Lona in 2014 with her new Cannondale Quick commuter bike.
I was born in 1964 which means this year I have turned 60 years old. I have long been a believer in marking the important milestones of your life. So I knew this needed to be something of significance. In two days (June 2nd) I will be riding my bike from Lands End to John O’Groats in the United Kingdom. LEJOG (as it is know) is a route from the farthest south of England to the north tip of Scotland. Total distance is approximately 1600 km with over 17,000 m of climbing. This will be the most physically, psychologically, and emotionally challenge endeavour I have attempted.
I have always cycled. As a small child I distinctly remember the moment my dad took off my training wheels. I was ecstatic and felt like I was flying. It was a time of “free range” parenting where there was little supervision. I spent a lot of time roaming around my Edmonton neighborhood. As a teenager I was the proud owner of an orange Norco 10 speed. This bike allowed me to go even further afield. No helmet, toe straps on the pedals, and no fancy saddle or padded shorts. Just old school adventures.
As life and adulthood took over my biking days seemed behind me. I did occasionally ride but this was few and far between moments. This changed in 2014 when my partner was getting into triathlons and needed a new road bike. She got a new proper road bike and I decided to get a Cannondale Quick for puttering around. I envisioned myself maybe doing a lap of Stanley Park occasionally on it. I quickly fell in love with the freedom and physical nature of cycling again.
I began commuting to the hospital I worked at. Vancouver is a great place to cycle and the hospital had a large bike parking area. I felt refreshed and energized when arriving at work and when I rode back home. It wasn’t easy as there were hills to conquer on the way home. But I enjoyed it and began tracking my rides on Strava. I could see myself getting faster and stronger by tracking the data. My partner and I did some group rides to further test ourselves. I remember being so nervous at the start of a 50km group ride. When I successfully completed it I felt triumphant!
I outgrew the first bike and bought a Cannondale CAAD 10 road bike. New challenges ensued with clipless pedals, different gearing, and shorts with a chamois. The first ride was terrifying and I remember thinking I had made a mistake buying that bike. But I persisted and it got easier and then even comfortable. I started buying cycling specific kit and learned more about the sport by watching GCN on YouTube.
In 2018 I signed up for the RBC Whistler Gran Fondo. This encompasses a ride from Vancouver to Whistler. I was intimidated but also inspired by other women I knew who had done it. I took a “learn to fondo” clinic to help me prepare. I wasn’t the slowest in the clinic but I wasn’t the fastest either. The leaders were great and very encouraging. They kept telling me that I could actually do the ride, even when I was sceptical. They were right and I successfully completed the course. I knew I could improve my performance and the following year took 40 minutes off my previous time.
I upgraded my bike again and took on more adventures. Cycling allowed me to travel to France for a self guided holiday in the Dordogne. We also went to Italy for a biking holiday at Lake Garda. So when I thought about a real challenge to mark my 60th year I remembered a friend telling me about LEJOG. My partner and I have booked in with Peak Adventures for a supported tour. This is 14 days of cycling an average of 115km per day. Breakfast, lunch and accommodations are provided. All I have to do is pedal!
I wanted to share my story because women remain underrepresented within cycling. It is still a generally older, white male activity. Women are well suited for long distance activities as we have the mental fitness to endure. The beauty about cycling is that most people can do it. You can build your stamina by cycling incrementally longer distances. A decade ago I was thrilled to be able to ride 10 km and now I can ride that distance in less than 30 minutes. Cycling also opens you up to a whole world of people who are adventurous and passionate about the sport.
I’m very nervous about my ability to ride LEJOG but know that I have done other hard things. I want to be able to look back on my life and know that I didn’t just take the easy path. If I am successful I will write another post in 2 weeks time to share with you my thoughts.
Lona lives with her partner Emma and their 2 dogs in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Originally trained as a social worker she transitioned to nursing, graduating when she was 40 years old from UBC. She worked in health care for 20 years in a variety of roles and areas including palliative, surgical services, and urban health. She now works as the executive director for Resident Doctors of BC, the union supporting resident physicians. She lives by the motto that life is short and therefore it is good to challenge yourself.
Lona in 2024 with her Cannondale carbon Synapse during a training ride for LEJOG.
Sam blogged about recovery shoes in September 2022. This month that post was our fourth most read.
The fifth most read post this month was by our frequent guest, that west coast runner and fit feminist, Alison Conway. Her post is The Unbearable Lightness of Brie Larson.
Best comment on the Facebook page where I shared the story: “It’s because we have more knees isn’t it?”
LOL.
Three sets of knees. Photo by ROCKETMANN TEAM on Pexels.com
Women’s knee injuries are in the news again because several prominent women athletes are struggling with injuries, and also women in sports medicine are writing about it.
From the story that’s linked above, “While there’s no doubt that the shape of our physical frames does make a difference, a paper in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine has argued that societal constructs around gender are also a contributing factor and have been ignored. Dr Stephanie Coen was one of the authors of the paper and is assistant professor of health geography at the University of Nottingham. She tells Strong Women: “I think the reality of the ACL problem is that it’s so multi-layered across time, space and context. The traditional paradigm of ACL injuries in women has been focused on hips and hormones – holding fast to the idea that ‘women are made differently’ and accepting this kind of injury proneness as a biological fact.”
“She and her co-authors concluded that scientists and sports bodies need to widen their research on the subject. “We need to look further upstream to the gendered kinds of [sports] exposure [people face] from infancy. We need to look at how we learn to move and use our bodies in quite different and often gendered ways,” she explains. This means looking at whether girls have access to the same sport opportunities – and at a same level as boys – right from primary school. Girls playing football at grassroots levels may not get the same number of fast-paced matches as their male peers, often don’t have access to the same conditioning opportunities or equal levels of coaching. Even once you start playing semi-professionally, you’re probably not going to play on the best pitches.”
But it’s not just our bodies, or gendered sports backgrounds, it might also be ILL FITTING BRAS that are hurting women’s knees.
What’s that you say? BRAS? Really?
One of the blog team commented, “The knee injury may be as a result of someone mentioning you are wearing the wrong bra and “accidentally” kneeing that person.”
See Could your sports bra be causing your knee pain?: “A well-fitting sports bra can be a game-changer in terms of comfort—but could it also impact your joint health? A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Biometrics suggests a supportive bra may actually reduce injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which runs through the middle of the knee and helps to stabilize the joint. Women are more prone to ACL tears, a debilitating injury with an extended recovery period, compared to men. While researchers have explored biological factors and training routines as potential contributors, the idea that a supportive sports bra could assist in injury prevention had not been previously considered.”
And Wearing the wrong bra could put you at a greater risk of a knee injury, study suggests: “To work out why the risk is so much greater for females, researchers have looked at biological factors and training routines. But until recently, no-one had considered the role of the bra. An international team of experts in biomechanics and sports medicine decided to take the task on and studied 35 female recreational athletes. They found when women wore highly supportive bras while completing jumping and landing tasks, many of the common risk factors associated with ACL injuries decreased. Knee flexion angles were smaller, which means the knee didn’t have to bend as much on landing, and there was also a reduction in dynamic knee valgus, which is when the knee moves inwards from the foot.”
“Wrong” in this context isn’t that complicated. It just means “less supportive.”
Two young women, one black and one white, in white and red sports bras, standing against a brick wall, with their phones. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Walking backwards is in the health and fitness news again. See this CBC piece about the benefits of it here, “Walking backwards might ‘look a little weird,’ but it could be just the exercise you need.”
The CBC interviews focus on the benefits for older adults. Walking backwards can help older adults improve balance and avoid falls. It also helps with strengthening ankles, knees, and feet.
I blogged about too a couple of years ago when I was doing it for physio,
When you are starting a new sport, you don’t know what you don’t know. New activities can be intimidating when you are not sure what to expect.
This year I am new to group cycling as a first-year member of the London Cycling Club. Before my first ride, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Fortunately, at the club’s kick-off meeting, leaders gave many great tips for those just getting started. The focus of the tips were on comfort and safety.
I’m going to share how I prepared for my first rider development ride, which was about 25km at a pace of about 15-20km/hr. This preparation eased my nervousness and helped me feel more ready to explore something new. If you are just joining another new group activity, hopefully some of these ideas might be applicable as well!
Gear preparedness
I got a bike tune up at the start of the season. But even without one, it’s a good idea to check for a clean frame, an oiled chain, sufficient tire air pressure, a comfortable seat height, working brakes, and a bell.
I tried on my helmet for fit, and ensured my front and rear lights were working. I brought my repair kit with a spare bike tube in case of a flat. At the pet store, while buying cat food, I made myself my own “dog tag”: road ID with an emergency contact.
Clothing preparedness
I checked the weather and wore well-fitting clothes and shoes that wouldn’t catch. High visibility/reflective clothing is good for evening rides, so I broke out my bright colours!
I learned that cycling clothes are called a “kit.” Many wear their full cycling kit, so gear up if you want to! Developmental rides don’t seem long enough to me to wear padded shorts/pants, so I didn’t. Most important is to wear what‘s comfortable and safe for you.
Route preparedness
I checked out the route in advance. Because I was a bit nervous, I cycled the route on my own beforehand (and I heard some people drive routes that are new to them).
As well, I checked the driving route TO the start point to give myself at least 15 minutes before the ride starts. An early arrival meant I was ready to hear any important information, and if I had to make a last-minute adjustment other riders won’t be waiting for me to leave.
Other stuff to bring (or not bring)
I brought a full water bottle that fit in the bottle cage. (In hot weather, some ppl freeze half the water first, then fill up the rest just before they go!) Sunglasses or tinted visor. I brought a granola bar and a small stuff bag to stash or add a layer. Many people ride light and don’t bring any gear bags at all.
Some people have odometers or phone holders for the route (as I do), but others just follow along. I brought my bike lock but didn’t need it. I brought $5 for a mid-way stop, but I just drank the water and ate the granola bar I brought. I brought earphones, but I found they impeded my practice with verbal and non-verbal communication on the ride.
Social preparedness
Turns out rides include small talk to get to know others. I brought a friendly attitude and questions with me to learn from others. The chat is not only social: it helps to build rapport and trust you need to ride well as a group.
I was also ready to keep my eyes and ears open, to listen to the ride leaders, then watch and follow what they do. After learning the hand signals, I practiced them. I did my best to communicate and stay with the group. All of this is done not just to have fun but to be safe and keep others safe.
What else would you suggest to prep for your first time out, more seasoned cyclers than me? Please share your must-brings or must-wears to this starter list!
I was late to the concept of the Fancy Women’s Bike Ride, which I joined for the first time last year. And now it’s ending, and I have very mixed feelings.
As Momentummag notes, “more than just a cycling event, FWBR symbolizes a celebration of women’s strength, unity, and resilience. It serves as a platform for reclaiming public spaces, promoting sustainable transportation, and challenging societal norms.” The ride has gone from a single event in Izmir Turkey to 200 cities in 30 countries.
That leaves out a lot of countries. The ability of women and girls to cycle varies widely around the world. I empathize with the desire of the founders to step away, but I would have loved to see their work continue. After all, “one of its most profound impacts, perhaps its most important, lies in its contribution to empowering women through cycling. By offering free cycling courses and promoting the simple act of riding a bike, FWBR has enabled countless women to challenge stereotypes, embrace their strength, and assert their independence. The movement’s slogan, “Be Women Be Visible,” encapsulates its mission to elevate the visibility of women in public spaces and advocate for inclusive urban planning and traffic management.” (Momentummag)
I am reading several books about city planning from a feminist perspective, and I help out with various women-led rides that focus on making streets safe for all ages. Those efforts to include and center women in alternative transportation and public spaces won’t end, but maybe they won’t continue to spread as quickly or as widely to places where they are desperately needed, without the joyful push of the Fancy Women Bike Ride.
Three women defying the patriarchy through cycling near Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2020. Photo: Zabihulla Habibi in Bicycling.com
“The pioneering footballers who participated in the 1971 Women’s World Cup tell their extraordinary story, giving insight into a tournament that witnessed record crowds but is largely written out of sporting history.”
“Lissa Soep is an audio producer, editor and author whose latest book is Other People’s Words: Friendship, Loss, and the Conversations That Never End.
“In Other People’s Words: Friendship, Loss, and the Conversations that Never End, Lissa Soep considers the ghosts in our language. Her intimate and emotional memoir details her experiences with grief following the deaths of two close friends. One friend, Jonnie, died suddenly and accidentally, leaving a family behind, whereas the other, Christine, passed after a long battle with illness and a messy breakup. Using writings and concepts from Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian philosopher and critic, as well as anecdotes from his interactions with others in his academic circle, Soep considers the ways our loved ones stick around after they die, and the way our words never truly belong to us.”
A friend recommended the podcast. It’s not fitness related, but it’s friendship and well being related. We’ve both been dealing with loss and thinking about fit, feminist Catherine Hundleby, who we’ve been missing.
Over the past week, I have been choosing to do longer guided meditations in my Insight Timer app.
So, that means that instead of just opening the app and starting the timer, I’ve been searching for new meditations to try.
On Sunday, a typo led to the happy accident of discovering that there are a whole bunch of dog-related meditations mixed in there with the chakra stuff and the nature sounds.
At first I thought it was kind of silly (in a good way!) but then there was something strangely appealing about the idea of doing a dog-related meditation.
After all, dogs are pretty damn good at being in the moment, aren’t they?
And haven’t I often posted a calm picture of Khalee as a good example for myself.
You know, like this one:
Image description: a photo of sleepy Khalee on the quilt on my bed. The photo only shows her head, shoulders, and front paws. Her head is resting slightly sideways one her front paws with one paw sticking out from under it.
So, I figure it’s worth a try.
I can’t seem to link to the meditations in my app but here are a couple from YouTube:
This is a guided meditation to do while petting your dog, to help you both calm down.
‘5 Minute Guided Meditation With Your Dog’ from Marissa Walch. Still image shows the instructor sitting on the floor with her dog in front of her, the dog’s back is to the camera.
And this is a walking meditation to do while, you guessed it, walking your dog:
‘Walking Your Dog Meditation’ from Marie Wilkinson still image shows a stock cartoon image of a brown dog with white paws walking on a leash.
I’m going to give these, and the ones from my app, a try and report back.
Have you tried dog meditation?
What did you think?
PS – Speaking of things that seem silly but are actually kind of cool, maybe your dog will like this calming music as much as Khalee does? I played it for her once when she was agitated because the smoke alarm was beeping (the battery needed changing, there was no peril!) and it really helped.
At the same I think it’s important that we recognize that it’s not all about choice. I was super annoyed last night to see a pair of photos circulating on social media again with the tag “What does 74 look like?” and “Both of these women are 74 years old. The choice is yours to make.”
Sam shared the Map from the Report with the blogger team, which, shows the percentage of youth taking a physical education class across Canada.
Eastern provinces range between 57 and 70% (youth taking physical education class in Canada). Manitoba to BC range between 71.1% to 78.4%. The territories are around 60%. Quebec shows the highest percentage at 95.2%. Ontario shows 58.9%.
The headline questions whether the results surprise me. I would say, without looking at the reasons and factors looked at, I am surprised Ontario is so low. Is funding an issue? Resources available in Northern Ontario?
The Report mentions factors such as: increased screen time, decreased opportunities for active transportation, limited access to green spaces in which to play, costs and financial commitments, and over-programming contributing to time constraints. It also talks about – climate change – the report states that the number of annual weather alerts in Canada having more than doubled in the past 10 years. The report claims it’s hard to ignore the that changing climate is an increasing barrier to getting children and youth active.
The Report talks about how efforts from different sectors may mitigate the affects of climate change on physical activity amongst children. It provides suggestions such as:
Government investments to increase access to active and public transportation to school
School boards’ creation of policies to safeguard active play when recess cannot be held outdoors can reduce sedentary and screen time.
Better filtration (aided by politicians) in community recreational centres.
Families having discussions about the affects of climate change on physical activity and creating the next generation of environment stewards.
Most importantly, comprehensive investments and health promotion initiatives that consider climate implications on physical activity among children and youth – with specific emphasis on disadvantaged and equity-denied communities – can help address inequities, making physical activity more accessible for all and a constant asset in a changing climate.
Besides the provincial breakdown and the discussion on climate change, the Report mentions the key findings such as:
Overall Physical Activity Grade 39% of children and youth (five to 17 years of age) in Canada met the recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per day.
Only 31% of girls, compared to 57% of boys, met the physical activity recommendation. Among youth (12 to 17 years of age), girls did not fare as well amidst the pandemic as well as boys did. In 2020, only 35% of girls and 40% of boys met the physical activity recommendation; however, only boys’ physical activity increased in 2021 (52% met the recommendation), whereas girls’ physical activity levels remained at 35%. Newcomer girls between the ages of five and 17 years were less likely to meet the physical activity recommendation (18%) compared to non-newcomer girls (28%).
No surprise to those of us at FIFI that girls fare worse in these statistics. Do the suggestions address this? They recommend:
Focusing on reducing inequalities and inequities, such as girls’ consistently lower levels of adherence to the physical activity recommendation compared to boys
Funding from various levels of government should continue to be committed for the monitoring of physical activity in children and youth by province/territory.
Physical activity should be promoted early in life and often, and the many ways to incorporate purposeful and incidental daily physical activity should also be identified, to better equip children and youth to face climate-related changes such as heatwaves and air pollution.
One component the Report doesn’t address is the conventional format of gym classes in school.
How does this relate to our FIFI world?
I am a fit feminist now, but as a child and teen, I hated gym class. I was not into fitness. This is not an unusual sentiment amongst over middle aged women. Many people have unhappy memories about school gym classes.
What would have made a different for me? I can’t say for sure but I have pondered whether it would have made a difference if gym classes were offered in varying forms. For example, I still don’t enjoy group sports as an adult. That hasn’t changed. But I found a love for running and strength classes as an adult. What if elementary school and high school had offered more of a “fitness club” style workout? Would more young girls find that interesting and inspiring? What if gym teachers encouraged those kids who are not naturally athletic to focus on what they are good at and teach them to build on that? My memory is that teachers picked out the natural athletes and assumed the rest would just sit on the sidelines, and, that’s exactly what I did, until I was allowed to drop it in Grade 10. Another thing is, gym class was in the middle of the day. There was no time to shower properly. I hated the idea of going back to class sweaty. What if gym class was at the end of the day and there was a way to freshen up before heading home? Then there was the dreaded gym uniform. Like any uniform that is meant for the masses, they never fit my short frame the way I’d like. Let young girls wear what they would wear working out in the park or in a fitness club. I would have loved that as a young person.
What do other FIFI bloggers think?
Christine says: I hated gym class. I was short and inept and I could never really grasp what was going on. I was always picked last or close to last and people groaned about me being on their team. It was upsetting, to say the least. Now that I know about my ADHD, I know that I wasn’t processing the instructions at the same speed and as my peers and that my proprioception issues were interfering with my ability to make my body do what my brain understood. I thought I was just hopelessly uncoordinated but if I had know that coordination could be leaned, could be practiced, I would have felt much better. And if we could have had a wider range of activities it would have helped, too. Also, looking back on it, I feel like a lot of our gym teachers were people who were naturally athletic, naturally drawn to sports, and they didn’t understand that some people are not that way. I understand why sporty are drawn to teach gym and I understand that when you are naturally drawn to something, it’s hard to imagine why someone else wouldn’t be interested. Still, though, but it would have helped me if there was a middle ground, some way to build my interest and skills, instead of people assuming I was lazy or unwilling to do what was being asked of me. I wasn’t being stupid or stubborn, I really didn’t know how to bridge the gap between my skills and the task at hand.
Diane says: I didn’t mind gym class, although I wasn’t very good at most things. I would have preferred it not to be gendered (even if it meant taking boys wrestling when I vastly preferred doing the folk dances the girls had to do). I dropped it after 10th grade simply because I had too many other classes to take and something had to give. I would have been very happy with a longer school day that allowed time for “optional” classes like phys ed, music and art. Although I did squeeze in some sports as an extra-curricular activity, I relied on school buses so getting home was a problem. Normalizing the “options” and making transit available would have helped a lot.
Elan says: I disliked gym in school, and by the time it was optional I was out. Exercise seemed quite goal-oriented; we were expected to run a circuit or did 20 pushups without much incremental progression. Because I appeared as a non-visibly sporty person I didn’t get a lot of personal attention from gym teachers. Like Christine, I think some effort on the part of my gym teachers to connect with me would have gone a long way. Also, I would have enjoyed yoga or rollerskating or bowling, but only the highest grades got to do those activities. Exercise might have been more fun if we could have listened to music or integrate more games.
Cate says: I actually liked gym in school except for the terrible 1970s polyester uniforms we had to wear, and then we didn’t get to shower for some reason that eludes me. So we smelled like baby powder and sweat all day. Also there was no such thing as a sports bra so we wore our regular bras. It’s weird that despite being bookish and not thinking of myself as sporty I didn’t hate gym in HS. I think we switched up what we did every two weeks and there was as much gymnastics, running and folk dance as the team sports I sucked at and I liked getting outside to run. On a short day we ran « to St. Louis and back » (probably about a mile in total » and on a long day to Jefferson (probably 2.5 km or so). I didn’t hate it and I don’t remember anyone being a bully. Health class was also in gym and the syphilitic penis images were much more traumatizing than the physical movement.
Sam says: I took gym from early elementary to grade 9 because I had to. I don’t remember taking it in high school. I’m pretty sure I didn’t. I’m pretty sure I stopped as soon as I could. “Hate” is a pretty strong word for a person who loved school. What’s up with that? First, I was smart and bookish at a time when it seemed you couldn’t be both smart and a jock. You had to choose. I chose books. That’s mistake #1, but it was a mistake I learned from the world around me. Luckily I get the sense that’s changing. Second, I identified as clumsy and uncoordinated. I’m not sure what that was about. I’m not uncoordinated as an adult. I ride my bike. I played soccer reasonably well. I loved martial arts. But as a kid, I told myself, and others told me I had two left feet. I’m not sure where I got that, but it’s also a mistake. Third, I thought I was a chubby kid. Looking back, I see I wasn’t. But it also affected my view of gym which pretty early on turned into exercise to lose weight, to look a certain way, and that ruined physical activity for me. As a kid, I didn’t have access to a good range of athletic bodies. I didn’t know that people who looked like me could be good at sports. was never told you don’t have to be good at them to enjoy sports. Gym class seemed too much about either team sports– volleyball, basketball, etc.–or impossibly tricky physical challenges like the flexed arm hang. Looking back my only fond gym memories involve being taught gym by nuns in Newfoundland. I learned to skate, we went toboganning, and they taught me to jump rope. I would have liked an intro to weight training, yoga, access to sports like rugby (not an option for girls when I was a kid), more swimming, and less ranking based on athletic ability and more joy in the movement for life.
Tracy says: Back in a time when we were quickly pigeon-holed into the sporty kids and the bookworms, I was firmly in the bookworm group. I never had great hand-eye coordination for things like baseball, and I couldn’t get the mechanics of moving forward while dribbling a basketball right, and volleyball — forget it. I was not someone you would pick for team sports. Since gym class was a lot of team sports, I despised it when that’s what we were doing (which seemed like most of the time). I also didn’t have much of a knack for gymnastics—I felt awkward and uncoordinated, lacking in grace and flexibility. And there was that era where we had to do things like calisthenics and national physical tests that included the impossible, like push-ups. Related (I think –we’re going back a long way), my grade-eight gym teacher made me lead the class through some calisthenics-ish arm exercises, and when I was standing at the front of the room with my arms in a T-shape the class began to laugh. It was the first time I discovered that my arms hyperextend at the elbows, so instead of my T running straight across, the bend broke (in the wrong direction) at the elbows. I’m not sure why it was so hilarious, but these moments of childhood public ridicule stick, and I have never forgotten that sense of wanting to crawl out of the room. That and struggling to do a lay-up in basketball with everyone watching are my two most vivid memories of gym class. There were a couple of things I was good at – swimming, which we rarely did in gym class, and broad jump (extremely niche). Outside of school I was an active kid. I rode my bike all around the neighbourhood. My best friend and I used to spend hours and hours roller skating on her cul de sac, which was light on traffic. I did competitive swimming for awhile and even when not doing that, I swam all the time. I engaged in these activities with effortless confidence. But my memories of gym class are of dread, fear of being ridiculed, and a sense of awkward frustration for my lack of natural athletic prowess. I would have skipped it completely if I could. I would much rather have just hidden out in the yearbook office (not surprisingly, I was the editor for two of my four years of high school). But if my memory is right, gym class was mandatory.
Martha says: We only had gym once every 12 days in high school. I wasn’t a fan as I had a horrible time with the bronze, silver and gold participation challenges in grade school. We never had enough time to actually learn game rules. And heaven help you if you weren’t naturally fit or athletic. When my child was in school, we encouraged them to choose a physical activity, a group activity and a cultural activity. I glad the focus in gym these days is more on cultivating movement as a habit. I think we would all be healthier if gum was once a day and there was a focus on trying out all kinds of activities.
Catherine says: Like Cate, I had to endure awful polyester gym outfits, which in our case were one-piece and bright green (my school colors were green and gold: ugh). Trying new physical activities was intrinsically interesting to me, even though I wasn’t good at all of them. But what I noticed was that none of my gym teachers paid much attention to the performance (much less potential) of those of us not on the sports teams. I enjoyed gymnastics and also shot put and was rather good at them right off the bat. But nobody got any mentorship or encouragement.
So, if gym class actually functioned as a real class– with lesson plans to teach us and encourage us to develop our own talents, maybe with projects we could work on with others– what a different experience that would have been! I took a modern dance workshop in college that worked exactly like that. Our teacher took us where we were in terms of dance skills and let us develop a piece in small groups, which was one of the most fun projects I did in college. So how about more of that for younger students taking gym?
How about you readers? Is there something you think would have made you enjoy/participate more in school gym class?
Nicole P. out walking/jogging and enjoying fitness as a grown up.
