One

You only get one body. All sales final. No refunds, returns, or exchanges.

So why is it that even though this is the reality of our lives, so many of us treat our bodies like a disposable camera?

I work as a high school health teacher. One time in class, I suggested to a student who was concerned about an upcoming fitness test (the dreaded 12-minute run) that she spend 15 minutes each day running. To this, she replied, ‘I can’t do that, I have too much homework!’

I was flabbergasted by this. She wanted to improve her fitness test score, but was unwilling to spend 15 minutes each day in order to do so. Instead, she was more concerned about doing homework for a math class utilizing concepts so theoretical that she would not use it in her daily life unless she became an engineer.

This is something that has plagued PE and health teachers for as long as the profession has existed. Physical fitness is marginalized in schools, since it is not an ‘academic’ subject. Illinois is the only state the requires schools to have PE classes; any wonder why there is an obesity problem in the USA? And even in good ol’ IL, many schools use ‘recess’ to fill that spot under a technical loop hole.

Why is it that people feel resentful of PE ‘homework’? If you are reading this blog, chances are you already do something on your own, so it is no longer the onerous ‘homework’-type activity, but part of your lifestyle. But for most, if a PE teacher gave homework AND assessed students on that homework, there would be torch and pitchfork wielding villagers (AKA parents) coming to riot at the school.

Imagine what would happen in this scenario: a PE teacher teaches how to back squat, and once the students have gotten the basic technique, assesses each student’s strength level. Based on that assessment, the teacher assigns a strength goal to be reached in 4 weeks AND gives each student a personalized squat program, and then asks students to work outside of class in order to prepare for the assessment.

What do you think the response to this would be? That PE teacher would be under incredible pressure from the administration, parents, and students, telling him/her that they are being unreasonable, that not everybody needs to squat, that PE should just be for fun, that students have enough homework, and blah blah blah. It just wouldn’t fly, even though it is a completely valid assignment and assessment.

Here’s the funny thing though: after spending all of their time studying theoretical math, theoretical sciences, and other courses, the only thing that will stick with this person for the rest of their lives is their body. That person, unless they change their attitude and their lifestyle, will eventually face a doctor who will tell them, ‘you need to exercise more, eat better, and change the way that you live, or else you will die of [insert disease name here].’

Don’t get me wrong, studying is VERY important. Your brain is a lot like muscle; if you don’t use it, you lose it. Much of high school is actually an effort to try and get kids brains to be active and to teach them how to learn. The ‘what’ doesn’t stick around for too long, but the ‘how’ and the effect are very important.

However, I’ve never heard of a doctor telling a patient, ‘you need to go home and spend 30 minutes a day doing moderate calculus, otherwise you will die of [insert disease].’ Also, not many bed-ridden people stare out the window of their nursing home at a bright blue sky and say ‘I wish that I could crack open a chemistry textbook right now’.

Remember: one body, one life. No exchanges, refunds, or returns. That’s all you get.

Coach ‘taking care of this temple’ A

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