What Activities Are Good For Fitness?
Swimming is an activity that has been and is considered to be a splendid exercise to improve the physical condition. Under close observation, we find its effects on physical fitness are as disappointing as golf. The general use of swimming has no appreciable effect upon the mechanics of the body, either good or bad. The competitive swimmer can and does put considerable physiological demands upon his body in his training, but that is not the way most people swim. For most of us who swim at the beach, the lake or in our own pools, the best effect of swimming is to prevent us from drowning in deep water!
All the effort a competing swimmer spends in training is directed to improve his ability to swim with no regard to its effect either on his body mechanics or his capacity for effort except in the special way it is needed for his type of swimming. Like all other activity, it is better than none, but as a specific conditioner its value is quite limited and greatly over rated.
Gardening
Gardening and work about the house, the vacation place, or farm can all be considered together. Many people express their faith in these or similar activities to provide them with the physical condition they need. It is quite evident that whatever the activity involved, the body is required to adapt itself to the requirements of the work or activity, whatever it may be.
The effort is not arranged according to what is best for the body! There is no relationship whatever in the use of the body to do gardening, or other mentioned activities and good body mechanics. In like manner the physiological demands on body function are neither vigorous or regular enough to accomplish anything worthwhile in physical fitness. Men have said to the writer: “I don’t need any physical conditioning because I have a place in the country, etc!” The place in the country is fine, but usually the effort he spends on it is of little value to him, and maybe he does none of the work, but has it done for him! In like manner, we could evaluate other forms of activity from
Archery to Water Skiing and find they rate no better in the fitness program. It must be remembered that recreational pursuits are selected entirely on the basis of enjoyment, which is as it should be. Such activities are a reason to be fit, but not a means of becoming fit.
For years it has been assumed that the participation in the general athletic program of the schools, principally in sports and games, is adequate to bring about a high degree of fitness, growth and development for our children, particularly up to the college level.
It is now generally recognized that such activities have been of little value to the general student body. Those few who have athletic ability and interest are benefited in many ways, but the student in need of improvement the most, the “sub strength” boy or girl is greatly neglected. The naturally athletic body type is attracted to the sports program and because of his adaptability and superior natural skills is chosen for competition and receives most of the special training. It is from this minority group that we get our athletes.
Since it is natural for us to avoid the things we do not do well and to participate in those in which we excel, the student who performs poorly in physical things is not inclined to seek them out, but to avoid them. He is in need of more encouragement and attention and needs to be introduced to activities in which he can find interest and satisfaction in personal progress to develop and strengthen his physical body so that he may attain the level of fitness he will need for the years before him.
Our educators are deeply concerned with this situation, and are making great efforts to determine what is needed and to organize a program to meet all the needs of our students and our people. A return to more “formal” programs of training is being encouraged. Calisthenics, gymnastics, and special activities of various kinds are being given more attention. These efforts are in direct recognition of the fact that the body needs specific effort, controlled and progressive, to bring about a satisfactory degree of physical fitness for our people.
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