Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District -

February might be Heart Month, but GCISD elementary students are learning in P.E. that cardiovascular health is a year-long endeavor that can be fun, too.

“Normally kids don’t realize that you have to move to exercise your heart. You have to jump, you have to skip, you have to move,” said Dove Elementary P.E. teacher Bree Moody. “DrumFIT is great for us to up our cardio and to build our endurance, our stamina, and just continue exercising our hearts.”

GCISD purchased the DrumFIT equipment a few years ago, which includes a large DrumFIT exercise ball on a base and two drumsticks for each student in the class. The equipment rotates among the district’s elementary schools to give everyone the opportunity to participate in DrumFIT.

“When [the students] come in, we start off with our stretches and a warm up, and then I demonstrate what we are about to do,” Moody said.

Before turning on music, she leads the class in a series of gradual movements that have students using the drumsticks and the ball to raise their arms and stretch. Next, she turns on the streaming video that combines cardio, music, dance, rhythm and drumming that starts slow and gets progressively faster through the class. All the while, the teacher is at the front facing students, demonstrating movements, talking them through the muscle groups, such as obliques, that they are exercising, and praising them.

“You’re amazing,” Moody enthusiastically commended the class as they finished cardio exercise to the song, “Y.M.C.A.”

“I see that the kids are excited,” Moody added. “They’re engaged. They’re ready to learn. They enjoy seeing each other. They enjoy working together as they get their heart rate pumping.”

Moody said that DrumFIT supports what they are teaching in P.E.

“We’re being learners in regards to working with other friends, building character, being a good sport, being a leader, and we’re also working on building our endurance and our muscles. It’s about being active.”