Sick

Wednesday night I started to feel sick. I had that tickle in my throat, sneezing, and a stuffy nose. Thursday morning I woke up and I was extremely sick. I was drying my hair and I started to feel light-headed. As I continued to get ready for my first class of the day I almost fainted. I had some extra time to lay down so I took a twenty minute nap before class. I woke up, grabbed some breakfast, and headed to class. The entire time at class I was miserable. I had a migraine, fever, sick to my stomach, weak, and dizzy. As soon I got home from class I went to bed. Later that day I went to the Health Center and the nurse told me I had a viral infection, just like everyone else here at SRU. The nurse told me I need to get plenty of rest, but it is hard to get plenty of rest when I work on weekends and I have tons of schoolwork and studying to do!

Bodies Exhibit

Today I went to the Bodies exhibit at Pittsburgh Museum for my Anantomy/Physiology Class. I was amazed to see how well put together the exhibit was. There were more than fifteen human bodies and two-hundred and fifty human body parts that have undergone a preservation technique called plastination. Plastination is where the body fluids are replaced by liquid plastic. The plastic is hardened, leaving the tissues intact. All the bodies in the exhibit were obtained legally by a plastination lab at a Chinese medical school. The bodies were not of prisoners, but were of people whose bodies had not been claimed. The exhibit displayed the bodies in various sports or fitness poses. One displayed a man kicking a soccer ball, a woman playing tennis, and another woman playing volleyball. Most people are undereducated about the knowlegde of their bodies, but after walking through this Bodies exhibit you will be amazed of how complex your body is. I am really glad I had the opportunity to go the Bodies exhibit, if you get the chance to go, definately go to the Bodies exhibit at Pittsburgh Museum!

The Flu

The flu is in full swing here at SRU. I heard today on the news that even if you have gotten a flu shot, the shot does not actually keep you completely safe from getting the flu. One of the most important things you can do to help prevent you from getting the flu is to constantly wash your hands. Being around so many people here at SRU it is very easy to spread germs. Just think of all the doors you open, the desks you touch, the computers in the lab, and any work out equuipment you use. After touching or using any of the things mentioned above, washing your hands thoroughly would be a smart idea.

Nonlocomotor Movements

Today in Movement Education we learned some of the many nonlocomotor movements. Students in my class were each assigned a specific nonlocomotor movement to teach today during class. I was assigned to teach the Contract and Stretch nonlocomotor movement. A contract is a tight curling or rounding. A stretch is vigorously expanding or opening. There are several ways to contract and stretch different parts of the body. Some examples are the arms, legs, torso, neck, and even the face. Not only can you use different parts of the body to contract and stretch, but you can also move in different levels such as high or low. Contracting and stretching can be done in partners, groups of four, and even groups of eight. One way for partners to practice contracting and stretching is to hold hands and have one partner either contracting or stretching while being in a high or low level while the other partner does the opposite. Groups of four and eight can practice contracting and stretching by forming a "clump" or a ball of students. Equipment, like mats and chairs, can also be added to practice contract and stretch, but only older children should use equipment.

Working Out

The beginning of the semester I was working out everyday after my last class, but I started to slack once my classes kicked in. Lately, I've been trying to work out everyday again. The question always gets asked, "Why do you work out?" I would have to say I work out because I simply enjoy working out, I feel better about myself, I want to stay healthy, be fit, and look good. I think everyone who works out probably feels the same way or atleast agrees with one of my reasons. During Christmas break I had a membership at a gym, where I worked out everyday. Obviously being on break was convenient to work out since there was no school work, but this semester I'm really going to try and continue to work out as much as possible.

IM Basketball Game

The IM basketball team I'm on had a basketball game this past Tuesday night. This was our second game and I think I'm finally getting into "basketball shape". I didn't realize how much I missed playing basketball until I started playing again. We have a total of eight girls on our team which is a good number because everyone gets a good amount of playing time. I'm also one of the oldest girls on the team which is odd because I'm usually the youngest. One downfall are the pinnies we have to wear that guys have just got done using, which are extremely wet and smell gross too.

7 Most Effective Exercises

According to WebMD.com walking, interval training, squats, lunges, push-ups, abdominal crunches, and bent-over row are the seven most effective exercises for making the most of your workout time. You're able to burn up to 500 calories doing a brisk walk. Adding interval training to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight. Squats is one way to build up muscular fitness which gives you a better chance to burn more calories. Lunges also work all the major muscles of the lower body. Lunges and walking goes hand in hand, if you can walk, you can do lunges. Push-ups strengthen the chest shoulders, triceps, and even the core trunk muscles, all at one time, if done correctly. Abdominal crunches obviously strengthens the abdominal area when done correctly, but if abdominal crunches are done incorrectly, they can actually weaken the abdominals. Lastly, bent-over rows work all the major muscles of the upper back and the biceps. In order for these seven exercises to work the way they are supposed to, proper technique is essential.