GET UP & MOVE ! Maintaining a healthy mind & body Hampton School PE & Sport Department
CONTENTS Let’s Get Moving! There are numerous opportunities for movement and exercise all around us. Keeping fit and active is vital for our physical and mental health especially when we are working from home. This booklet explains how and why our brains and bodies benefit from exercise and movement and offers advice on different practical ways to keep fit and well.
Preparing Your Work Space
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A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body
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The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health
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Develop a New Skill
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Simple Exercises
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Build Your Own Exercise Circuit
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The Benefits of Walking
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An Introduction to Yoga
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Do it @ Home
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Relaxation Techniques
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Brain Food
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Hampton School PE & Sport Department
Hampton School HMC Independent School for boys, Founded in 1557
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PREPARING YOUR WORK SPACE
When working in front of a screen, it is important to remember your posture — a poor posture can affect your physical and mental wellbeing. Organise your work space so that your screen is at eyelevel and you do not need to crane your neck forward to look down at your screen. Sit up straight with your shoulders back and relaxed. No slouching, please!
Head of PE, Mr Sims, highlights some exercises that you can use daily to help counteract stiffness in the neck and upper back. good posture Keeps bones and joints in alignment, allowing maximum mobility of your muscles.
Click on this link.
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A HEALTHY MIND IN A HEALTHY BODY
YOUR MIND
YOUR BODY
Our brains and bodies repair and recover when sleeping. Make sure you get to bed early and get lots of quality sleep.
Aim to be active for at least one hour a day. See the PE & Sport Department Firefly pages for ideas & challenges.
It’s good to talk! Speak about your worries if you have any. Communicate with your family and stay connected with friends.
Do your best to eat a healthy balanced diet. Keep your mind and body fuelled for academic work and physical exercise.
With MS Teams sessions and Firefly tasks you are spending lots of time on your screens. Be sure to take regular breaks to give your eyes and brain a rest.
Poor posture could result in head, neck and back pain. Think about your posture while you are working.
SLEEP
SOCIAL
SCREENTIME
ACTIVITY
NUTRITION
POSTURE
Just a 2% drop in hydration can have a negative effect on your mental and physical performance. Drinking regularly to stay hydrated is important.
HYDRATION
Get a drink, go for a walk, try some meditation/breathing exercises, read a book or play in the garden! Take frequent breaks from your work to let your mind relax.
RELAX
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THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE ON MENTAL HEALTH Reduced Stress Levels
improved decision-making
Increased energy levels
increased self-esteem Z
Z
improved sleep boost brain power reduced anxiety
reduced depression
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DEVELOP A NEW SKILL Learning a new skill stimulates neurons, which improves your brain health and memory while increasing your mental wellbeing and happiness. Why not have some fun by learning how to juggle?
PICTURE 1.
1.
Find some small balls or rolled-up socks. Put your hands out, waist high and turn your palms upward. Take one ball and toss it just above eye level to the opposite hand. As you throw say “One — catch”.
PICTURE 3.
Take two balls placing one ball in each hand and throw the first ball. Just when it gets to the top of the arch, throw the second ball towards the opposite hand. The second ball goes inside the arch of the first ball. This time you say “One” on the first throw, “Two” on the second throw, and “Catch” at the end.
PICTURE 2.
2.
Do the same starting with your opposite hand. Remember to say “One” as you throw and “Catch” as you can. Practise both these steps for several minutes until you are throwing at the same height with both hands.
3.
PICTURE 4.
Be careful not to two-ball shuffle. This is where you throw from one hand to the other and then transfer the second ball to your first hand. Each hand should mirror the actions of the other.
4.
Practise until you can do eight out of ten repetitions without dropping a ball.
The origins of juggling go back to ancient Egyptian times. images have been found in a tomb dating back to 1994-1781 B.C.
‘Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential’
(Winston Churchill)
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SIMPLE EXERCISES GET UP AND MOVE! Try these simple exercises:
Try an ‘Exercise Pyramid’
Try the ‘Skyscraper Workout’
START WITH:
START WITH:
1x squat, 1x press-up, 1x sit-up
1x shuttle, 1x press-up, 1x sit-up
then
then
2x squats, 2x press-ups, 2x sit-ups
2x shuttles, 2x press-ups, 2x sit-ups
followed by
followed by
3x squats, 3x press-ups, 3x sit-ups
3x shuttles, 3x press-ups, 3x sit-ups
then work back down
Add one rep each exercise.
2x squats, 2x press-ups, 2x sit-ups
No breaks – just keep climbing!
1x squat, 1 x press-up, 1x sit-up
The skyscraper challenge should take between 20 to 40 minutes.
Getting your heart to beat faster trains your body to move oxygen and blood to your muscles more efficiently 7
BUILD YOUR OWN EXERCISE CIRCUIT Try developing your own exercise circuits and personalise them according to your interests and goals. For whole-body workouts, consider rotation of muscle groups, or try targeting different muscle groups on different days of the week. Also, look at increasing the number of reps as you build up your strength and adapt the work-to-rest ratio to suit your needs.
Crunches
Bear crawls
Plank
Alternate leg bounds
Pogo jumps
Squats Press-ups
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THE BENEFITS OF WALKING
Walking helps to clear your head while enjoying the natural daylight, which is a great source of vitamin D
Walking helps to improve cardiac and respiratory capacity
Brisk walking boosts the production of stress-busting endorphins, helping to tackle anxiety and improve your mood
Walking tones the whole body when practised for longer periods There are many free apps available on smartphones to help you plan your walk or run including Map My Run and Strava. Mr Beattie and many other members of staff enjoy the benefits of walking.
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AN INTRODUCTION TO YOGA There are many physical and psychological benefits to yoga. Here is an introduction to some of the basic yoga moves and poses.
STAFF POSE
HIGH LUNGE POSE
CAT POSE
DOWNWARD-FACING DOG POSE
Sit up straight being careful not to arch your back. Straighten your arms and keep your hands face-down flat on the floor facing forwards. Your legs should be stretched out forwards with your feet flexed.
Start on your hands and knees. Exhale and round your spine towards the ceiling keeping your hands and knees in the same place.
Standing in an upright position, bend your left leg and step back with your right leg as far as you can, keeping the ball of your foot on the floor. Place your fingers on the floor either side of your left foot with your head facing forwards.
Start on your hands and knees. Raise your knees until your legs are straight and your feet are flat on the floor. Your hands should be flat on the floor with straight arms.
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AN INTRODUCTION TO YOGA
TREE POSE
From a standing position, shift your weight slightly onto your right foot and bend your left leg. Hold your left ankle and position your foot above your right knee with the sole of your foot against your standing leg. Raise both arms upwards keeping them straight and stretching the fingers. Look up at your hands.
HIGH LUNGE POSE (VARIATION)
Standing in an upright position, bend your right leg and step back with your left leg as far as you can, keeping the ball of your foot on the floor. Straighten your back and lift your arms straight upwards with your palms facing inwards.
EASY POSE
Sit cross-legged, widen your knees and place each foot under the opposite knee. Relax your feet so the outer edges rest comfortably on the floor. Sit up straight and rest the back of your hands on your knees. Your thumb should remain in contact with your index finger.
Yoga is over 5000 years old and is one of the oldest known physical disciplines in the world. 11
DO IT @ HOME HAMPTON SKILL AND EXERCISE CHALLENGES The PE & Sport Department have set a number of physical challenges over the last two months. Take some time out to learn a new skill or develop an existing one. Click on the images below for some ideas.
SKIPPING CHALLENGE
MOUNTAIN CLIMB
BASKETBALL SPIN
COMMANDO PRESS-UP
LOO ROLL TRICKS
CHIPPING CHALLENGE
TARGET CHALLENGE
KEEPY UPPY CHALLENGE
RACQUET CHALLENGE
JUGGLING CHALLENGE
PYRAMID PRESS-UPS
FOOTBALL SKILLS
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RELAXATION TECHNIQUES Relaxation techniques can help you manage stress and enjoy a better quality of life. To get the most benefit, use relaxation techniques along with other coping methods such as positive thinking, finding humour, problem-solving, managing time, exercising, mindfulness, getting enough sleep, and reaching out to supportive family and friends.
Remember that relaxation techniques are skills. As with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice. Be patient with yourself! Try the relaxation technique below, which helps reduce muscle tension.
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation 1 Tense face muscles including forehead, cheeks, mouth, upper neck. Release and relax. 2 Gently roll head from side-to-side, with awareness of the tightening muscles. Release and relax. 3 Gently tense chest muscles and abdomen, without holding the breath. Release and relax. 4 Tense left hip and buttock. Release and relax. 5 Tense left leg down through feet and toes. Release and relax.
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6 While no longer tensing any muscles, allow attention to drift back up through legs, abdomen, chest, arms and back to the face.
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7 Tense right leg down through feet and toes. Release and relax.
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8 Tense right hip and buttock. Release and relax. 9 Tense right arm, from shoulder to fingers without making a fist or lifting arm off of floor. Tense left arm. Release and relax. 10 Tighten shoulders. Release.
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5
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BRAIN FOOD Delicious recipes to feed your body and mind throughout the day
Fruit & Seed Yoghurt Pot
Apple & cinnamon overnight oats
A quick and easy energy boosting snack
A super-fast breakfast or snack to prepare you for the day
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
Method
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1) Mix the seeds together (if seeds are not
One apple
1) Cut the apple in to chunks and grate into
1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
your thing, just use more berries)
120ml milk
1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
2) Mix the banana and berries together
120ml plain yoghurt
2 sliced bananas
3) Layer the bowl with the seed mixture,
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 to 2 handfuls of your favourite berries
65g rolled oats
200g of vanilla yoghurt
4) Repeat the layering until the bowl is full
followed by yoghurt, followed by fruit
a container
2) Add the remaining ingredients to the same
container, put the lid on top and shake to stir
3) Put in the fridge and leave overnight 4) Give it a stir and sprinkle a tiny bit more
cinnamon on top before eating
5) If you’re not a fan of apple or cinnamon try
some different fruit combinations to replace
them, like strawberry and banana or kiwi
and mango
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BRAIN FOOD Delicious recipes to feed your body and mind throughout the day
homemade fruit ice lollies
Apple & sultana muffins
A cool, refreshing and tasty treat
A healthy alternative & perfect to keep you going between meals
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
Method
1 banana
1) Slice up the banana and add to an ice lolly
200g self-raising flour
1) Heat oven to 180OC fan/Gas Mark 4
mold with the fresh berries until it is almost
filled to the top
1 tablespoon of baking power
2) In a large bowl mix the self-raising flour,
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
baking powder, cinnamon, wholemeal flour
50g wholemeal flour
and golden caster sugar
100g golden caster sugar
3) In another bowl, mix the eggs and milk, then
3) Place ice lolly stick into the mold
2 eggs
4) Place in the freezer and leave overnight
125ml semi-skimmed milk
4) Divide the mix into 12 muffins and bake
4 tablespoons of sunflower oil
you can slice the fruit up in to smaller
2 apples, grated
5) Leave to cool on a wire rack or plate and
pieces & use an ice cube tray
100g sultanas
Raspberries Strawberries Blueberries Your favourite fruit juice (no added sugar)
2) Add your juice to the mold, but make sure
you leave about one-eighth of mold
5) If you do not have an ice lolly mold at home,
stir in the grated apples and sultanas
for 25 minutes
then you are ready to start enjoying them!
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Hampton School PE & Sport Department