TED video of the week!

Hi PE students: each week I will be adding 1 or more TED videos to the blog for you to review. 

You have the option of Choosing one (or both) and write about it in your course journal responses.  

I will also be adding a discussion board feature to the course so that students can share/review other student comments...these  talks can be very thought provoking!  I am interested in how these ideas of inspiration may influence our own ideas and approaches to a healthy life / physical activity!  
* there are also many interesting comments on the TED page by other TED watchers that you can review to give you more perspective.

Matt Cutts: Try Something New for 30 Days   link: http://go.ted.com/ryC

Matt Cutts, an engineer at Google, explains how trying just one new thing every day for a month was a fun, rewarding, and eye-opening experience for him. Have you always wanted to try yoga, kickboxing, or maybe golf? Cutts says 30 days is long enough to form a habit and stick with it, but short enough that you won’t go crazy if you eventually dislike it.

Ben Saunders: Why Bother Leaving the House?    link: http://go.ted.com/ryD

Ben Saunders is an extreme polar explorer — in fact, he was the youngest person ever to ski to the North Pole. And this year, he’s going to attempt to walk from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole (and back again). In this talk, he explains why apps and living room workouts deprive us of the “meat of life,” found only in the great outdoors. No need to live by yourself in the arctic like Saunders, but his talk might inspire you to rediscover the joy in exercising outdoors.

Why The Pushup Is The World's Greatest Exercise

Sarah Klein sarah.klein@huffingtonpost.com

Why The Push up Is The World's Greatest Exercise 

If I could only do one exercise for the rest of my life, it would be the pushup.

Maybe you hate them or you think you can't complete a single rep or you think being a runner (or a cyclist or a walker) means you only need to focus on your lower body. But it's time to stop considering the pushup an arm workout and start accepting it for the body-altering, core-strengthening move it truly is. You don't have to drop and give me 50; simply incorporating more pushups into your regular routine can help you reach all sorts of fitness goals, by helping you improve everything from your posture on your bike to your balance to your arm swing.

The Perfect Pushup So how do you do the move of all moves correctly? 

MORE...click the link below to review the entire article, see modifications, proper techniques(video demos) and other variations.

more-pushup_info and video techniques

PE students: The push up is a great exercise and anyone can do it!  It is also really important to have good form though.  Excellent form in the modified version is the key before you do regular push ups. Review the info above and write in your reflection journal about your perspective of the push up and you :)  How can you challenge yourself to gradually improve?  If you don't do them regularly,where and how can you start?  This info should help!  I am interested to see how you can improve over time.

Mr. Avery

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.

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

The 3 Building Blocks of Fitness

The 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

BLOCK 3: FLEXIBILITY

www.huffingtonpost.com/self/health-and-fitness

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?

12 powerful talks from Olympians and Paralympians

12 powerful talks from Olympians and Paralympians

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?

Janine Shepherd: A broken body isn’t a broken person

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

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!

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.

2013-health-trends link

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!

18 WAYS TO CHANGE UP YOUR RUNNING ROUTINE

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...

Read More »

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.

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!

High-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.”

read more www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/10/tabata-training-workouts-cardio

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?

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.

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.

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

"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

http://greatist.com/fitness/ways-bust-out-workout-rut

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

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.

click for the complete article

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?

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.