At 7:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, third- through sixth-graders at Kila School clock 30 minutes of exercise before school begins.

Inside Kila School gym the music is on and 17 students are bursting with energy as they run laps and do pushups, jump squats, Roman twists, seal jacks and other exercises at nine different stations.

These students are part of Kila Fit Kids Club. On Feb. 20, they complete circuits focused on upper body and core strength, according to school P.E. health enhancement teacher Dan Trageser.

At one station, students check their pulse using an iPad app. When they return to the station they monitor if their heart rate has increased.

“Every time they feel their beat, they tap the iPad and that will give them their heart rate,” Trageser said. “Our goal is to get them into the aerobic zone,” Trageser said.

Kila Fit Kids Club began Feb. 1 and goes through May 1. The club meets three times a week to do a variety of interval training and fitness games designed to provide students with activities that increase strength, flexibility and fun with friends.

Learning nutrition and healthy eating habits also is a component.

“What I tell them is the two things they can control the most is their diet and their exercise, and those two make the most difference in their lives,” Trageser said.

The club received a $1,000 grant as a pilot member of Big Sky Fit Kids, a fitness and nutrition program that is part of Shape Up Montana.

“I have to log in what activities we did and how many kids we have every week,” Trageser said, noting that between 17 and 25 students participate at each meeting.

At one station, fourth-graders Seth Trumm and Barrett Giles do bench push-ups side by side.

“We’re going to get ripped,” Giles said.

Giles said he joined to help prepare for the Spartan Race — an extreme obstacle race scheduled in May.

“Today we did burpees, a scooter ride pull — I like that a lot. It’s a lot of fun and it’s really hard because you have to stay on your scooter and it’s really hard because you have to pull your weight with your arms,” Giles said.

Third-grader Kaeton Larson’s favorite exercise is running laps. Larson said she didn’t mind getting up early to exercise.

“I’m used to getting up early,” Larson said. “[I joined] because I want to get stronger and healthier.”

Currently the grades that participate in Kila Fit Kids Club get P.E. twice a week for 50 minutes. Trageser said 60 minutes of physical activity a day is recommended.

Big Sky Fit Kids Executive Director Karen Sanford Gall said increasing physical activity addresses rising health-care costs associated with obesity and also improves student achievement.

Trageser said getting started in a regular routine of physical exercise is important at a young age. He wants to show students exercises that require little to no equipment.

“Last week we did ten different exercises with a basketball. They can do this with mom and dad and they don’t have to have a pass to The Summit to work out,” Trageser said.

The club also allows him to do exercises that he may be not be able to do with a full P.E. class due to limited equipment. Trageser said his goal is to get more donated equipment.

“We’ve gotten a stair stepper, some weights, a bench press and exercise bands. The more stuff we can open them up to and show them, the better.”

For Trageser, imparting a passion for a healthy, active lifestyle is why he went into teaching P.E.

“Whether they get hooked on basketball, golf, or ultimate Frisbee ... I don’t care what it is as long as they’re being physically fit and moving and have that healthy lifestyle.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.