Mandatory Physical Education

[Sullo]

Joining the club of the people who LOVE Phys Ed. Usually, I have to bike or walk to school, depending on season, so that gives me at least 30 mins of exercise per day. That, and for some reason, the other people in my class seem to love it too. I mean, I used to do nothing in Phys Ed, and now I'm just plain bored of doing nothing for so long. So I apply myself to each class, and sometimes I surprise myself with what I can accomplish.

That, and the teachers are hilarious.

 

[JustJuust]

well you're a bit of a snob... by that I mean that you're a complete dick by the way you just dismiss people that enjoy PE as neanderthals who do steroids and impregnate girls (wtf kind of behavior is that?). Are people mean to you at school? Instead of just thinking that they hate you because you're soooo much better than them, maybe stop being an ass?

 

[unicron44]

The thing about P.E. at my high school is that the teachers really don't care. Expect for two that I can think of (there are at least 8 teachers because a lot of kids go to my high school) all of them seem like the typical gym teacher who was a former athlete in high school or college who couldn't do anything better and just collect a pay check. They never give a damn so neither do the kids.

Basically all the classes are "run around the track" fitness classes and it's just boring. They started offering classes like ultimate frisbee and soccer, so that is a step in the right direction.

I'd rather have gym like my dad had when he was in high school. He said it was called "Fitness for Life" or something along those lines where they taught you things that you do to make you healthy like jumping rope, going for walks, push ups, sit ups, etc. Make it so kids don't feel obligated and will want to do it on their own time.

 

[trollnystan]

I hated P.E., I'll just admit that right now. But it should still be mandatory in school. Kids have to sit still too much in school as it is, they need a chance to move about a bit. Teenagers need it too; girls especially tend to become sedentary in their teens.

 

[Latinidiot]

Why do most people in the states hate that so much? in Holland it's considered fun.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Edit: I work out at the gym. A Lot.

So in my starting year of Highschool in about a month, every student needs to have one credit of physical education in order to pass to the new grade. There are only two classes to choose from, endurance building (Muscle building I guess) and Sports practice. I obviously picked the endurance training because I do not want to be with all the neanderthals and I have a very slender figure. (Does not help that i'm a nerd too.)

So I question the Escapist members about mandatory Physical Ed.: What's the point?

There is no point in having physical education. It's our life. Our build. I think we have enough power to decide what we want to do with our bodies, correct?

Can you help me understand this "Theory" of P.E.? I'm some what ignorant of these thing called rules in school.

I think it's good to make kids exercise every once and a while, but as you said, I guess it should be our choice. The plus sides are that it's healthy and it's an easy A, just to know that.

My experience with PE of middle school was mostly talking with one or two other friends the whole time while watching others get fit. Last year as a freshman, it just kinda left me feeling incompetent because I could only lift the unweighted bar. It also had a bunch of hyper-masculine douchebags who turned on a bunch of hyper-masculine douchbag music on the radio, drowning out my Metallica, Dimmu Borgir, and Tool. Grrr....

 

[neonsword13-ops]

well you're a bit of a snob... by that I mean that you're a complete dick by the way you just dismiss people that enjoy PE as neanderthals who do steroids and impregnate girls (wtf kind of behavior is that?). Are people mean to you at school? Instead of just thinking that they hate you because you're soooo much better than them, maybe stop being an ass?

I'm saying what actually happens at my school. In Missouri, (One of them hick states) impregnation is like being a prince while having pregnancy tests as your throne. I was not aware I was being an ass, I thought I was speaking the truth of my experinces. I am not calling all people that like P.E. neanderthals. It's just a very common stereotype down here. I rarely ever meet some one that is NOT a jock in this hell hole.

So Sorry, I guess?

 

[JustJuust]

well you're a bit of a snob... by that I mean that you're a complete dick by the way you just dismiss people that enjoy PE as neanderthals who do steroids and impregnate girls (wtf kind of behavior is that?). Are people mean to you at school? Instead of just thinking that they hate you because you're soooo much better than them, maybe stop being an ass?

I'm saying what actually happens at my school. In Missouri, (One of them hick states) impregnation is like being a prince while having pregnancy tests as your throne. I was not aware I was being an ass, I thought I was speaking the truth of my experinces. I am not calling all people that like P.E. neanderthals. It's just a very common stereotype down here. I rarely ever meet some one that is NOT a jock in this hell hole.

So Sorry, I guess?

eh *cough* *cough* umm well I'm the idiot now... over-exposure to the internet made me make bad decisions and not think about what I say more carefully... I just assumed that people that like PE were warm fuzzy kind people like at my school... /awkward apology

 

[neonsword13-ops]

well you're a bit of a snob... by that I mean that you're a complete dick by the way you just dismiss people that enjoy PE as neanderthals who do steroids and impregnate girls (wtf kind of behavior is that?). Are people mean to you at school? Instead of just thinking that they hate you because you're soooo much better than them, maybe stop being an ass?

I'm saying what actually happens at my school. In Missouri, (One of them hick states) impregnation is like being a prince while having pregnancy tests as your throne. I was not aware I was being an ass, I thought I was speaking the truth of my experinces. I am not calling all people that like P.E. neanderthals. It's just a very common stereotype down here. I rarely ever meet some one that is NOT a jock in this hell hole.

So Sorry, I guess?

eh *cough* *cough* umm well I'm the idiot now... over-exposure to the internet made me make bad decisions and not think about what I say more carefully... I just assumed that people that like PE were warm fuzzy kind people like at my school... /awkward apology

It's cool man. We all make mistakes some time or another.

 

[RadiusXd]

So in my starting year of Highschool in about a month, every student needs to have one credit of physical education in order to pass to the new grade. There are only two classes to choose from, endurance building (Muscle building I guess) and Sports practice. I obviously picked the endurance training because I do not want to be with all the neanderthals and I have a very slender figure. (Does not help that i'm a nerd too.)

So I question the Escapist members about mandatory Physical Ed.: What's the point?

There is no point in having physical education. It's our life. Our build. I think we have enough power to decide what we want to do with our bodies, correct?

Can you help me understand this "Theory" of P.E.? I'm some what ignorant of these thing called rules in school.

Edit: I work out at my local gym. A lot.

PE isn't that bad or atleast in Australia it isn't that bad. The theory of PE is called PDH in Australia and it is taught as a seperate subject to PE. You learn about healthy diets and drugs and sex and all that stuff your parents don't want to tell you about. In PE we play sports and do all that physical stuff. I don't really know your feelins towards PE it's hard to tell but PE isn't that bad and it doesn't take up much time on the timetable. you do need PE. America is the fatest country in the world and PE will teach you how not to end up as a figure. Don't know what this credit thing is but in Australia you need PE to pass the year 10 certificate and then you can drop it and focus on what you want to study. Next year i will drop PE and it will just be a boring memory and i suspect you will do the same when the time comes.

If i haven't made it clear enough i agree with mandatory PE even though i didn't really like it.

i remember hearing that australia has the highest percentage of overweight people actually (coming from an australian).

 

[pigmypython]

I could go on about how so many health problems and poor grade scores happen because of shitty body maintenance (obesity) but instead I will just say that for may kids it is the only exposure to this vital part of living (yes I consider self maintenance vital) that they get. I think it is a shame that many kids have only that little bit of exercise a day....

 

[jamesworkshop]

I think it's vital, fat children remain fat adults, it your early years that are important in your life long health.

I think it's important for the academic side of school not to have frustrated and bored students, it's a minimal amount of time but really blows off steam.

Sports required team building and matching skill with movement which is far more valuble than simply not having a fattened belly, which to me was really a natural result of sport rather than the goal.

I've never liked certain peoples academic haughtiness over physical activity, even though half of the great minds they though so highly of, were often skilled fencers or wrestlers not sports for those easily out of breath or distainfull of the shape/condition of their bodies.

 

[pigmypython]

It's mandatory so people don't become fat and obese and die at the age of 30 with a heart attack. (Not that it's helping the US much >.>)

what the hell man even if your joking and using it as a stereotype you still come off as a pompous asshole when you say it isnt helping in the US. I hardly even understand the stereotype to be honest in any country other than third world countries i could spot just as many obese unhealthy people as i can here. its like how england is stereotyped for bad teeth when in truth they have the same basic dental as any other country.

But they have harder (mineral wise) water in many parts of England which has led to some unfortunate teeth problems...

 

[LeonLethality]

The high school I went to was pretty awesome when it came to physical education, yeah it was mandatory but you got to choose what to do in the class from a list of different activities (you had to choose three things if I recall) which is way better than other places my friends went to where they were forced to do sports they did not like. I think physical education should be mandatory, but what you do in it should be optional (within limits.)

 

[Aprilgold]

I think its just bad how it is presented. In elementary school, your only doing literal stretches, not anything to actually help GROW your muscles endurance to things or to burn off calories besides the occasional jog, but you can walk anyways, SO WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT! And no, you don't get a prize for winning the jog-athon. The only actual exercise is sports, but since a kid so much as touching another student is grounds for expulsion, don't ask how they get away with sports to begin with.
My issue is that this is 0% weight losing regiment, if obesity is the main issue with today's youth besides having no culture, self respect or groundings to grow into a civilized culture.
In MIDDLE school however, your using weights ranging in heavy order, having to use them in rapid succession in order to actually make the grade. This happened in my middle school, I had gym, FIRST class, of every day, all year, and I had to lift a 50 pound weight, every day, 10 times, in 10 different machines, within an hours time span, first, I would be more or less tired from sleeping all night, then I would have to fight that and extremely short-shorts that I SWEAR if they popped they would take my underwear with it and everyone in the class gets to see my nad and daddie-os for that day. Finally, I'd also have to fight cramps and other things that could cause that bar to slam around my neck like a very heavy necklace.
Do you see the issue here? There is 0 workout to even get sweaty when your in the Elementary School, but in the Middle school, your having to instantly lift heavy object ranging unmanageable levels. I think that I had to go home for the day in Middle School over having a sprain in my left arm from the weights, along with the inevitable scrathes, sometimes cuts and a very hurt thumb on my right hand.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

I think its just bad how it is presented. In elementary school, your only doing literal stretches, not anything to actually help GROW your muscles endurance to things or to burn off calories besides the occasional jog, but you can walk anyways, SO WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT! And no, you don't get a prize for winning the jog-athon. The only actual exercise is sports, but since a kid so much as touching another student is grounds for expulsion, don't ask how they get away with sports to begin with.
My issue is that this is 0% weight losing regiment, if obesity is the main issue with today's youth besides having no culture, self respect or groundings to grow into a civilized culture.
In MIDDLE school however, your using weights ranging in heavy order, having to use them in rapid succession in order to actually make the grade. This happened in my middle school, I had gym, FIRST class, of every day, all year, and I had to lift a 50 pound weight, every day, 10 times, in 10 different machines, within an hours time span, first, I would be more or less tired from sleeping all night, then I would have to fight that and extremely short-shorts that I SWEAR if they popped they would take my underwear with it and everyone in the class gets to see my nad and daddie-os for that day. Finally, I'd also have to fight cramps and other things that could cause that bar to slam around my neck like a very heavy necklace.
Do you see the issue here? There is 0 workout to even get sweaty when your in the Elementary School, but in the Middle school, your having to instantly lift heavy object ranging unmanageable levels. I think that I had to go home for the day in Middle School over having a sprain in my left arm from the weights, along with the inevitable scrathes, sometimes cuts and a very hurt thumb on my right hand.

hmmm... You are right sir. Be my coach please.

 

[Polarity27]

PE is there to give people nightmare stories. And thats for regular people. Even worse for LGBT people.
Its just one of many flaws of the education system.

This.

Also falling into the "even worse" category: Disabled people. Can I tell you how much fun mandatory PE was in the '70s and early '80s with cerebral palsy? No, you ass, I'm not "failing to try", but thanks ever so much for the D in freaking mandatory gymnastics knocking me off the honor roll. Can't imagine why someone with a neurological condition causing bad limb coordination and atrocious balance might have issues in gymnastics, of all things.

Err... right, rant over. In more general terms, I think a lot of people, me included, have mandatory PE to thank for putting us off exercise for years. (And for some reason, I think people who work at gyms must be former or failed public school PE teachers, because the ones I encountered have the same atrocious attitudes and complete ignorance about disability.) People who aren't naturally athletic, for whatever reason, are the ones who should be encouraged to find fun ways to exercise, not shamed for failing to keep up.

 

[Biosophilogical]

You picked what sounds like weight training to avoid the "Neanderthals?" Thats the class where the football coach is the teacher and half the class is going to be his player maintaining their build. Way to go buddy. I guess you deserve it though for being so dismissive and smug towards others.

Yeah, i'm a nice guy. ^-^

But wouldn't endurance training be cardio stuff? Like running, swimming, cycling, etc? Because muscle building isn't endurance, it is resistance.

OT: I think that maybe in the first year of high school, it should be mandatory, because most people wouldn't have picked their own classes before, so it is a way to make sur everyone gets to sample a bit of everything before they go deciding their future.

You are right, Cardio and that are used in endurance, but any serious endurance athlete also still includes some resistance training in their program. Plus you can use rapid resistance training ( light weights, lots of reps done relatively quickly with little to no break in between ) as a cardio event.

I'm also pretty sure that doing power exercises (like sprints or mid-heavy weights) for about thirty seconds then having a minute or two break (rinse and repeat) can improve your cardio/endurance, simply because your body is forced to utilise oxygen for the subsequent sets (you can't replace all the ATP, you need oxygen to remove the lactic acid build-up, and eventually you end up getting most of the energy from aerobic respiration). So if someone is resistance training, they may as well push that little bit extra and improve their cardio at the same time.

 

[pigmypython]

30 minutes of vigorous excerise per day ( 60%-80% max heart rate- 220 minus your age ) can reduce your risk of cancer and heart attack

Surely that differs with levels of fitness. If so would it differ wildly between a healthy person and an unfit one?

It won't take as much exercise for an unfit person to reach that figure (220 minus age) and certainly will be harder to maintain but what he is saying is just that this level of exercise is all that is needed to keep your body a minimum of health. (the body is actually "designed" to be able to do 3 hours of hard labor a day with no problem)

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

what the hell?

first off, easiest A of your life, and secondly going in as the "party pooper" with such a negative attitude won't help at all, its a chance to get away from class and such to just have some physical fun, and you don't even have to try that hard at all to get an A.


Unless you were near mega bullied (which shouldn't be any different because it's P.E., if your getting bullied your getting bullied, not because of some stupid class) i don't see how p.e. is such a "horrible" class to take.