GREC's new Fit Club

May 04, 2016

Students at the Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake have been staying late after school to have fun and get fit thanks to the Granite Ridge Fit Club.

The club, which is new at the school this year, was initiated by Grade 8 teacher Ms. Schall. She said the impetus to start the club was initially personal. “I have a tendency to put work ahead of my physical well-being. So as a New Year’s resolution back in January, I decided that a few days a week, before I start doing the end of the day classroom work, I would get a bit of cardio-vascular exercise and strength training in before sitting back down at my desk. The students noticed what I was doing and wanted to join in so I decided to start this after-school fitness club,” she said.

The club, which is open to students from Grades six through eight, is proving that getting fit can be a lot of fun. “It's great for me,” Schall said, “because the students are a huge motivator and they themselves have become unstoppable. If they could, they would probably be here every day working out.”

The group usually starts out with a 20-minute cardio-vascular work out. In the winter they ran laps of the school stairs but recently have taken to running outdoors. They then meet back in the school’s power fit room, which is equipped with numerous weights and bars, and the workout continues with the students choosing from a number of exercises that strengthen their arms, legs, shoulders, backs, core and more. They alternate weeks doing light, medium and heavy workouts and Fit Club member Liam brings the music.

The students’ flushed faces speak to their dedication and enthusiasm – clearly for them, getting fit need not be a chore. Many of them say they have noticed a big change in their fitness levels since January.

Ryleigh, who is a Grade 8 student said, “When I first started in January I could only squat the bar, which is 45 pounds, and now I can squat 100 pounds.” Desiree said that formerly she could run just 200 metres and thought she may have had asthma; however she is now running over two kilometres. Liam said, “What's the point of going home and watching TV when you can come and hang out with your friends and get fit at the same time?”

Grade 7 student Icen agreed.

Schall said there is a core group of between 7 to 10 students currently in the club, which runs three times a week, with one girls only session, one boys only session, and a third co-ed session. Schall said the students came up with the idea of getting special shirts made for members who have participated in at least 10 sessions. The shirts name the club and member and are emblazoned with the logo, “We do it for the six pack”, a mantra the group chanted while trying to hold a very long eight-minute plank pose.

“It's not just about the six pack”, Schall said. “It's more about becoming fit and stronger, and more confident and the biggest motivator for the students is seeing the progress they are making.”

Schall said the club is something she plans to keep up and said it is not only a great way for her and the students to bond but is also a great social and athletic opportunity for the students at the school.

Students interested in joining the club can speak to Ms. Schall.