Archive for June, 2014

Exercise with Allison Cameron in her classroom in Park City, Saskatchewan, Canada…….

Exercise miracles outdoors/indoors

“Everybody” knows that exercise is good for you. And it takes effort so we don’t always make the effort.

My doctor friend tells me that vigorous physical movement is the best “pill” you can take! The “trick” is to find a way to make it somewhat enjoyable:

– get outdoors if that does it for you

– stay indoors if the weather doesn’t suit… or walk in the rain 😮

– exercise to music

– make it a timeclock challenge is some way that pleases you

– make it an endurance challenge in some way that pleases you

– make it anyway that works

Set low goals?

My doctor friend says don’t set high goals and quit. Set low goals, so you will keep it up. Keep going and get to where you need/want to be:

– start low

– go slow

– and don’t stop!

He says that exercise helps almost “everything.” Almost any physical problem or illness or disease can be helped by using movement because it stimulates and vivifies so many body systems and subsystems.

The brain also works better

with vigorous physical movement

Allison Cameron was teaching in Park City, Saskatchewan, Canada. The students could not focus or concentrate on schoolwork and their low marks showed that.

A fitness expert friend of hers said he would put treadmills in her classroom.

This didn’t work for some of the students until Allison herself got on the treadmill for 20 minutes before starting class. Then even the most reluctant pupils got on board.

The result?

After 20 minutes on the treadmill, with the heart rate up in the “training zone,” the students were able to concentrate and focus for 2-3 hours.

Critics said Allison was wasting class time

Of course critics abound whenever anything different is tried.

Allison persisted because she felt that “wasting” 20 minutes was better than wasting the entire class period.

Besides, the pupils got more work done in the next 2-3 hours after they exercised vigorously for 20 minutes than they did before during the whole school day.

Allison delighted as pupils’ marks shot up

The critics slowed down when the pupils’ marks in reading and math shot up.

Previously all of the students had been failing miserably.

Good job Allison! Good job trusty students!

Doc Meek, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Wed, June 18, 2014

P.S. Of course, not everybody can get treadmills in their classroom or their home.

No problem.

Any vigorous movement, outdoors or in, equipment or no equipment, will help the brain to focus and concentrate for hours.

Maximum benefit to the brain occurs when the vigorous exercise lasts 20 minutes and the heart rate reaches up into the “training zone.”

For simplicity’s sake, let’s say that the heart rate “training zone” is a heart rate that is at least 50%-60% higher than the resting heart rate.

Any fitness expert can refine this statement with a chart by age.

Doc Meek, the “brain fitness” expert. 😮

See previous articles on the

high value of exercise for

improving learning and marks:

“How Exercise Impacts Learning (Part I).” – Jane Wolff

“How Exercise Impacts Learning (Part II).” – Jane Wolff

Brains love movement and “take-a-break” music (plus sitting exercises & maybe even a “power” nap?)