I read an article today which really made me smile.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-i-would-change-gym-class/
Written by health and fitness guru Mark Sisson, this piece reminded me of how privileged I was to have the quality of physical education (PE) at Bergvliet Primary School back in the 1980s.
I can relate to Mark's opening paragraph where he states that "in the early 1960s, PE was all about preparing for and passing the Presidential Fitness Test." In South Africa, PE (or "phys-ed") was all about preparing boys for National Service - completing a 2.4km run, prerequisite amounts of pushups/situps/burpees etc. "Old school" exercises that have been re-incarnated as "core" training and the like.
Jonas Colting's "Primal Gym" in Sweden: pretty similar to the gym hall at Bergvliet Primary School circa 1980s (photo courtesy of Jonas Colting).
But our school was lucky - we had two teachers who were passionate about all things sport, including how a PE class should be run.
The late Dermott Pollard and triathlete John Young were ahead of their time, so to speak, in that they believed that physical education should challenging AND fun. I remember once overhearing them in deep conversation about how they could get the most out of 30 minute swimming class for the under-12 age group.
"PE should not just be about running around the field and doing jumping jacks" said Dermott once.
Ever the innovator, Dermott Pollard would stage an annual "Shipwreck" PE lesson in the school hall for each class. This was an obstacle course that he would personally lay out using each and every piece of equipment found in the school gym. No dumbbells or barbells though - the apparatus was more "gymnastic orientated" with pommel horses, vaults and springboards being standard fare.
Each member of the class would complete a round of the course individually, before repeating the circuit again and again - carrying a bean bag, then a bean bag and tennis ball, then a bean bag, tennis ball and cricket ball and so on until an item was dropped.
That signalled the disappointing end of your "Ship Wreck" for the year.
Other memorable classes included:
- "Sogby" - a hybrid of soccer and rugby played with a football
- "Snakey" - swimming a length of the 25m pool, crossing to the next lane, swim another length.
Repeat until reaching the opposite side of the pool (eight lanes across).
- "Tennis court soccer" - yes, soccer on a tennis court. but played with a tennis ball.
- Rope climbing in the hall, followed by a gymnastics circuit.
Crossfit in the 1980s, that's for sure!
An interesting note to ponder is that the Pollard or Young would often participate in the class, getting a great workout themselves.
Not much of an obesity problem here: The legendary Dermott Pollard and his Standard Five class of 1989.
Especially Young, who at that stage was a serious triathlete and would always take the soccer team on a 5km road run before each practice, rain or shine. The actual soccer practice was always weather-dependent though!
