National Fitness Campaign’s Post

High School Weight Room Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging: Consider high school “weight room” dynamics. It’s unsaid that this sacred space is for “them” meaning maybe 50-60 young men participating in mostly one sport, only. Schools hire trainers for management of this room with 18 inch necks that have no commitment to a wider population introducing weight training etc to anyone else. Their focus is the here and now for a few, the game next Friday and preparing “their athletes.” Geez. It’s not a welcoming pace for “most” young men and women in high school. I started lifting at age 40. Oh my, I wish I had started earlier, and one morning in south New Jersey, around 5 AM, walked into McMichael’s gym perhaps looking like a skinny waif - with nary a muscle to be seen - and just this one time started all this. Gyms might as well be as far removed from us - and why it can be a building and renewing place - as is the moon from the earth. Here, for me, better late than never. I was “afraid” of gyms, it’s the fear put into in high school that’s it’s off limits. It was that my body was not acceptable. Weak. You know stuff like this becomes tattooed into our conscious and subconscious and affects or could even into our adulthood. Consider the current focus on diversity, inclusion, equity (all working for the same outcomes, muscles for all) and belonging if applied to the weight room. You know the ending…sadly, referring to “the room.” Weight rooms are a vivid example of the caste system. Not everybody is equal or welcome. And the judgement that we all fear in a gym paralyzes many from ever taking that step I did at age 40, thirty-five years ago. School boards need to pay attention to the drones that their athletic department hires, and take seriously a whole population orientation charter and emphasis. Summary: Weight room diverse: nope. Weight room equality: double nope. Weight room inclusive: triple nope. Weight room belonging: Never* *Never because sports is king/queen and the weight rooms of the high schools of the US are geared for a single use.

Our Youth Need to Move! Let's Get Tristate Kids Pumped for ANY Sport As the owner of your neighborhood fitness haven, I see firsthand the power of movement. But today, I wanna talk about a group that needs it most: our kids. The pandemic took a toll on all of us, but our youth? Especially. Screens lit up, playgrounds emptied, and fitness assessments are revealing a troubling trend – our kids are getting less active. Listen, that mile run, those push-ups, that sit-and-reach? They're not just benchmarks – they're foundational movements our kids NEED to be able to do. And guess what? Sports mandate just that kind of activity. Practice, games, workouts – it's physical activity built into their schedule. Now, I get it. Sports aren't for every kid. But hear me out: with parents juggling hectic schedules, when are we finding time to prioritize our kids' movement? And let's face it, if our kids aren't healthy, our society isn't healthy. So, here's my call to action: Let's normalize active lifestyles for our youth. Let's talk about the importance of movement, at home, at school, and in the community. Let's get every kid, no matter their background or skills, excited about ANY sport, ANY physical activity. Because when our kids move, they thrive. They build confidence, resilience, teamwork – qualities that shape not just athletes, but amazing humans. So, GÜDSPORT fam, let's be the difference. Let's champion youth movement. Let's ignite a passion for physical activity that'll light up their lives. Because our future? It's moving at full speed. #GetKidsMoving #GUDSPORTYouth #ActiveNYC #HealthyCommunities P.S. Tag a parent you know who's raising little champions! Let's show our support for making NYC the active capital of the world, one kid at a time. P.P.S. Bonus points if you share your own childhood sport memories! https://lnkd.in/gEwUP6dH.

How young is too young to train? Trick question! Once born babies randomly and reactively move their bodies until they get enough muscular strength and nervous system activation to move more… then they keep moving and watching, and try to mimic. That leads to experimentation and greater mimicry through the toddler years. This is why we choose to have our youngest offering to be for kids as young as 3, with our StrongKids program. StrongKids has two classes, 3-6 and 7-11. From 3-6 kids get better and better as they become coordinated and test their limits. In our classes, medicine balls are a favorite! From 7-11, kids have become stronger and more coordinated (with large variations), and can use more structure, more focus on using their bodies WELL (technique), and a golden opportunity to again test their limits and engage in natural physical development. We have our SpeedKids class for 9-12 year olds as well with more specific goals. With our personal training at VPT, we see kids as young as 8 years old come in, and with as few as 1-2 sessions a week absolutely thrive! Structure, a focus on proper movement mechanics before bad habits have set in, and a guided path for the direction their bodies already want to grow accelerates and optimizes their development. At 10 years old, we see #VikingTrained kids really begin to absorb and get amazing results from training. These kids usually have high levels of interest already and are HUNGRY to challenge themselves and love seeing the process that getting better provides. As they see the physical gains, confidence really skyrockets for this age group. (We are CRUSHING the 10-year old gymnast market by the way!). When we get 12-13 year olds we get kids entering the prime of training age… a blend of time to learn, bodies entering faster natural development, and our main job is to make sure they train correctly so they grow and develop in the healthiest manner possible. With the older teens we see the age groups who really turn the gas on and can handle higher frequencies in training, such as 3-5 days a week. When they eat and sleep appropriately as well, their progress oftentimes takes them to the same level or beyond where many college athletes are physically… while still in late middle or high school (and we’re not joking - that’s a comparison based on Coach Jerry’s 10 years as a Strength & Conditioning Coach for WVU Athletics). From there, you can always start training - whether for the first time or the 20th time. Our oldest client was a 76 year old surgeon and grizzled Marine, and seeing his health, confidence, and physicality improve over 2 years of training with us before moving away was an absolutely awesome experience. So you see… there is no “training age”. There’s only where you are… where your kids are… and what you ca. get out of it. Start training, and if you’d like our help with personal training or online training just send us a message! #personaltraining #onlinetraining

Adults rarely consider the concepts of Physical Literacy and Education when thinking about health, fitness, and wellness. In our society these end when we graduate highschool, and sometimes sooner, and we transition to training, physical shape, and competition. In this series about the Physical Education of the Senses I will bring back such concepts and apply them to adult life (Physical Literacy and Education for Adults). Adult health, fitness, and wellness can also be enhanced through awareness, play, and daily living activities. Let's explore together how we can have a better sensory experience outside of trendy and traditional practices and without filling up our agenda with one more workout. https://lnkd.in/er3537BU

What happened to summer?  Our latest blog gives some tips for helping pupils adjust to the shorter days, and might even help the adults too. Enjoy! https://lnkd.in/eTA3F3Mj #autumn #daylightsaving #clocks #time #winter #schools #SAD

Physical Education teachers motivate their students to give their best efforts in a variety of ways. Some, including David Lagerman at Linntown Intermediate and Kelly Elementary Schools (Pa.), offer students a chance at a prize for doing what’s asked of them in class. When Lagerman sees students who meet all of his daily expectations – “they followed directions, they gave me their bets effort, they showed great sportsmanship,” he told The Daily Item – they get a chance to make what he calls “The Incredible Shot.” Lagerman built an open tube that stands several feet high. Students get three chances to lob a tennis ball into the tube from 8 feet away. The task has proven nearly impossible. “I’ve been doing this for about a year now,” he said. “We’ve only had five students that ever made it.” The entire class knows the odds, so when a student does make the shot, everyone erupts with joy and races to congratulate the student, just like they did the first time a student succeeded. Joy in PE class is what teachers are after, and they'll use any tool at their disposal to get it. Some, as Lagerman and Keiser do, offer the chance at rewards. Others use technology such as IHT ZONE heart rate monitors to show students how exercising at an elevated heart rate helps them become healthier. Here are 3 ways that schools use IHT ZONE heart rate monitors to get students engaged in PE and their future wellness habits. https://zurl.co/b3lm

Day 15 of 30: Nurturing Holistic Wellness in Schools 🌿 Schools are more than places of learning—they are environments where young minds, bodies, and spirits are shaped. Integrating holistic wellness into schools is essential not just for academic success, but for the overall development of students and educators alike. When we talk about holistic wellness in a school setting, we’re talking about fostering mental, emotional, physical, and social well-being. A balanced approach that supports every part of a student’s life can lead to better focus, emotional regulation, healthier relationships, and a deeper sense of self-awareness. Here are some ways schools can embrace holistic wellness: 🧠 Mental Wellness: Introducing practices like mindfulness and meditation into the school day can help students manage stress, build concentration, and develop tools for navigating challenges. This could mean starting the day with a mindful moment, offering mental health resources, or even weaving emotional literacy into the curriculum. 🌀 Emotional Wellness: Creating a safe space for students to express and explore their emotions is crucial. Encouraging open dialogue about feelings, fostering peer support groups, and offering social-emotional learning (SEL) sessions can help build emotional intelligence and empathy. 🤸🏾♀️ Physical Wellness: Movement is a key part of holistic wellness, and schools can integrate physical activity in creative ways beyond traditional sports. This can include yoga sessions, dance breaks between classes, or encouraging time outdoors to connect with nature. 👫🏾 Social & Community Wellness: Holistic wellness in schools also means building a strong sense of community and belonging. Activities that promote teamwork, kindness, inclusivity, and respect for diversity help students form supportive connections and learn the value of healthy relationships. When schools prioritise holistic wellness, they don’t just nurture academic growth—they help students and educators develop resilience, self-awareness, and skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom walls. 🌱 What are some holistic wellness practices you wish you had in your school experience, or that you see making a difference now? #30DaysWithMvu #LivInSync #SchoolWellness #HolisticEducation #MindfulLearning #MentalHealthInSchools

♿ Empowering every body to thrive! 🏫 Adaptive Physical Education teachers sculpt resilience, inclusivity, and confidence through tailored fitness programs. Breaking barriers and redefining possibilities, ensuring every student shines in motion. 🌟🏋️♂️ #AdaptivePE #InclusiveFitness #adaptivesports #adaptivephysicaleducation #specialeducation #specialeducationteacher #adaptivePEteacher #APE #physicaleducation #disabilityinclusion #inclusiveeducation

Get your letterboards out! It's back to school time. Here are 10 things to incorporate into your back to school routine. https://bit.ly/3Wk3csE #highpointnc #highpoint #moms #dads #backtoschool

“Why would I need an activity app for my students when I have a state-of-the-art gym and 100s of exercise initiatives?” "I can't offer even more for my students when we're already stretched thin and most of them don't use my services anyway!" We hear this often when talking to university sports providers, and they're right! It's the same people who don't use the vast range of resources available to them every time. But let's look at this from the eyes of that disengaged student. They have been marketed free gym sessions, try-it-out sports clubs, pound-to-play social activities, but nothing seems to resonate. Maybe they have had bad experiences with sports at school, maybe they see the sports jerseys and automatically want to turn in the other direction, maybe a gym is their idea of a living hell. If that's the case, no amount of "give it a go" sessions are going to break through those barriers. Instead, we need to look at what that student wants from their university experience. Coming out with a good grade so they can land their ideal job. Having positive mental health so they are happy and can deal with the stresses of university. Building their confidence so they can be the person they want to be. These are all the same benefits that can be found with exercise, but deep-rooted preconceptions of themselves and sport can stop that student from ever getting active. That's why we created YouPlus. A platform which turns the giant leap into exercise into lots of little steps and shows how to use activity to stay happy, healthy, and successful at university. Exercise can be life-changing once the barriers are overcome, so let's focus on finding new ways to make activity relatable and achievable for all students. YouPlus, exercise for all. #Exercise #MentalHealth #HigherEducation #Wellbeing #Inclusion