Staff Writer
Starting out a day with a relaxing hour of yoga or an intense iron-pumping session can be a great way to relieve stress. This year, the Mira Costa Physical Education Department offers a way for students to do just that through the addition of a yoga class and a weightlifting class.
These new alternatives to P.E. give students who do not already participate in a sport the opportunity to become involved in something new. This year the Costa’s administraion decided to add these new courses in hopes that students would become more interested in playing sports and ultimately develop healthier exercise habits.
“I was hearing that the students wanted something different because the students in sports and band receive state P.E. credit for these classes, and many students who didn’t participate in sports or band thought it was unfair that they didn’t have an alternative option,” yoga instructor Theresa Tower said.
Last year a survey of students indicated significant interest in a yoga class. In response to the survey, two yoga classes were added to this year’s schedule—one section during zero period and the other during fourth period. Both yoga classes are taught by Tower, who has been a yoga instructor for 15 years. About 35 students are enrolled in each of the yoga classes.
“I really like the new yoga class zero period because it’s a good way to start the day off,” sophomore Abby Salk said. “It would be better if the class wasn’t so big because everyone would learn more if there were less people. ”
The year-long goals of each student differ from person to person. Tower says that students can work on upper body strength, core strength and almost any other muscle in the body. However, the length of the class is too short to work on cardiovascular conditioning.
“It seems that as soon as we finish warming up, the class is over,” Tower said.
The yoga class is aligned with state curriculum requirements. So far the first semester has recieved positive reviews from students; however, the second semester will likely be more challenging than the first.
“I love yoga. It allows me to start off my day in a positive way. Ms. Tower is a great teacher who has a lot of experience and shows a lot of patience to make sure everybody gets it. This year with my classes being kind of challenging, yoga clears my mind and helps me to relax. I’m so thankful Mira Costa offered this class this year; hopefully they keep it,” sophomore Robin Green said.
The school also decided to add a weightlifting class to give more options to the student population. The class meets every day during third period and is taught by Patty Perkinson. There are 40 students in the class, but only one girl.
“Every student is going to be different. Some want tone, some build up, and some want bigger muscles. It revolves around what each student ultimately wants,” said Perkinson.
To meet their goals, the weightlifting students keep a journal, which helps them see how their bodies are changing and if they are achieving their goals.
During the first few days of class, not all students knew how to use the machines, according to Perkinson. The class will teach students how to use many different types of weight training equipment so students can continue training on their own in the future.
“I am very excited about the new addition. It should be a lot of fun,” Perkinson said.
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