Description:
It is very important for us to keep ourselves fit and moving in these mundane times. I had been slacking off on my workouts lately because I just didn’t have the motivation but taking this up as CAS gave me that motivational push that I very much needed. I did 10 – 40 minutes of workouts almost every day for 2 months. For the most part, I followed YouTube videos but sometimes I worked out with my mom which was almost our bonding time. I took this up because I wanted to regain my strength and be healthier overall. In this activity, I covered LO 1, 2, and 4.
Learning Outcome 1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
I identified my physical strengths and weaknesses through this experience. At first, I couldn’t even complete a 10 minutes workout without breaks. I identified what I was lacking and started working on that by following specific exercises that would help build strength in that particular area. Once I had identified my strengths and weaknesses, it was quite convenient to convert the weaknesses into strengths. This is also the very reason that one must be aware of their weaknesses, not just when it comes to fitness but in all aspects of life. I noticed that my arm strength had decreased significantly, I couldn’t do exercises easily. Being a basketball player, my arm strength is crucial. It was important to focus on that and I did. I dedicated 2-3 days of the week for upper body strength and it did help. Recognizing that weakness helped me overcome it.
Learning Outcome 2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
This was the first time I had exercised in months. Suddenly exerting so much stress was quite challenging and took at least a week or two to get used to. I had gotten so used to sitting at the study table or on the couch the entire day that getting up and actually moving my body sounded like a nightmare. I had definitely done such, in fact much more intense workouts. But that habit, as well as strength, was gone. As I mentioned earlier, at the beginning of this CAS experience even 10 minutes were next to impossible. I overcame this challenge by pushing myself every single day. I obviously took some days off but I made sure that I worked out at least 5 times a week. I am honestly proud of myself for undertaking this challenge. I always made my goals academically, but this reminded me how important it is to challenge my body whilst challenging my mind. Also, the skills I developed in this activity will help me become a better athlete as they enhanced my physical strength. This will be beneficial while playing basketball, especially in tournaments. More importantly, it will keep me healthy. It is necessary for us to keep learning new skills and undertake challenges so that we become the best versions of ourselves.
Learning Outcome 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Working out almost every single day for 2 months straight definitely required commitment and perseverance. Somedays I just wanted to sleep and eat but I had to remind myself why I was doing this, for my personal growth. As I’ve mentioned multiple times, I did take days off which I think helped me achieve my goal. Regardless, commitment was key to complete this activity. Usually, I can commit to things easily but I am also extremely lazy at times. I believe that being persistent is pivotal for achieving anything. I wanted to make sure that I am persistent in this activity as well. It took time to get used to, but eventually exercising became a part of my routine and came naturally.
Final Takeaways:
Through this experience, I developed learner profile attributes, balanced and reflective. Initially, adjusting my routine with this new activity required me to be balanced and pay attention to my fitness with academics. I was also reflective while identifying my strengths and weaknesses and altering my workout routine to be coherent to them.
The highlight of this experience was when I could actually FEEL stronger. Over time, due to daily practice, I did get stronger. I could do exercises easily and that felt incredibly rewarding. This activity brought a sense of accomplishment as well as enjoyment. This experience reminded me of how important it is to put effort into your health and fitness, and also how easily we have been avoiding that recently.
Evidence:
