Growing up in school, I remember as far back as grade school being in gym class and always being the last one chosen to be on a team. I always hated that teachers did that. Why do they always chose two team leaders and let them chose who they want to be on their team. Always being the last one chosen for a team has really carried with me all the way through high school.
I never was athletic, and really never had an interest in sports. I never really cared about being “althletic” either, I just always wanted to be healthy. I remember playing on the playground, and all of the kids would be playing kick ball or baseball and I would be swinging on swings by myself or wandering around looking for someone to play with. All throughout Junior High and High School, I always dreaded gym class. I never could get the volleyball over the net when I served. I always got knocked over by some aggressive person next to me in volleyball who was trying to h it the ball back over the net. I always struck out in baseball. Because of this, I always had a low self esteem and felt like a loser.
In college, I had to choose 2 sports classes in order to meet the requirement for a Bachelors Degree. So I took bowling and fitness class. In fitness class, we learned how to exercise, lift weights and do aerobics. From then on, I started attending aerobics classes. I discovered a whole new me.
In 2000 after having my first baby, it was a challenge to try to get to the gym with the baby. I did some research on line and discovered Cathe. Pretty soon, I owned all of her videos. It was amazing that I could get a club quality workouts at home. Through Cathe, I was able to discover myself and exercising with Cathe made me feel better about myself and realize my true inner self. Her workouts were always upbeat and the music just kept me going. I realized that you don’t have to join a team sport to become “athletic”.
I never was over weight, but after having 2 children, it has been a challenge not to gain weight. I just think that it’s a shame. Why does gym class in school have to be about team sports? Yes, I understand that they want to give kids a good appreciation of team sports, but I think they should teach kids just how to exercise and have fun. Maybe they should divide up the gym class and offer team sports and fitness and kids can choose which type of gym class they want to attend. Maybe childhood obesity wouldn’t be such a problem.
Anyway, that’s my success story. I think that I have gained more in self esteem, then most people have lost weight in doing Cathe workouts. I have remained healthy and fit through Cathe and at the same time, achieved a higher level of self esteem and a more positive outlook on life.
It’s funny how people refer to me as “athletic” now. It’s funny to look back on life and I look at people who were in my gym class and who were so called “athletic” at the time and thought that being good in a team sport was the most important thing at the time. Now I look at them, and they have become such couch potatoes and so overweight that it is funny. Now who’s “athletic”
Rita,
I hear you … totally! That was me in high school. I too think they should offer options… maybe fitness/ weight lifting / dance-fitness/ and then sports for those who like it. Part of the problem is that it would take more planning and work for the teachers. Throwing everyone on a team and then just coaching the game is easier than personally training someone how to lift weights correctly.
Ah well… Late-bloomer we may be, but I’m thankful that you (and I) have found our fitness “fit” at last. Yay Cathe, and (for me) yay Lindy & Charleston too… try dancing that for a few hours and see if you don’t burn a few hundred calories and never even realize it cuz you’re having so much fun 🙂
The best comment I ever heard on exercise is from Dr. Doug Graham, fitness and nutrition expert who’s trained world-class athletes. When asked “What’s the best kind of exercise?” he replied “The one you’ll do!”
Keep up the good work, Rita and enjoy the irony of being called “athletic” now!
Rita, your comments are so “on target”! The goal of gym class should have been to prepare you for a healthy, fit lifetime not a competition. Are you educators listening?
I never really enjoyed “exercise” until Cathe!!
Rita,
I bet a lot of people will empathize with your story — I know I do! I was always the last one chosen for teams in P.E, with the team captains saying things like “Do I have to get HER?” It’s very debilitating for people whose self-esteem is already precarious.
Luckily, some things have changed in P.E. classes. I got my teaching degree later in life, and now the emphasis is on keeping the students moving for a greater amount of time, rather than traditional team sports all the time. In my education classes, we were taught not to let team students choose their teams, but to assign students to teams and be accepting of all abilities. There are still team sports, and kids are still cruel at times, but I like to think it’s improving. Some schools even offer step aerobics for students!
Like you, I am amazed when people refer to me as athletic! I am still self-conscious, and maybe I always will be, but I think we can bring a lot to the table by sharing our experiences, good and bad, and letting young girls know there is more than one way to be athletic!
Linda
Rita,
I so have had the same experience with regards to PE in school. I hated PE precisely for this very reason. The other thing I hated about PE was the assumption that teachers made (back in my day) that everyone already new the mechanics for how to dribble, throw a ball, swing a bat, etc. That just isn’t true. So, I was thrown into playing team sports in PE but didn’t have a clue what I was supposed to be doing. As far as I was concerned there was no teaching going on in my PE classes. PE should be about physical education which in my mind equates to physical fitness and actually learning the mechanics of how to play a sport.
As a college student as an an adult, I have made physical fitness a top priority. And working out with Cathe the past two years has helped me a reach a whole new level of fitness. The greatest complement I’ve received in the last year is from a Marine who asked me if I was once an active duty Marine because I’m so fit. No, but it sure felt good to be asked that question.
Michelle