmark 3.1. Students will demonstrate movement principles (mechanics, force, and speed in performing skills in an individual/partner activity. In addition, the new equipment will bring a greater measure of safety into the fitness center as it is replacing antiquated equipment that relies on exposed cables, pulleys and weight stacks with significant potential for injury even when properly managed. The TRX company provides in-depth training for fitness professionals along with a full range of supplemental instructional materials for student use, specifically training DVDs that can be utilized in the fitness center while students learn to use the equipment. Teachers specifically can benefit from this product as the company provides continuing education credits earned from professional accredited fitness organizations that will satisfy TSPC requirements. This product has been very favorably reviewed in leading publications such as the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Time and leading fitness publications including Shape magazine, Men’s Health, and Muscle and Fitness. Endorsements include the American Council on Exercise, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, National Academy of Sports Medicine, The National Federation of Professional Sports Trainers, the International Sports Science Association and many other accredited associations. This equipment is also used by professional athletes, trainers, physical therapists, and the military. In short, we believe this equipment is cutting-edge, functional, versatile and safe, and would be a tremendous teaching tool in our fitness center and a starting point for inclusion in other schools in our district.

Who will be served?  We have two full time physical education teachers at Kelly that serve the entire student population of approximately 500 students. Our normal class sizes are approximately 40 students. With 15 TRX stations, and partnering two students per station, we could serve 30 students. The old equipment was not partner-oriented and served approximately 10 students at one time. Adding our current inventory of core balls and medicine balls we could serve 50 students in stations throughout and around the fitness center, more than enough stations for our current class sizes.

How will this be evaluated?  Because the TRX stations adapt to all ability and age ranges including special populations (we are a regional center for special populations) we can adequately and accurately measure progress through simple testing procedures that can be modified for all student levels. Success will be measured in strength gains and flexibility gains in the fitness center but, more importantly, in functional sports and fitness assessment done outside the fitness center throughout the year.

Does this build on existing programs?  Our physical education program is built upon the principle of lifetime fitness and we encourage students to explore all movement forms, not just popular sports. We believe this equipment will impact all aspects of our daily fitness program through an increase in functional capacity and increased knowledge of fundamental movement. Specific areas of the body can be targeted as can specific gross motor motions so that students will gain a deeper appreciation of how the body works in both micro and macro detail. Therefore, whatever movement form a student finds pleasing and fulfilling, the TRX system can provide a comprehensive, full range of motion workout that will enhance strength, flexibility, core stability, and balance which is essential in all movement forms.

Budget:  The company quoted us a price of $134.95 per station, which at 15 stations would be $2024.25. Any other expenses would be covered through additional fundraising.

Proposal #:  58