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May. 18th, 2001 04:07 pmNew phys ed favors fitness over sports
"For many baby boomers, physical education class was daily torture. Slow children were sitting ducks for dodge ball, while klutzes were subject to humiliation, hoping against hope they wouldn't be picked last for a team. Not only were there scars, but it now appears those P. E. classes weren't especially good at developing long-term fitness. "
Not just boomers. That sums up my p.e. experience pretty well. Fifty minutes a day of sheer hell. Humiliation because I couldn't make a basket or could only hit a softball if it was a lucky day. And then the misery of the Presidential Physical Fitness tests, where you were scolded by the teacher if you couldn't make the minimum standards (and it continued into high school, with what one might charitably categorize as an "unsympathetic" p.e. teacher). What did it accomplish for me? Exactly the opposite of what it was supposed to. I ended up spending most of my life equating exercise with misery and humiliation. Wouldn't do it voluntarily, and let myself get and stay completely out of shape. It's only been recently, after I joined a gym and spent three months with a trainer who was encouraging and applauded my achievements rather than harping on my shortcomings, that I've started to actually enjoy exercising.
I think this program they talk about in the article is fantastic. I only wish they'd been that enlightened when I was forced to suffer through p.e. I suspect I'd probably be in a lot better shape today if they had.
"For many baby boomers, physical education class was daily torture. Slow children were sitting ducks for dodge ball, while klutzes were subject to humiliation, hoping against hope they wouldn't be picked last for a team. Not only were there scars, but it now appears those P. E. classes weren't especially good at developing long-term fitness. "
Not just boomers. That sums up my p.e. experience pretty well. Fifty minutes a day of sheer hell. Humiliation because I couldn't make a basket or could only hit a softball if it was a lucky day. And then the misery of the Presidential Physical Fitness tests, where you were scolded by the teacher if you couldn't make the minimum standards (and it continued into high school, with what one might charitably categorize as an "unsympathetic" p.e. teacher). What did it accomplish for me? Exactly the opposite of what it was supposed to. I ended up spending most of my life equating exercise with misery and humiliation. Wouldn't do it voluntarily, and let myself get and stay completely out of shape. It's only been recently, after I joined a gym and spent three months with a trainer who was encouraging and applauded my achievements rather than harping on my shortcomings, that I've started to actually enjoy exercising.
I think this program they talk about in the article is fantastic. I only wish they'd been that enlightened when I was forced to suffer through p.e. I suspect I'd probably be in a lot better shape today if they had.