After spending months online, we were thrilled to finally be having a PHE lesson in school!

Since none of us were ‘gym freaks’ and had little experience or practice, our coach made us alternate with the six gears with a twenty-second break while switching from one to the other. This helped to briefly rest our muscles and prevent overexertion.

Every piece of equipment had a different purpose, though for us, using each one was an equally arduous task.   Bicep curls with 5kg dumbbells work the muscles in the front of the arm, building strength in the upper arm along with training the shoulder to be more stable. It was initially hard as the dumbbells were very heavy and it required great core and arm strength – however, after the first fifteen seconds, we all got the hang of it.

After that, the Shoulder Presses with 3 kg dumbbells felt like a piece of cake.

While the Stepper (aimed to stimulate climbing stairs) strengthens the muscles in the legs and increases cardiovascular endurance. The Ab Rollers target several different muscles at once and hit all four layers of our abdominal muscles, and hence are a great way to build core strength, not to mention improve balance and stability.  

Next was the Medicine ball, with which we did two types of exercises. A medicine ball commonly helps with balance, posture, and overall wellness through proper alignment.

Post this intense workout we moved on to the exercise mat, where we performed stretches such as the bridge and head-to-toe touches.

Last, but not the least, was what we enjoyed the most – High Jumps! We cheered each other with the zest no less than of an Olympic crowd as one by one we jumped with the panache deserving of such an applause. It was an hour well spent, truly energizing us and setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Written by Tanshie Singhal, DP1