April 2026

April Fools:

Don't Fall for these Myths about Youth Fitness

April Fools' Day is all about pranks and tall tales - but today, we're here to set the record straight! When it comes to youth resistance training, myths run rampant, so let's separate fact from fiction and bust some of the biggest misconceptions out there.

🚫MYTH: Strength training stunts children's growth.

✅FACT: No evidence indicates that resistance training programs stunt children's growth. In fact, properly structured resistance training can support bone health and overall development! This misconception stems from early reports that suggested children who performed heavy labor were short in stature. However, this was likely due to poor nutrition and very long workdays.

🚫MYTH: Kids cannot get stronger because they don't have enough testosterone.

✅FACT: While testosterone plays a role in muscle growth, children can still make sizable strength gains through improved neuromuscular coordination. Their bodies adapt to training, even without high hormone levels - just like women and older adults, who also build strength effectively despite having lower testosterone. Strength isn't just about hormones; it's about training smart!

🚫MYTH: Children shouldn't life weights until the age of 12.

✅FACT: Kids as young as 7 or 8 years old can safely start a resistance training program as long as they follow instructions and practice proper technique.

🚫MYTH: Bodyweight exercises are safer than using free weights or weight machines.

✅FACT: All modes of resistance training are equally safe when performed correctly. Supervision and proper technique are key, not the type of resistance.

Strength training is not only safe for kids, but it's also incredibly beneficial. This April 1st, let's leave the jokes for April Fools' Day and keep the facts in the gym.

Celebrating National Jump Over Things Day with FitnessGram's^® Vertical Jump

April 6^th is National Jump Over Things Day, a lighthearted holiday that’s all about taking a leap! While it may have started as a playful challenge, it’s also the perfect opportunity to spotlight an important component of youth fitness: the vertical jump, a FitnessGram^® assessment introduced during the 2024-2025 school year.

The vertical jump is more than just how high a student can jump; it’s a key indicator of lower-body muscular power. Muscular power, a combination of strength and speed, is an important indicator of health as it is scientifically linked to bone health (Janz et al. 2021). The vertical jump assessment measures lower-body power calculated through validated equations that use the child’s weight and jump height to estimate power in watts. Achieving the Healthy Fitness Zone indicates that a child is building a healthy skeleton with little risk for bone health issues, such as a fracture.

As part of the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram^® Project, all new participating schools received a vertical jump board, making it easier than ever to measure and track student performance accurately.

No board? No problem! You don’t need specialized equipment to measure vertical jump effectively. For an easy alternative, try the Wall and Tape method:



1. Have students stand next to a wall and mark their standing reach
2. The student then jumps and marks the highest point they can touch with tape, chalk, or a sticky note
3. Measure the distance between the two marks

By connecting a fun, quirky holiday to a meaningful fitness assessment, you’re helping students see that fitness can be both purposeful and enjoyable.

So, this April 6^th, encourage your students to jump in, or rather up!

For more information about the vertical jump assessment, including demonstration videos and cue cards, check out the FitnessGram^® software’s SMART COACH feature.

Beyond the Gym: The PE Teacher's Playbook

Your Body Takes the Hit (Joint + Muscle Care)

By April, it’s not just your energy that feels different. It’s your body.

Hours on your feet, quick pivots, constant movement, and demonstrating skills on repeat start to add up. Knees feel it first. Feet follow. Lower backs tend to join the conversation by the end of the day. This isn’t a sign you’re doing something wrong. It’s a sign you’ve been doing a lot, consistently.

Small recovery habits can make a big difference. A quick stretch between classes. Swapping or rotating supportive footwear. Taking a moment to reset your posture before the next group arrives.



Waiting until summer to recover puts you behind. Taking care of your body now helps you stay steady, present, and effective through the final stretch.

You rely on your body every day. Treat it like your most important piece of equipment.

National Exercise Day

April 18^th marks National Exercise Day, a reminder that movement is not just an activity. It is a lifelong investment in health, energy, and longevity.

This message was championed by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, whose work reshaped how we understand fitness. After nearly two decades of research, The Cooper Institute published a landmark study in 1989 connecting physical fitness to long-term health and longevity. His approach made one thing clear: exercise is preventive, not optional.

That same vision carried into schools. In 1982, following early success in a Texas district, FitnessGram officially launched as the first program designed to scientifically measure student fitness. It shifted the focus from performance to progress, helping students understand their own health in meaningful, individualized ways.



Today, that impact continues in every class you teach. National Exercise Day is not about doing more. It is about reinforcing why we move. You are not just leading activities. You are building habits that support lifelong health.

That legacy is still in motion.

GENYOUth's NFL FLAG-in-Schools Kit

Each year, GENYOUth provides schools in need with FREE NFL FLAG-in-School Kits, equipping students with everything they need to play flag football at school.

Each kit includes:



• 10 age-appropriate footballs
• 50 flag belts (two sets of 25 in different colors)
• A ball pump and a mesh storage bag
• Participation certificates featuring the NFL shield and all NFL clubs
• Access to the official, standards-based NFL FLAG-in-School football curriculum (developed by SHAPE America for elementary, middle, and high schools)
• 101 Tips for Teaching Nutrition in PE
• NFL FLAG-in-Schools Rules of the Game – a bilingual resource (English & Spanish) for students to bring home and share with their families.

Applications open April 14^th, 2026! Be the first to know by signing up for GENYOUth emails below.

Kenneth H. Cooper Institute Website

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