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Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to have a comparison of the physical fitness levels and body mass index of students with urban and rural residence from an elementary school in Portugal. Methods: The sample covered 270 students, 142 male and 128 female, aged between 9 and 16, from the 5th to the 9th grade. The Fitnessgram test battery (NES, 2002) measured the physical fitness, the body mass index was based on the reference values from the World Health Organization (1995) and the students' characterization was assessed through the biographical archives given by the school. Results: The test results only demonstrated significant differences (p <0.05) amongst these students: Females in the 5th and 6th grade in the following tests, trunk extension with better results in students with rural residence and middle strenght with better results in students with urban residence; Males in the 5th and 6th grade in the following tests: the shuttle run with better results in students with rural residence; Females between 7th and 9th grade in the following tests: trunk extension with better results in students with urban residence. Conclusions: Significant differences were not observed between the levels of physical fitness and BMI related to the place of residence (rural and urban).

Several studies claim that the physical effort of students during the Physical Education classes (PE) is low. There is a lack of desirable intensity to cause adaptations and improvement of physical fitness. Purpose: In this study, we intend to analyse the average values of heart rate (HR) during different phases of the PE class, trying to identify possible differences between collective and individual sports (basketball and apparatus gymnastics). The sample consisted of a group of 15 students, 5 female and 10 male (15.2 ± 12:56 years) and the study was conducted over 10 sessions (5 of each type), registering values of HR (bpm) using HR monitors (Polar Electronic, FT1 model). Results: After exploratory data analysis there were significant differences in the transition phase (basketball: 146 ± 27.2 bpm, p = 0.001; apparatus gymnastics: 138.4 ± 25.8 bpm, p = 0.001) and the drilling stage (basketball: 151.2 ± 26.1 bpm, p = 0.000; gymnastics apparatus: 143.0 ± 27.0 bpm, p = 0.000). In the process of organizing, the differences were not significant (basketball: 136.8 ± 26.2 bpm, p = 0526; apparatus gymnastics: 132.3 ± 23.9 bpm, p = 0526). Conclusions: Having these results, we believe that PE teachers should plan sessions that provide increased uptime and higher levels of intensity for students, especially in periods of drilling, regardless of the class.