Course Outline for Healthy Aging Older Adults 255
Introduction to Fitness Walking for the Older Adult

Effective: Fall 2025
SLO Rev:
Catalog Description:

HEAG 255 - Introduction to Fitness Walking for the Older Adult

36.00 - 54.00 Hours

May be repeated 99 time(s)
Intended for older students of all fitness levels who would like to improve their health and well being through walking. Walking routes begin on campus and explore a multitude of nearby parks and trails. Topics to be discussed include: fitness and health assessment, equipment and safety, walking techniques, motivation, nutrition basics, program design and evaluation, volkssporting and more.
0835.80 - Adapted Physical Education
Pass/No Pass/Satisfactory Progress
Type Hours
Laboratory 36.00 - 54.00
Total 36.00 - 54.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Demonstrate basic fitness and motivation concepts to walking performance and a personal walking program design;
  2. Interpret fitness and health assessment measures;
  3. Demonstrate proper fitness walking techniques;
  4. Discuss the interaction between nutrition, exercise and wellness;
  5. Locate available walking sites;
  6. Describe volkssporting and volksmarching, as well as participation opportunities;
Course Content:
  1. Fitness walking benefit (automatics, selected, maximize).
  2. Motivation concepts and strategies.
  3. Health and fitness assessment (pre-and post-tested).
    1. Health profile
    2. Cardiovascular (heart rate measures, blood pressure, cholesterol, and Rockport 1-mile test)
    3. Body composition
    4. Selected flexibility and strength tests
  4. Equipment and safety considerations.
  5. Fitness walking techniques (including race walking).
  6. Nutrition, exercise and wellness.
  7. Investigating and evaluating walking sites. '
  8. Volkssporting and volksmarching.
  9. Walking reference and resources.
  10. Designing and evaluating a personalized walking program.

 

Methods of Instruction:
  1. Practice/Demonstration
  2. Presentation of audio-visual materials
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Design a personalized fitness walking program. Consider your current level of fitness and program goals to be achieved in a two month time period.
  2. Identify and evaluate a local walking site. Include: (1) location; (2) accessibility; (3) cost; (4) difficulty (terrain, walking surface), assign trail rating using AVA standards; (5) safety; (6) availability of water and restroom facilities. Include map, if possible.
  3. Read the chapter on workout intensity and describe one method of increasing workout intensity.
  1. Class Participation
  2. Mandatory completion of BAR attendance criteria
  3. Journals
  4. Quizzes
  5. Demonstration of practice and skills
  6. Papers
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Demonstrate and explain the physiological reasons for performing a proper warm up.
  2. Work within a group, or team, to solve problems
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Meyers, Casey (2020). Walking: A Complete Guide to the Complete Exercise Human Kinetics.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Intended for older students of all fitness levels who would like to improve their health and well being through walking. Walking routes begin on campus and explore a multitude of nearby parks and trails. Topics to be discussed include: fitness and health assessment, equipment and safety, walking techniques, motivation, nutrition basics, program design and evaluation, volkssporting and more.
Discipline:
Physical Education*