FITT VP Principle: Aerobic Training for Motor Skill Development

This report outlines the design of a FITT VP (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type, Volume, Progression) aerobic training program for children aged 6 to 12 years, aimed at improving their fundamental motor skills. It addresses the importance of motor skill development during this age, referencing models and theories related to motor development, and presents a battery of tests (Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency) used to assess these skills. Subject results highlight deficiencies in areas like strength, agility, and fine motor skills, emphasizing the need for targeted exercise interventions. The report details the exercise prescription program based on the FITT VP principle, including specific exercises, progression strategies, and expected improvements. It concludes by stressing the significance of addressing motor skill deficits to support the cognitive, physiological, and social development of children, advocating for increased participation in physical activities to combat issues like childhood obesity.

Running head: FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 - 12 YEAR
OLDS
FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Executive Summary
The development of effective and optimum fundamental motor skills is imperative for
the growth of children belonging in the age group of 6 to 12 years, due to their increased
adherence to social interaction and a variety of physical activities demanding appropriate
muscular mobility, strength and agility. The implementation of appropriate aerobic exercises
have been proven to be beneficial in enhancing the development of fundamental motor skills
in children. Hence, the following report aims to design a FITT VP Principle of Aerobic
training for children aged 6 to 12 years, for the purpose of improvement of fundamental
motor skills. To conclude, the need of the hour is to engage children in optimum exercises
since improper development of motor skills leads to detrimental cognitive and physiological
functioning.

2FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Background Information............................................................................................3
Stage of Motor Development/Skill level....................................................................3
Models and Theories for Motor Skills/ Development................................................4
Purpose.......................................................................................................................5
Battery of Testing...........................................................................................................5
Testing Motor Skills/Development............................................................................5
Subject Results...........................................................................................................7
Exercise Prescription Program.......................................................................................9
FITT VP Aerobic Training Principle.........................................................................9
Process of Exercise Prescription................................................................................9
Expected Improvements and Follow-up..................................................................11
Conclusion....................................................................................................................11
References....................................................................................................................13

3FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Introduction
Background Information
The concerned group which has been selected for the purpose of development of the
exercise prescription program, include school going children, within the age group of 6 to 12
years. Children belonging to this group, engage in a wide range of physical activities
requiring extensive display of skills outlining motor and fundamental development required
for basic physical development (Black et al., 2017). The implementation of appropriate
fitness training is imperative for the developmental of fundamental motor skills in children,
resulting in healthy physical literacy, cognitive growth and social development. The adequate
development of fundamental motor skills, helps children in this age group to engage in active
participation in interactive activities such as sports, games and dancing (Lundbye-Jensen et
al., 2017). Hence, the implementation of an appropriate exercise prescription program is of
great significance for children belonging to the age group of 6 to 12 years, due to its
beneficial impacts on their fundamental motor skill development, further resulting beneficial
talent and life outcomes. Further, the prevalence of childhood obesity is currently posing to
be an emerging threat with over 17% of the global children population, being inflicted with
this dangerous disease. Hence, an appropriate exercise program will yield beneficial
physiological outcomes in 6 to 12 year olds (Ng et al., 2014).
Stage of Motor Development/Skill level
In children belonging in the age group of 6 to 12 years, a number of developmental
motor skills are exhibited, mainly including those pertaining to balance, awareness,
locomotion and manipulation. For the purpose of development of an exercise prescription
program, there will be greater emphasis on the stage emphasising on development of
locomotion skills in the concerned children (Cliff et al., 2016). The developmental stage

4FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
outlining skills of locomotion is characterised by the continuous movement of the child, from
one location to another, within a specified direction. Hence, as evident from the explanation,
the skills outlining locomotion pertains to the development of climbing and dodging
obstacles, running and regulating the speed of running through accelerating or decelerating,
exhibiting activities of hopping and jumping along with sprinting at faster speeds. A
successful performance of these activities require significant coordination, along necessary
perceptions outlining space, vision and bearing of one’s weight (Holfelder & Schott et al.,
2014). Hence, development of an appropriate exercise prescription program will aim to
improve the development of locomotion motor skills in the 6 to 12 year old children, through
enhancement of their perception and muscular agility. Implementation of exercise also
enhances motor memory consolidation in children, which results in enhanced development of
fundamental stages of locomotion motor skills (Cattuzzo et al., 2016).
Models and Theories for Motor Skills/ Development
Jean Jacques Rousseau and Leonardo Da Vinci, believed that the motor skills
exhibited by children were influenced by careful observations by the child to the various
stimuli available in their environment, followed by exhibiting a reaction when brought under
the influence of the same (Diedrichsen & Kornysheva, 2015). An additional theory,
emphasised on the importance of kinetic energy in the motor development of children, as
rightly opined by McGraw and Dewey. The foundation of this theory outlined the belief that
the muscular development and the resultant fundamental motor skill development of the
child, was influenced by exhibiting actions going against the notion of gravity. Hence, the
motor skill development of children is influenced through the exhibition of various trials and
errors, for the purpose of discovering the best method to fulfil an activity by the concerned
child (Allen et al., 2017). A physiological aspect was stated by Arnold Gessel, who believed
that development of the central nervous system influenced the motor skills of the child, while

5FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Piaget believed that development of cognition was directly proportional to the motor skill
development of the child. The exercise prescription program will consider aspects of these
theories for adequate motor skill development of the 6 to 12 year old children (Williams,
Corbetta & Cobb, 2015).
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to discuss the salient features required to be implemented
in the development of an appropriate exercise prescription program for the targeted audience
comprising of children belonging in the age group of 6 to 12 years. The children belonging to
this age group, take part in a number of physical activities outlining significant cognition and
social interaction and most importantly, an adequate exhibition of skills characterised by
optimum motor development (Tortella et al., 2016). An optimum development of motor kills
is essential for children to exhibit healthy participation in a variety of activities, due to
requirements of improved locomotion, enhanced vestibular systems, advanced eye hand
coordination along with speed and agility (Kabiri et al., 2017). There has been considerable
evidence advocating the beneficial effects of appropriate aerobic exercise training in the
development as well as improvement in the various aspects of fundamental motor skills
development, mentioned above. Adequate exercise training has also been reported to yield
beneficial implications on the muscular memory consolidation within children in this age
group (Tomporowski et al., 2015). Hence, the purpose of this report is to develop and
prescribe and appropriate aerobic exercise training program, following FITT VP training
principles for appropriate fundamental motor skill development in 6 to 12 year old children.

6FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Battery of Testing
Testing Motor Skills/Development
For the purpose of testing the motor skills of the concerned subject, the Bruininks-
Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency will be utilised. This tool is commonly utilised in
various schools and child based therapeutic settings. The test requires the implementation of
games to assess the motor skills on the basis of four domains comprising of fine motor
precision, fine motor integration, body coordination including manual dexterity along with
strength and agility (McIntyre et al., 2017). For the assessment of fine motor precision,
children were asked to copy a square, fold a paper and draw lines across crooked pathways.
Children were asked to copy a star for the purpose of evaluation of fine motor integration,
and transfer pennies and conducting synchronized jumping for the evaluation of manual
dexterity. To test strength and agility, the children were asked to run and dribble with a ball,
along with balancing on one leg keeping the eyes open. The various activities were scored
based upon the ratings such as ‘well above average’, ‘above average’, ‘average’, ‘below
average’ and ‘well below average’. The ratings were converted to percentile scores and
located on graphically, as displayed below.
For the assessment of the developmental characteristics of the concerned children, the
above test was implemented with a subject group of 50 children, who will engage in
participation of the exercise program so prescribed. The children were assessed based on the
activities mentioned above. This test will aim to highlight the key areas outlining necessary
motor skills in which the students highlight significant shortcomings which will yield
beneficial results for the purpose of designing of the required exercise training programme.
Through this study, the notable credibility of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test for Motor
Proficiency, which is commonly utilised in various early child care and education scenarios
for the purpose of highlight key aspects of the developmental stages outlining the motor skill

7FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
development of the concerned child. This test was developed in the year 1978 by Bruininsk
and has hence, found its usage by a variety of professional specialists engaging in active
assessment of the therapeutic needs of the child, along with the various developmental and
psychological needs in clinics and schools concerned with administration of appropriate child
care. The test can be administered individually across various age groups comprising of
youngsters and children alike and is popularly abbreviated to BOT-2, with a second edition
modification released in the year 2005 (Vinçon et al., 2017).
Subject Results
Fine Motor Precision Fine Motor Integration Manual Dexterity Strength and Agility
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Well Below Average Below Average Average
Above Average Well Above Average
Figure 1: Subjects Results of Assessment of Motor Skills development
(Source: As designed by the Author)
The procedure for evaluation of the developmental aspects of the fundamental motor
aspects of the subject group of children belonging to the age group of 6 to 12 years, yielded
alarming results, as highlighted above. As evident from the results represented graphically,
the majority of the children display gross incapacities in the exhibition of strength and agility,

8FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
manual dexterity, fine motor integration and fine motor precision, with maximum subjects
comprising the category of ‘below average’ and also, ‘well below average’. Such detrimental
results are a cause for major concern since a lack of appropriate motor skill development will
aim to yield detrimental impact on the social, physiological and cognitive development of the
concerned children. The appropriate and adequate development of the various fundamental
motor skills in children belonging to the age group of 6 to 12 years, are associated with
beneficial impacts on their vestibular, cognitive, interactive and physiological features.
Hence, improper development of the required fundamental motor skills have been
increasingly associated with a reduction in social interaction and resultant functioning, due to
the relative lack of participation in social activities due to compromised physical ability,
coordination and agility. Such limitations in potential to participate in various activities are
brought about in the child subjected to poor fundamental motor skill development due to the
prevalence of lack of muscular strength and flexibility and decreased cognitive functioning
(Leonard et al., 2016).
Hence the need of the hour is to implement appropriate exercise training principles for
the purpose of adequate development of the fundamental motor skills in the children
belonging to the age group of 6 to 12 years. The chosen exercise principle for the above
purpose is aerobic training. This is due to the fact that implementation of aerobic training has
been associated with the exhibition of improved cognitive functioning followed by positive
outcomes in the form of increased agility and improved muscular flexibility (Snow et al.,
2016). The resultant beneficial impacts have been associated with increased participation of
children in various social and physiological activities, further resulting in greater social
interactions amongst peer groups, establishment of improved communications and enhanced
feeling of confidence and self-esteem. Further as highlighted in the current statistics of global
childhood prevalence of the disease condition of obesity, the implementation of effective

9FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
aerobic training programs have been associated with reduced weight, improvements in the
cardiovascular and pulmonary systems followed by positive health outcomes and mortality
due to the reductions in adipose tissue depositions (Mang et al., 2016).
Exercise Prescription Program
FITT VP Aerobic Training Principle
It is evident that the concerned children belonging have scored low in the fields of
manual dexterity, strength and agility, fine motor precision and fine motor integration. Due to
benefits of aerobic exercise on the development of the appropriate fundamental motor skills,
the following exercise prescription will aim to highlight the key features of aerobic exercises
according to the FITT VP principles of training (O’Neil et al., 2018):
 Frequency: Frequency highlights the number of times an individual engages in the
concerned exercise training, which usually ranges from three to five times a week.
 Intensity: Intensity, aims to highlight the amount of effort exerted by the concerned
individual, in the performance of the respective training, which is usually measured
by heart rate.
 Time: Time required in the performance of any training, refers to the duration
required by the individual, which varies depending on the type of training performed.
 Type: This principle specifies category of exercise training the concerned individual
wishes to engage in, which in this case is aerobic training for the fulfilment of
developmental improvement in fundamental motor skills.
 Volume: Volume of training is measured as the product of the above components, to
achieve a required amount of exercise every week.
 Progression: It characterises modifications in the exercise plan, as a response to the
various progresses and changes the individual’s body will encounter.

10FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
Process of Exercise Prescription
The following are the processes encompassing FITT VP aerobic training principle
(Daly-Smith et al., 2018).
 Frequency: For the implementation of aerobic training aimed at developmental of
fundamental motor skills, the children will be instructed to follow an exercise
frequency ranging from minimum three to maximum five times a week. This is due to
the fact that the beneficial effects of cardiovascular training have been found to be
absent when the frequency increases to amounts greater than the above.
 Intensity: For the purpose of assessment of the intensity exerted by the children in the
performance of cardiovascular training, the heart rate will be an appropriate measure
which will be monitored adequately with the help of calculating the pulse at the wrist.
The recommended heart rate or target intensity of aerobic exercises is 90 to 126 beats
per minute, and hence, the children should be instructed to perform exercises in
accordance to this level, in order to fully reap the potential benefits.
 Time: The children being beginners in the exercise training, should aim to engage in
a time frame of twenty to maximum thirty minutes of aerobic training, since increased
time periods may result in fatigue, exhaustion, lack of motivation and higher drop-out
rates.
 Type: With respect to aerobic training, the children should engage in a type of
exercise which will involve coordinated performance of a large number of muscle
groups, in order to encounter the beneficial aspects upon fundamental motor skill
development. This would involve usage of running, swimming, dancing and cycling,
based on the preferences of the concerned children.
 Volume: The volume is determined by the product of all the above factors where the
children will be required to engage in total of two to three hours of aerobic training

11FITT VP PRINCIPLE OF AEROBIC TRAINING: 6 – 12 YEAR OLDS
per week. Hence, on day when the children will engage in low levels of activity, there
will be compensation on additional days with greater levels of exercise.
 Progression: Based on the changes and increase in stamina encountered by the
children, there will be modifications in the exercise plan, where duration and target
heart rate can be increased.
Expected Improvements and Follow-up
Upon conductance of the above principles of aerobic training, the expected outcome
will include reduced weight, increased eye and hand coordination, improved balance,
enhance muscular flexibility and agility, improvements in motor skills precision and
integration, and manual dexterity (KoutsandrÉou et al., 2016). In order to follow up on the
required progress, the children will again be instructed to perform the Bruininks-Oseretsky
Test for Motor Proficiency which will effectively highlight the key developmental features of
fundamental motor skills. The weights will be assessed in order to note follow up changes in
weight using a weighing scale. The children will also be interviewed in order to obtain
feedback concerning their experiences due to the credibility of such qualitative methods
(Wolgemuth et al., 2015).
Conclusion
Hence, upon observation of the implementation of the above prescribed exercise
training program, it can be concluded that aerobic training will yield beneficial effects on the
development as well as improvement on the fundamental motor skills of the concerned
children belonging in the age group of 6 to 12 years. The development of essential
fundamental motor skills is imperative for a child, since it will aid in the active participation
of various sports, games and physical activities which involve effective and coordinated
utilisation of large number of muscular tissues. Hence, improper development will yield