Recently someone became upset with me when I called a 40 minute period when our high school students were allowed free time to be “recess”. In today’s high stakes testing, high accountability, and highly competitive environment we could use more recess.
Remember when recess was the highlight of your day? We would play games, catch up with friends, and get out our nervous energy to return to class with a renewed demeanor to learn. Who misses that in their daily routine? I know I do. A study at Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute has shown that productivity goes up with exercise, especially in the middle of the day. But where is the motivation? Not many people want to run on a treadmill. It's boring. Introducing games however, taps into our playful and competitive spirit. How great would it be to play a game with friends; or for some of us, to throw a dodgeball at a co-worker? The monotony of our day must be broken. Those problems we were agonizing over before lunch will often be easily solved after stepping away from them for a while and thinking about something else. Or taking some time to breathe and think about nothing at all. When you think about your day as a whole, taking a break is not wasted time. If getting out helps you to be more efficient during the times when you're working then you become more productive. Spending double the time working and getting half as much done equals less productivity. This of course would make people happier. The same Stockholm study showed that a happy worker is a productive worker. A happier worker is also there more often and spending less company money on doctor appointments and mental health days. It's not just about the bottom line. It's about living happier and more enjoyable working lives. Let’s bring recess beyond grade schools. We've struck a chord with elementary students. Let’s learn from them and play! Scott Bitterman Physical Education Teacher, Strength Coach, Owner of Emerge Athletics Sources: Expertanswer (Expertsvar in Swedish). "Exercise at work boosts productivity, Swedish researchers find." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 September 2011. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906121011.htm>. Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz, Henna Hasson. Employee Self-rated Productivity and Objective Organizational Production Levels. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2011; 53 (8): 838 DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e31822589c2
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It's back to school and everyone is stressed. If you're like me you have a whole new schedule with lots of new faces to remember and many new expectations. Here are some tips to start this year off successfully.
1. Set your routine Get into the habit now of going to bed early and rising early. Start making your lunches for the week in advance and set your favorite route to school. The more that you take care of beforehand, the less last-minute panic you will have to add to the beginning of the year. 2. Get a head start on your work The more you get done in the first week or two of school, the less you will have to do later. Generally there is not much going on at the beginning of school so this is a good time to get ahead. Later in the fall when there are football games and dances to attend you will be able to go without having to worry about schoolwork. It’s worth spending some time away from your friends for that first weekend so you can be free later for more fun stuff. 3. Realize that this is temporary It won't be like this all year. Schedules will settle, teachers and parents will settle, and your fellow students will settle. Most importantly, you will also get used to your new environment little by little. 4. Look at the big picture Think about your goals and before you do anything, ask yourself this question: “Will doing this help me achieve my goals?” Will eating this brownie help me perform better in my sport? no! Will completing my homework tonight help me achieve my long term goal of being a lawyer? yes! 4. Do some good It’s been proven that doing something nice for someone else can make you feel good. This is one of the best methods to use when you’re feeling down or stressed. I know this can be the last thing on your mind when you are running around feeling lost, but remember your classmates are feeling just as lost as you. Take a minute to guide a fellow student to class, explain their schedule, or just welcome them to school and make a new friend. It will make you feel better. 5. Don't take it personally Realize that everyone else around you is also stressed. Students, teachers, parents. They are probably not going to be their friendliest self this week but that doesn't mean it’s because of you, or that this will be how they act all year. We're all feeling the pressures of a new year. 6. Take care of yourself Keep those good habits that you cultured over the summer. Eat healthy, exercise, and schedule time to connect with friends and family. Stress management techniques are extra important this week, such as deep breathing and positive thinking. When time is short we tend to skip the things that help us feel our best, but right now it's most important to do these things. Choose to eat a piece of fruit instead of that donut. The fruit will be helpful for you to fight stress, the donut will just make things worse. I hope these tips help you start your year with great success! Scott Bitterman - Physical Education Teacher. Bronx, NYC It's back to school and everyone is stressed. If you're like me you have a whole new schedule with lots of new faces and new expectations. If there is one thing that can cause anxiety in most people, it’s change. Here are some tips to navigate this first week.
1. Set your routine Get into the habit now of going to bed early and rising early. Start making your lunches for the week in advance and set your favorite route to work. The more that you take care of beforehand, the less last-minute panic you will have to add to this week. 2. Realize that this is temporary It won't be like this for the rest of the year. Schedules will settle, people will settle, and most importantly the kids will settle. You will also get used to your new environment little by little. 3. Look at the big picture There are a lot of benefits to being a teacher. Most of us just returned from a two month vacation and there will be many more vacation days coming up soon. In education we deal with short bursts of intense work but it is followed by days off which is unlike almost any other career. Not to mention the health and retirement benefits. Keep your long-term goals in mind to help weather the storm. 4. Remember why you do this We chose this profession because we enjoy working with children and helping them succeed. I know this can get lost in times when we're running around feeling lost. Remember your students are feeling much more lost than you. Take a minute to guide a student to class, explain their schedule, or just welcome them to school. It will make you feel better. 5. Don't take it personally Realize that everyone else around you is also stressed. Colleagues, administrators, and students. They are probably not going to be their friendliest this week but that doesn't mean it’s because of you or that this will be their personality moving forward. Take your interactions this week with a grain of salt and be understanding that we're all feeling the pressures of a new year. 6. Take care of yourself Keep those good habits that you cultured over the summer. Eat healthy, exercise, and keep in touch with friends and family. Stress management techniques are extra important this week, such as yoga and meditation. When time is short we tend to skip the things that help us feel our best, but right now it's most important to do these things. Choose to eat a piece of fruit instead of that donut. The fruit will be helpful for you to fight stress, the donut will just make things worse. Schedule a massage or an acupuncture session. I know I am! I hope these tips help you get through week one unscathed. Let's have a great year! Scott Bitterman - Physical Education Teacher. Bronx, NYC I'm often asked by parents about the best way to approach the subject of weight with their children. In my experience it has been best to talk about the health benefits and detriments of weight with children (and adults for that matter). Ask them how they are feeling currently and how they would like to feel. It's all about finding peoples' motivations and then they can help themselves. Find out what their goals are and discuss how losing or gaining some weight might help them get there.
In terms of the how, it comes down to diet and activity. Again, it's important to find out what your child enjoys doing, and don't assume you know the answer. Hopefully they like a sport or activity and then just you can just run with it. Playing 30 minutes of basketball feels like fun and you don't even notice you are exercising and burning calories because you are into the game. Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes however, feels like torture. One useful trick is to use a diet journal. Have your child write down everything they eat for one week and record how they feel afterwards. This helps you and most importantly them see patterns in their eating habits and how certain foods make them feel. It's no secret that eating healthy foods will give you more energy and boosts mood and eating processed and junk foods make you tired and irritable. However, the journal is an important exercise so your child can see for him or herself. These are all things that one can do at home without a degree in exercise or nutrition. The internet is also a wealth of knowledge. However, once you start stop seeing results you might want to consider contacting a professional who can take you to the next level. Also, in some cases teens tend to listen to others before their parents. Don't worry this wears off in their twenties. Above all please keep the conversation positive. You catch more flies with honey! The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and EAS Sports Nutrition presented Beat the Streets wrestler, Yonefry Polanco, a student at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, with the 2015 All-American Athlete Award last month.
The award was presented to Yonefry for his determination to improve athletically while maintaining academic performance. Yonefry was nominated for the award by Dewitt Clinton High School’s Head Wrestling Coach Scott Bitterman. Yonefry, who will begin his junior year in high school this September, was awarded the Wrestler’s Mark: In Position to Score Award at the Beat the Streets TOP of the Podium Camp last week. The Wrestler’s Mark is a way of recognizing student-athletes for exhibiting positive characteristics during their days at camp. During the 2015 Jay Alvarez Memorial Tournament, Yonefry was presented with a ribbon strungsportsmanship whistle. He was also quoted in NY 1 Fit Kids February Series this past winter, when he said: “I was a big kid, and I was 230. It [wrestling] made me lose all of the weight. It made me think different about myself.” Read the NSCA's press release, here. Written By Anna Zarzecki http://btsny.org/news/840-yonefry-polanco-receives-2015-all-american-athlete-award 4/11/2015 1 Comment Bootcamp Class Starting Tomorrow!We will be holding bootcamp classes Sunday mornings at 9am in Henry Hudson Park. Open to all ages and fitness levels. Slacklining is an incredible balance challenge, works on proprioception, ankle stability, and is just lots of fun!
4/24/2013 0 Comments Ginger for Weight Loss Ginger, the long used herb by cultures all over the world can be used to help control weight. Having ginger after a meal aids your body in digesting and assimilating food. Ayurvedic medicine suggests that the warming effect speeds digestion. Try cutting 5 slices of fresh ginger root and steeping them in hot water for 5 minutes like you would a tea bag. You will also find that you feel less bloated after eating.
This principle can be applied with other warming spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. 1/28/2013 0 Comments Throw Harder and Prevent InjuryThe cable external rotation at the shoulder is used to strengthen the small rotator cuff muscles which are too often injured in athletes and sedentary people alike. With baseball spring training as well as other overhead throwing sports seasons just around the corner, this is a great time to start doing these to increase arm speed and prevent injury.
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January 2020
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