Friday, May 9, 2014

instinct!



PE students: "our instincts are the treasure map for our soul satisfaction....."  
Watch the video and choose a quote that provides meaning to you...and connect this to your pursuit of a healthy active lifestyle.

Sunday, May 4, 2014



30 Days of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Neila Rey 
Fitness blogger, author

Our bodies are designed to optimize at whatever level of training we push at them. This is a survival mechanism intended to give us an evolutionary advantage in Paleolithic times. In the modern age it just means that the workout we have scheduled to do on a busy day delivers diminishing returns as our bodies find ways to burn fewer calories and perform with less effort.
The workaround to this is to constantly vary our training routines but that in itself can be tiring and it poses a further mental obstacle to simply doing any training at all. This is where high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts come in. Designed to be high-burn, constant-challenge sessions, a HIIT workout is the simplest way to shock the body out of its physical complacency and force it to work harder than it has ever done before.
PE Students:  If you are interested in trying some HIIT training, go to the link below to download a .pdf document that provides a 30 day program. 
What do you think of HIIT training? Have you ever tried it before? If you try out some of the workouts ,write about the experience in your Reflection journal. Did you make any modifications to your approach?  What effects did you notice after repeated sessions? Do you have any favorite exercises?
http://neilarey.com/programs/30-days-of-hiit.html



Sunday, March 16, 2014

The 3 Building Blocks of Fitness

2014-03-07-fitnessbuildingblocks_01.jpgThe 3 Building Blocks of Fitness              By Natalie Gingrich Mackenzie, SELF
Consider this your get-fit trifecta. All you need is a smart combo of these three fitness fundamentals.
BLOCK 1: CARDIO
BLOCK 2: STRENGTH TRAINING
PE Students: Review this excellent outline of the building blocks of fitness and think about how this advice matches up with your approach. What information did you learn that you would like to apply? How can you use these ideas to help with your fitness plan?

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

12 powerful talks from Olympians and Paralympians


12 powerful talks from Olympians and Paralympians
Winter-Olympics
The XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi takes place over the next few weeks — we’ll all be watching a steady diet of hockey, skiing and figure skating. To get you in the Olympic spirit, watch these powerful TED and TEDx Talks from Olympians and Paralympians. 
link:10-powerful-talks-from-olympians-and-paralympians/
PE students: click the link above to see a summary of the 12 videos or select and individual link below. Watch one or more of the videos and provide your reaction In your PE course reflection comment. Also consider, how their story connects to you and the way you see yourself as a participant in physical activity?
Maarten van der Weijden: On surviving cancer and becoming Olympic champion

Jeff Olson: How do we inspire kids to make healthy lifestyle choices?

Aimee Mullins: Changing my legs — and my mindset

 Caryn Davies: The power of teammates

Jason Rogers: We all write our own story

Sarah Reinertsen: The first woman with an artificial leg to complete an Ironman

Rajyavardhan Rathore: Intelligence doesn’t just come in books

Steve Mesler: When kids meet their Olympic heroes

Marlon Shirley: Overcoming obstacles

Bob Beamon on his world-record long jump

Isabel Allende on carrying the Olympic flag

Monday, February 3, 2014

30 Day Fitness Challenges logo

Intro to 30in30 Fitness Challenge with Paige Waehner

30in30 Fitness Challenge with Paige Waehner Exercises 1-30

also  try this link for a variety of 30 challenges:
http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/challenges/#_


PE students: Strength is a key component to any exercise program and tehse links provide some examples of gradually building up your strength over time.  By making gradual increments over time your body will get stronger!  Try one of these fitness challenges and reflect on the experience in your journal.  You can also explore for more options and try any of a number of incremental fitness challenges that you may find!

Kettle Bell Exercise Hero Image

Monday, January 6, 2014

The Best And Worst Health Trends Of 2013 

By K. Aleisha Fetters
Each year comes with its own unique brand of health trends. Some wind up being passing fad diets, while others prove surprisingly on point. The key to healthy living is knowing which trends are worth your time. To that end, here are the year's shape-up and slim-down trends we'd like to forget -- and the ones we hope will stick around into 2014.
PE Students:Review the best and worst trends from this past year (according to this person!) and comment in your journal...anything you have tried or would like to try.
also check out the slideshow at the bottom....fun stuff to do to get fit!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

18 WAYS TO CHANGE UP YOUR RUNNING ROUTINE


try out a new approach to your run workouts!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
SALLY TAMARKIN
I’m a CrossFitter, nut butter enthusiast, and lover of early mornings. I am relatively new to the world of fitness, having discovered in my mid-20’s...
There’s something special about being so excited to go running that you count the minutes until you can leave work, lace up, and hit the pavement. But no matter how much you’re in love with running, it takes a little effort to keep the relationship fresh. “If you want to make progress and still keep it fun, variety is going to be crucial,” says Jason Fitzgerald, an elite marathoner, running coach, and founder ofStrengthRunning.com.
Before a favorite neighborhood route starts to feel ho-hum, mix in one of these 18 runs to keep things fun and challenging. Each one can be modified for runners of any fitness and experience levels. Many of the workouts require a set distance, but you don’t need access to a track. Websites and apps like MapMyRun and USA Track & Field make it easy to map distance so you can do these workouts anywhere.

18 NEW RUNNING WORKOUTS

http://greatist.com/fitness/18-running-workouts-try-something-new

P.E. students: What are your thoughts on running as part of your exercise program? What is your previous life experiences with running?   Do you avoid it, tolerate it, like it or love it? What is the approach you do now?  Look through these options and consider trying something different  and write about the experience as a reflection response.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

7 Workout Habits You Should Drop Now


By Jennifer Cohen
Are you spending hours working out every week, and not getting the results you want? Chances are you might have a bad habit or two when it comes to exercising. Never fear, there's a quick fix for even the most ingrained workout no-nos. Check out these seven workout habits you should drop: they will help you become a more efficient exerciser.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bad-workout-habits-efficient-exercise

PE Students: Review the web article (link above) and watch the video below to learn more about exercise choices and routines. Think about your approach and does this information provide some insight into how you can improve your approach?

* it is also interesting to review some of the comments (click the green comment button on the site) to see what others think about this article.  Do you agree/disagree with any of the comments?  Very interesting!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013


tabata trainingHigh-Intensity Tabata Training Deemed An Effective Workout, Study Says

By Sarah Klein, www.huffingtonpost.com
October 10th, 2013


The time-friendly Tabata trend began with the Japanese speed skating team. Head coach Irisawa Koichi had been asking players to follow a training routine that involved alternating short periods of high intensity work with even shorter periods of rest. He asked training coach Izumi Tabata to analyze how effective this setup was. The work resulted in a ground-breaking 1996 study that measured substantive fitness gains after just six weeks of four-minute workouts consisting of 20 seconds of intense cycling followed by 10 seconds of rest.

Similarly high-intensity workouts have skyrocketed in popularity of late, resulting in claims that you only have to exercise for shorter and shorter increments to achieve maximum results.
“There is no such thing as a miracle workout,” ACE Chief Science Officer Dr. Cedric Bryant said in a statement. “While Tabata-inspired workouts are shorter, they are also extremely tough. This study showed that fit participants perceived the workout as hard, therefore these type of workouts could be demotivating or too challenging for those not as accustomed to strenuous bouts of exercise.”
PE students:  click on the link above and  go to the comments section (scroll all the way down) for a range of perspectives and examples of how various individuals might use a Tabata approach for their exercise program. 
 Have you tried a Tabata style workout? why or why not? What was your experience like? How can a Tabata approach be adjusted for various fitness levels?

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Treadmill Workouts



Treadmill Workouts

PE students: Many Surrey Connect PE students choose the treadmill  as a cardio component in their exercise program.  Most fitness experts agree that you can achieve better fitness results by using the intensity interval approach.  The link below offers many treadmill interval options/routines for you to browse through. 

http://www.pinterest.com/just4funkidz/treadmill-workout/


Comment in your journal on how you use the treadmill and whether you currently use an interval approach.  Try out some of the interval routines on the pinterest link and write about it in your reflections.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

50 Bodyweight exercises


Posted by Laura Schwecherlon March 6, 2012
Who needs a gym when there’s the living room floor? Body weight exercises are a simple, effective way to improve balance, flexibility, and strength without machinery or extra equipment. From legs and shoulders to chest and abs, we've covered every part of the body that can get stronger with body resistance alone.
 See more at:   LINK:50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere

PE students: Strength workouts don't need to be in the gym or with weights...so what's holding you back?  Many PE students focus too much time on cardio and not enough on strength.  So here is a great resource to help you expand your knowledge and try out a variety of strength activities that can be done anywhere..print out a copy for reference.
 Review these options and try some out!  document in your log/reflection journal.

Friday, October 4, 2013

17 Science-Backed Ways To Bust Out Of A Workout Rut


2013-02-19-GreatistLogo.jpg"There's something just as comforting about tucking yourself in bed after a long, stressful day, as there is about settling into a workout routine. After all, who doesn't feel awesome when they've mastered something that was once a huge challenge? While we completely support that sense of accomplishment   (great job, guys and gals!), sticking to the same old workout routine can hinder results. Kick a stale routine to the curb -- and pump up your progress -- with these 17 rut-busting strategies."             Posted by Alexandra Duron


P.E. students: go to the link provided to browse through  17 ideas to help energize your approach to personal fitness...also some good tips on how to stay motivated to keep it going!

Choose a topic that you are interested and try it out and/or comment in your reflection journal.

Mr. Avery

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Surprising Science Behind Sleep And Exercise

The Surprising Science Behind Sleep And Exercise

By Emily Faherty
Believe it or not, tossing and turning in the middle of the night is not a suitable form of exercise. But studies suggest making time for an actual workout during the day could be key to a better night's sleep. The trick is being patient: According to recent research, exercising consistently can lead to improvements in sleep over time, but not immediately.
PE students: do you get enough sleep? how do you know how much you need? How does exercise affect your ability to get a better sleep? When do you exercise during the day? Do you find any changes in your sleep patterns connected to when you exercise?  Ask a family member/ friend how exercise impacts the quality of their sleep.  Has this course had any affect on your sleep quality/patterns?

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Learn.ist and Pinterest!

Hey PE students!

I am always thinking about and researching for new ideas to personalize the Surrey Connect PE experience.
My role as your teacher is not to provide all the information and tell you what to learn , but to help you explore the incredible amount of info available and to make connections with your interests...be active...and learn!  For the PE student, these sites offer access to sources + provide a tool to explore, gather, and share their own "boards"...a personalized process of learning!

Question:  How can these sites be used within Surrey Connect P.E. courses?   (as users and/or builders)

http://pinterest.com/learnist/what-is-learnist/
http://learni.st/category/3-health-fitness
http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/06/21/learnist-the-pinterest- for-learning.aspx



http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=fitness
http://trustemedia.com/blog/the-inbound-marketing-spot/is-learnist-better-than-pinterest/




Consider:
What are you going to learn?  How are you going to learn it? How are you going to show your learning?  How can you collaborate with other students?  

Comment right here in this blog so others can build on your ideas!
..also can make comments in your course journal response.




Wednesday, July 3, 2013

3 fitness apps to turn your smartphone into a personal trainer





3 fitness apps to turn your smartphone into a personal trainer

PE Students: Click this link to view a video on 3 recommended smartphone apps.  Do you already use one of these or any other exercise app?  Reflect on how you use your phone to help with your fitness and/or try one of these apps out and report back on your experience!

Nutrition and Exercise

Heather Bauer, RD, CDN


Morning, Noon or Night: The Proper Way to Eat and Workout


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/what-to-eat-before-working-out



PE students: When do you like to exercise in the day? Review this article to learn more about the timing of your eating in relation to your exercise and respond with what works for you and/or what you might try..

Friday, June 21, 2013

Happy Summer!

Summer Solstice Quotes: 11 Sayings To Celebrate Summer

Summer Solstice Quotes
Happy first day of summer everyone!
check out these Summer quotes
PE students: what summer quote do you like?  What activities do you look forward to and plan to do this summer  for your PE  hours?  A reminder that if you plan out your activity (i.e. the course activity planner) then  you have a better chance of being regularly active & achieve a balanced exercise program.  Yes you are building your own personalized program!
FYI:  these are my summer hours at Surrey Connect:     July 2-18 & Aug 6-22          9:30-2:30 mon-thur
orientation sessions:              PE10 tuesdays at 1 pm               PE11/12 thursdays at 1 pm



Wednesday, May 8, 2013

High-Intensity Interval Training



High-Intensity Interval Training Is Time-Efficient and 

Effective, Study Suggests

 The usual excuse of "lack of time" for not doing enough exercise is blown away by new research published in The Journal of Physiology.

The study, from scientists at Canada's McMaster University, adds to the growing evidence for the benefits of short term high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient but safe alternative to traditional types of moderate long term exercise. Astonishingly, it is possible to get more by doing less!
"We have shown that interval training does not have to be 'all out' in order to be effective," says Professor Martin Gibala. "Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously."  
read more at at: sciencedaily.com
PE students: I often encourage students to use interval training to add more intensity to their exercise activities. This article above reminds us that it is not only targeted at elite competitors ...anyone can do it who is able to participate in moderate to vigorous physical activities.  Explore one or more of the links below and try to add some form of the HIIT training approach into your activity...and then write about it in your reflection journal

high-intensity-interval-training-hiit-best-cardio-to-burn-fat

mensfitness.com/training/amazing-fat-burning-intervals

matthew-basso/hiit-workout




Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Healthy Breakfast Ideas



Breakfast MistakesHealthy Breakfast Tips: Avoid These Morning Mistakes



    healthy-breakfast-mistakes





By Keri Gans for U.S. News Health
Many of my patients admit to skipping breakfast with this excuse: Whenever they eat in the mornings, they wind up feeling much hungrier than if they hadn't eaten at all. Sound familiar? My nutrition intuition tells me that they're not feeling hungry because they ate breakfast, but rather, because they ate the wrong breakfast. 


PE students:  Describe your approach to breakfast and comment on any of the examples / ideas / suggestions from either of the two links provided.  What improvements/ideas will you/did you take away and try out?





Healthy Breakfast Ideas: What Fitness Experts Eat In The Morning             
 healthy-breakfast-fitness-experts-eat





Friday, April 12, 2013

protein options




"Whether it’s fueling up before hitting the gym or taking a mid-day snack break to avoid the 2 o’clock lull, high-protein snacks are the tastiest way to keep on going. Protein snacks are the perfect way to fill up just enough, and give us longer-lasting energy than the usual, carb-heavy options. Here are 31 of our favorite protein-packed snacks — one for every day of the month! We promise you won’t get sick of any of these choices."

http://greatist.com/health/high-protein-snacks-portable/

P.E. students:  How much protein do you eat in a typical day and what are your sources?  After viewing this list of options are there any that you would like to try?  Share/review this list with whoever does most of the food shopping in your house so you can continue to find new  healthy sources for your daily protein needs..and  share your thoughts/experiences in your reflection journal.

Monday, March 4, 2013





Lauren Boggi



10 Misconceptions About Working Out


PE students: go the link provided, review the ideas in this article and reflect on any of the ideas that were interesting or personally meaningful to you.  Is there anything here that will help you as you try to develop, maintain and improve your personal approach to fitness?

10 Misconceptions About Working Out: via HuffPost http://huff.to/13qf6C1