by Tom Calhoun

Created on: April 28, 2009

Should bodybuilding be made compulsory for students? This is very interesting to say the least. Are we saying that all students are the same, or all students are over eaters and couch potatoes. The fact is not all students are cut out to be bodybuilders. There are those that are not what one would call very physical. Some students are meant to be book worms, some are meant to be intellectuals, others are meant to be couch patatoes, and then there are those that are configured for bodybuilding. Not to say everyone could not do this, but there are those that would rather not.

The idea is if you want students to be healthy they must be taught how to be healthy. This does not mean bodybuilding will not make them healthy. What it does mean is students should be taught what is healthy and what is not. Eating the correct foods in the correct quantities would be the first place to start. Exercising at a rate that is comfortable, and easily obtained by the student without causing stress or over fatigue would be the next step. Teaching what exercises, and how to do those exercises properly should be what those of us that believe students need this should be the next thing.

At this point it must be pointed out that this will only work if the students decide they want to cooperate with the system as it is set up. You will not force students to do this, either they will do it on their own or they will not. However if approached properly and taught with compassion it may be possible to gain the confindence of most students and once respected they will pretty much do whatever you ask of them within reason of course.

Teaching is like breaking a horse, the more you work with the horse the more it will work with you. The more gentle you are with them the less resistance they will force upon you. Students are a lot like a horse the more respect you show them the more respect they will have for you. What is so unique about students are the fact that if you can show them it has meaning to them, they will jump right in with both feet.

Bodybuilding is one of those areas that demand a lot of time, and effort for anything to happen. Students who are not interested in such an activity will become even more disinterested the more they work out, and in the long run it will be a wast of the instructors time as well as the students. The idea is to make them healthy if they are not and keep them healthy if they already are. Teach students what it means to be healthy allow them the opportunity to learn at their own pace and in their own time you will get more from them, and it will be less stressful for you.

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