Activity 1.1

Start moving

Get up and start moving, as the brain will then start releasing feel-good chemicals. If possible, you can also go for a quick walk or climb stairs.

Cautionary measures

A few common sense precautions can help you stay safe when you exercise. Choosing an appropriate environment for your preferred activity contributes to a high safety level. Choosing the environment can be guided by the following hints:

• Physical separation from traffic. Seek out streets that have sidewalks or bicycle lanes. If you jog or walk in the street, always do it on the side of the road that allows you to face the traffic coming towards you. Remember to do this in single file, not next to each other. Also follow the traffic rules. • Clothing. Wear bright clothing and luminous bands or reflectors at night to ensure that cars can see you. • Be sensible. Exercise in places that are well-lit, where other people are present or in places that are well-maintained. • Surface. Make sure that it is a shock-absorbing surface. Do not skip rope or run on a hard surface, as you can injure your knees. Be careful when you exercise on grass, or uneven ground with holes. • Weather. Wear clothing, sunscreen or a hat to protect you from the weather elements. In cold weather, muscles are more susceptible to injuries. It is, therefore, important to wear appropriate warm clothing. • Stop if it hurts. Stop immediately and seek medical advice if you feel discomfort, pain, become extremely breathless or develop an irregular heartbeat.

Paying attention to the above guidelines can help you to enjoy your exercise, maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid the risk of injuries.

Remember

Before you exercise, warm up your muscles like you would warm up your car. You can do the following activities for five to 10 minutes to warm up your muscles: Running on the spot; doing jumping jacks; doing windmills or fast walking.

Get hold of pictures that illustrate these activities and have a discussion on those that you prefer doing and why you think this is necessary.

Activity 1.1

During this first PE lesson, you should use the time to develop a personal Physical Education plan for the first month. Discuss your plan with your facilitator to ensure that he/she supports the plan and that it can contribute to your personal health and fitness for the year.

Let’s do an exercise to develop a personal physical activities plan for the first week. Here is an example of how you can go about it:

Date Place

Activities Time allocated and/or distance

Monday 18 January Neighbourhood Walking 20 minutes/ 1 kilometre Tuesday 19 January Neighbourhood Walking 20 minutes/ 1 kilometre Wednesday 20 January Home Muscle exercises 20 minutes Thursday 21 January Neighbourhood Walking 20 minutes/ 1 kilometre

Friday 22 January Home

Muscle exercises 20 minutes Saturday 23 January Slow jogging Neighbourhood 10 minutes Sunday 24 January Rest

Monitoring my physical activeness

(/X)

Now you can do your planning for the first month.

It is important to constantly check progress against your plan, and to adjust the plan to take into account changes in your personal circumstances. If necessary, consult a professional to help you develop your plan.

FOR THE CURIOUS

Not only is physical exercise beneficial to your health, but it is also related to stress relief. Physical activities generate the production of endorphins, which are brain neurotransmitters that contribute to a person’s emotional well-being. The time spent on exercising also helps you to forget about the day’s stress, as you are concentrating on the body’s movement.

• Why do you think physical activities can be beneficial to curb the negative impact of stress? • Can you identify four exercises that can assist your body to combat stress? • Why are these activities particularly good to alleviate stress in your case?