If the mere thought of gym class makes your stomach do somersaults, listen up. We’re sure your gym teachers don’t think up those silly games just to torture you. (Or maybe they do; we’re not mind readers!) But you have to do ’em–after all, forging doctors notes will land you in major hot water –so let’s look at the whole sweaty, stinky situation like this: How can those silly games prepare you for life?
– Climbing ropes
The pain now: The brutal exercise makes your hands sweat, your gut ache and your head spin. Plus, people below are bellowing at you while someone climbing a rope beside you tries to beat you to the top.
The gain later: Sounds just like climbing the corporate ladder. Get in shape now!
– Shuttle run
The pain now: You know this game: You run back and forth across the gym in shorter and shorter distances. Like, you run all the way across and turn, three fourths of the way and turn, halfway and turn, then a quarter of the way. Each time you stop to turn, you have to reach down and touch a line.
The gain later: Imagine yourself an adult with, say, three kids. All day you’re running back and forth, back and forth, to school and home and the office and the dentist and violin lessons and Little League. And you have one kid in one arm and a diaper bag jammed with junk in the other. With all that running, something is bound to fall (preferably not the kid), so you keep having to reach down and grab stuff. Practice those moves now and it’ll be a breeze!
– Chinups
The pain now: What a shaky moment! You’re trying to hold yourself up to that bar (you’re tempted to cave) as your gym teacher times you and your classmates make faces. You break out into a fierce sweat. If you don’t stop soon, you just know you’re gonna puke or faint. Add the humiliation factor and the pain factor, and this is the ultimate in endurance.
The gain later: You’re at your own wedding someday. What a shaky moment! You’re trying to hold yourself still (you’re tempted to bolt) as the minister talks and your buds who are watching snicker. You break out into a fierce sweat. If the minister doesn’t wind things up soon, you just know you’re gonna puke or faint. This might be the ultimate in endurance….but those chinups were sure good preparation.
– Dodge ball
The pain now: Round objects smacking you upside the head….need we say more?
The gain later: Your boss is coming at you, and he looks mad. Run! A UFO is landing on your lawn. Duck! See, there are some skills you’ll always need.
– Trampoline
The pain now: All those ups and downs make you want to hurl. Still, it’s kind of exhilarating being way up…..
The gain later: Ups and downs? Life has tons of them, so you might as well get used to it. And it’s totally exhilarating when you’re feeling way up.
