The Wellness program at St. Pius X High School is a progressive training program that builds on itself from a student’s Freshman year through their Senior year. We build the program with a holistic approach in mind. Because we do not just want to train the body to be healthier but help the student understand how their choices in their diet, rest, and overall character will help improve their health. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we are told …..” Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Below is a breakdown of our approach, along with an explanation, for our Wellness Program.
Faith: Faith means more than just spiritual belief. As a student faith also means having faith in your classmates that they will be there for you and with the teacher.
Resolve: A student’s resolve is their determination to do something that is asked of them. A student’s resolve will help them finish what they have started.
Discipline: Discipline comes down to a student’s motivation and self-control. A student can show their discipline through their willingness to go the extra step to make themselves better.
Courage: Is the ability to overcome when there are obstacles in a student's way. Courage is also when a student keeps moving forward when faced with hardship.
Work Ethic: It is the internal motivation that drives a student. This character trait can be cultivated and grown over time. One’s wellness is only as successful as their work ethic.
Unity: This is the understanding by the student that we're all different but as a class, we will put the differences aside and work together as one.
Stretching: There are 2 types of stretching: dynamic and static. Dynamic stretching is done at the beginning of the class period to increase blood flow and decrease stiffness. Static stretching is performed after the running and lifting are completed. Stretching can help reduce muscle soreness, and one of the main benefits is to reduce muscular and tendon injuries.
Lifting: There are many benefits to a strong lifting program. 1 it helps reduce injuries 2 (When performed and full range) they can help improve flexibility 3. Increases overall strength which increases the student’s functional strength to perform everyday tasks.
Running: Helps build the student’s aerobic or anaerobic system, depending on the style of running. Sprinting focuses on the anaerobic system whereas the mile run focuses on the aerobic system.
Nutrition: As a student, one area that gets overlooked is their diet. Creating a well-balanced diet is the key. Making sure you have the right amount of carbohydrates (for energy), protein (for rebuilding), and fats (for digestion and energy) is key to helping you perform at a high level not just in the Health and Wellness classes but also in all the other classrooms. Because proper nutrition is important for the student’s cognitive abilities. We work on this by having the students create a food log and assigning articles for them to read
Resting: Is a key component in reaching a student’s true potential. A student breaks their body down during class and it is while they sleep their body rebuilds itself. So, make sure you have at least 8 hours of sleep a night is crucial to becoming a great student.
Mental: Having mental toughness is just as if not more important as the student’s physical abilities. Learning how to be mentally prepared for any situation will build confidence in the student. Mental toughness can be a learned trait as a teacher. It is our responsibility to help our students learn how to overcome obstacles in their way.
Technique: Technique in any competition is beneficial because it will benefit the student’s performance and reduce the risk of injury. We begin every student on a linear progression workout that requires the student to perform higher reps and lower weights, so the focus is on technique more than the weight itself. So that when the student moves on to an undulating workout their technique will be as close to perfect as it can be.
Strategy: Strategy there's a key component and any program whether it is on the fields or in the weight room. Understanding the progressions and how to put certain lifts with each other to complement the core lifts is the strategy we use to enhance the student’s performance.
Effort: The one thing that any student can excel in and it does not matter the ability or skillset and that is effort. Learning how to give your best effort in everything you do is a trait that will not only help you in class but will take you very far in life.
