Chapter 2

Exercise

 

It is well known that exercise is good for us, it helps strengthen our bones, builds muscle tone and takes oxygen around the body. Added to this it helps generate our feel-good chemicals. 

 

Most children love to run and jump around they and relish PE lessons. However, there are a significant few who for varying reasons dread them.

 

So it is important that we explain to all children how and why exercise is so essential to their wellbeing.

 

More important though is that we understand those who not like it and try to encourage them to find a form of exercise that suits their body. 

 

 

 

Note for teachers 

 

 

Exercise is better for you if you don’t like it!

 

 

I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that some people were more ‘cut out’ for exercise than others.  At school there were those who loved PE lessons and those who dreaded them. During hockey practice my friend and I played in back positions on opposite sides so we could stand and chat – jumping over the ball if it came our way – why would anyone WANT to run the risk of being hit with a wooden stick!! 

 

How many of you like me have been to aerobic classes and found yourself out of sync with everybody else, at least one or two moves behind? 

 

It seems it’s all to do with our genes. Science is finding more and more evidence that we can be genetically predisposed to certain diseases. 

 

It’s also well known that if there is a family history of bowel cancer, eating a healthy fibre full diet can help to prevent it developing.

 

There are countless other examples of this and most of us accept it as a fact that our genes play a big part in out overall health.

 

If we accept this then it is not so difficult to believe that genetics applies to exercise as well.

 

It seems that some people are born with a genetic predisposition to be fit or strong, and they gain some of the benefits - lower risk of mortality and heart disease – whether they exercise or not – lucky devils. 

 

It means that rest of us need to gird our loins and do some sort of exercise, because we are the ones who get most benefit from it. 

 

None of us knows for sure what our genetic heritage is, and we can’t easily control our outside environment. We can work on our internal environment. This means a healthy diet and exercise that feels right for you. If we can do this, our bodies can work to their optimum potential.