Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Sedintary Files: Part 5


After 4 days of pointing fingers and talking about everything that's wrong, its time to turn the corner and offer some solutions to the problems that exist.

There are always going to be left and right wing solutions to every issue that arises. Which is best will depend on your viewpoint and passion for the issue at hand. The most radical solution can easily be summed up in start kicking some butts and taking some names. The problem lies in radical changes often do not stick and are not successful. The solution to this problem is going to take time, but that time needs to start before its too late.

As a parent step up and take control. YOU ARE THE PARENT! Cut down on technology time (video games, Internet, cell phone usage) and get them involved in something. Clean out your cupboards. If it is in a box, in a can, or has ingredients you can't pronounce get rid of it. Take the time to engage and involve your kids in an old tradition of meal preparation and family dinners. Use whole foods rather than easy prep foods and increase the level of organization that exists within the family. You cannot force your kids to be active, but you can join activities together modelling good behaviour and allowing you to spend time together. Those that play, together stay together. Finally the home front needs to care about what happens outside of the home during the bulk of their children's day. Show a little more interest in the education of the physical and back teachers up in the decisions they make.

As an education system we need to reevaluate what it is that is important and instill curriculum that reflects that. We need to return to a time where students were held accountable for their actions and held to a standard of what is deemed acceptable. A grade based solely on participation has proven to not be enough of a motivator to make students want to be active. If you do not meet the grade you do not get to meet the next grade. Simple as that.

Pressure needs to be placed on MLA's, school boards and Teachers associations to make the necessary changes to supply enough funding and resources to offer a successful and respectable curriculum. Money wasted on patch work solutions rather than tackling the whole problem is a waste of time. The powers that be need to look around, and talk to the little people doing work. Use that input to guide a new direction for physical education. Lets recreate the status quo.

Not sure if I achieved my goal of offering the best solutions or merely passed the buck, but the problem is so vast that it is going to take an effort on everyone's behalf to put it back together. We just need to get the ball rolling as all the pieces are in place to start making a difference.

WOD
Bench Press 1-1-1
Rest 2 minutes
40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Push Ups

7 comments:

Anonymous,  January 15, 2010 at 7:27 AM  

You eat an elephant one bite at a time. Thanks to Cory for helping lots of staff and students at LCI get off the couch. As we all continue to progress and share the good word, the health of our friends and family will improve and maybe this health and fitness thing will stand a chance.
LS

Cory Gillespie January 15, 2010 at 8:22 AM  

Thank you for the compliment Leane but what you forget to point out is all I am is nothing more than a provider. I provide a program with a smile and place to do it in. The motivation to be off the couch comes from all of you. You have made the decision to make a change in your life and executed that plan. The credit lies on the shoulders of those who are ACTIVE participants in their own health and life choices. In my heart I do hope the spill over of students seeing role models being active continues and more and more of the student populace become involved with activity and exercise.

Checkerboker January 15, 2010 at 10:14 AM  

Take a compliment Gillespie!

Jokes aside I echo Leanne's sentiment. Because of your 'provision' I'm in the best shape I've been in a decade. I'm actually lifting more weight now than at the peak of my rugby days. Yah I drag my but down there but YOU’VE enabled me to enjoy going to the gym again, changed my perceptions of working out and helped me regain an athletic attitude (as opposed to a sedentary one), something I lost during my 20's. And that's what you have done for ME. What you have done for US is even better. YOU enabled US to come together and form what I consider the most positive School Community we have at LCI. Everyone, of every shape, sex, size is allowed to come be a part of a life-altering (and it is if you think about longevity) experience. It is a positive atmosphere (even though I can be a bit of a brat) of encouragement that connects teachers and students in an awesome way that allows us to build the relationships needed to make positive changes.

No Cory you are no simple ‘provider’. You are our inspiration, our motivator, our role model and our coach. Trust me if anybody else in the building told me I “could work harder”, that I “wasn’t pushing it enough” or that I should “do 75lbs instead of 45lbs cause that’d be BETTER for me” I’d probably punch them in the lip (kidding I don’t promote violence). Your demener is an essential part of Conquest and trust me if someone else was the provider (i.e. me on Wednesdays) it wouldn’t be the same (trust me it isn’t). We may come together, and we may put the effort forth but you’ve been the necessary support to keep us truckin’!
Word,
DC

Cory Gillespie January 15, 2010 at 10:23 AM  

Thanks Doug. I shed a tear at your words and your kindness makes my heart smile. Thank you.
Word!

Checkerboker January 15, 2010 at 2:00 PM  

WOD
Bench Press 1-1-1
(225 - 235 PB -245attempt)
Rest 2 minutes
40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Push Ups
(3:48)

Great week for PBs!

Anonymous,  January 16, 2010 at 3:37 PM  

Wow. Great comments all around. I have to say that I am lucky to have been an intern at LCI because of the school community. The conquest program showed me that I can go into a gym and do "the best that I can" not worrying about what the other people in the gym think about me, let alone cheering me on and pushing me harder. I have never pushed myself to go to the gym and stay in shape more than i have since Cory has opened my eyes to this program. I felt that with my injury plagued past that my days in the gym were done. I feel very priveledged to still be able to come and work out with you guys at LCI (I will be coming more frequently than last week. Got pretty busy for some reason) I still feel like i am a part of something with everyone that does Conquest after school.

Thanks Cory and Thanks everyone at LCI for everything

Kyle

Anonymous,  January 16, 2010 at 3:39 PM  

WOD
135lbs-145lbs-155lb attempt

40-30-20-10
Double Unders (modified/ double singles)
Push ups

5:08

KG