I was recently asked by Lake Park to visit and speak with some of the students in a particular English writing class about fitness and my time spent as a fitness columnist for this great paper. With me being a health and physical education teacher in a past life, I jumped at the opportunity to visit with them. Walking into the school, I was immediately engulfed with a sense of nostalgia, "If I could only stick around long enough for a piece of that square lunchroom pizza," I thought ...
After checking in at the front desk, I was met in the hall by two of the students to escort me back to the rest of the class. I was impressed with the mannerisms and maturity levels of these two individuals as we shared conversation about the shoes I was wearing.
When we finally arrived at the classroom, I noticed the World Camp Fitness Web site up on the projector screen and laminated copies of past fitness columns up on the wall. Obviously awaiting my arrival, there were also questions from some of the students about fitness and statements of what fitness meant to them hanging by the chalkboard.
I was absolutely blown away! With the majority of the kids already down the hall in the gymnasium, we made our way from the classroom to meet up with them.
Upon arriving to the gym, I was greeted by 50 or so students and a small number of the faculty. Everyone gathered around and we began to look at and answer some of the questions the class had on fitness and to expound on their thoughts on the topic.
I explained to them that the meaning of fitness is really only relative to the task at hand. We talked about how both a triathlete and a power lifter are fit for their own sports, however, both would equally fail if each was asked to perform the other's job.
We touched on the 10 components of fitness and human function, as stated in past columns, and how it is best to train our bodies in all of them to be well-rounded athletes.
After all the boring lecture stuff, it was on to the fun!
Body weight squats, agility drills, a few trips down the court and back pushing a peanut sack and a "Man Maker" race finished up the day!
I then left just as I arrived, with an agility ladder in one hand and a stopwatch in the other, but could not escape the renewed sense of self that I felt after spending that short time with the students. "So smart, but yet so eager to learn," I thought ... not yet corrupted by the world's views on fitness and life, for that matter. "If we could all be so fortunate."
To the 5th graders at Lake Park Elementary, thank you for the opportunity to come and visit with you, and to their parents, you should be proud.
