[Fly Like a Duck]

Congratulations to you and your wife on your academic success. But tell me did you or your wife excel in college athletics? If so congratulations. If not then explain to me how lifting weights in high school prepared you for college. What did weight training do for you that was so amazing that you think all kids should take it.

A previous poster was right about a lot of parents not understanding finance or other valuable life skills. I had to learn a lot on my own. And those are the things I try to teach my kids. I could care less if they can bench 350 lbs. or squat 500 lbs. But I do want them to understand how to balance a check book, know what APR means, what a mutual fund is, the importance of a retirement fund and college fund for their kids, ect.... And I can assure you without a doubt that none of those will be taught in weight training.

Did I? Yes. Feels weird saying that, but let's just say I had a pretty decent college football career (played all years, not just one or two and gave it up).

Did she? No. Regrets that decision everyday and didn't because she was so academic driven, didnt thhink she could balance it all (tennis)but realizes now that her 3.98 (or whatever it was) GPA has no more baring than that of somebody who graduated college with a 2.5. She's been in two different career fields and not once had somebody ask what her GPA was, and I've never had anybody ask.

My weightlifting class was also a good part of nutrition and physiology, just learning how the body moves and operates. We also had to earn the right to take it (couldn't have below a certain GPA, etc to take it, which I'm all in favor of). I was a multiple sport athlete in high school, and had it not been for in class weights (I took business management 1 and two, along photography, basic shop, etc that you speak of as well) I wouldn't have gotten that off season work needed to help make me better.

Th

[Fly Like a Duck]

Ike,

When you and others on her start up bluegrassshopclass.com, let me know.

[Fly Like a Duck]

And for the record, while I know we have been trying to make the other see our points of view, all tounge and cheek...one thing I hope you all realize is that I'm not anymore for kids taking electives period, be it shop class or weightlifting, if they don't meet the proper benchmarks in reading, writing and math.

As I've said before, I'm a huge fan of electives, because I truly think that they are the windows that open many of our kids into certain career interests, but before any of them learn how to use a screw driver or proper mechanics in lifting weights and general excercise, they better know how to read, write and do life skills math first.

But to say that weightlifting/conditioning/athletic training shouldn't be offered at all, especially to those who have earned the right to take those classes, no matter what...then, no, I won't ever agree with.

[lchsalumnus]

:Thumbs::Thumbs:
And the reason for this is because you have people like those on this site who believe weights should be part of the schools curriculum.

Before anyone disagrees with me look back over what I've said cause never in any post have I said kids shouldn't lift weights. I think its great for the athletic programs but it definately has NO benefit in preparing a kid for college. So if you want to respond with a rebutal, inform me of the benefits and why it should be part of school curriculum and why the kids shouldn't do it before or after school hours.:thanks:

when was the last time a regular kid, one that wasn't going to college, used algebra or trigonometry or calculus in the "real world"? like it or not, the vast majority of high school students never finish a 4-year program.

[Poseidon]

Kids need to have the discipline to do the physical work and film work when it is not "required." Kids can prepare their minds and bodies in the off-season and the programs that are successful have kids with this mind-set. Weights are just a part of preparation. Kids can do push-ups, sit-ups, log carries, run, and many other things that do not require a weight room. A coach must require this kind of discipline from the kids that play for them to be successful in my opinion.

[Ike Cooter]

when was the last time a regular kid, one that wasn't going to college, used algebra or trigonometry or calculus in the "real world"? like it or not, the vast majority of high school students never finish a 4-year program.

You hit the nail on the head and drove it home my friend. I totally agree with the bolded quote. And the reason being BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PREPARED IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I don't know how programs around the state operate but I do know that on the local level weights is only to better the football programs. The coach is the teacher and the enrollment in the class is 95% football players. Who by the way has only produced two D1 players (4 years) in the last 20 years.

[nky]

What an odd thread:eyeroll:. This is beyond a train wreck. Weightlifting class is an elective course that many schools across the state offer. By being an elective the student doesn't have to take it. Parents if you don't want little Bill Bob Bubba or Susie Q taking this type of elective for a more academic orientated one ....well have them sign up for that type of course. Most schools require around 8 electives to graduate so you should have plenty of choices to make. But weightlifting can become part of a lifelong fitness routine as opposed to other "academic" courses. But if you don't like a weightlifting course go to your local school's SBDM council and complain, maybe suggest some Classic Literature courses

As far as discipline, there has become a transition from the old school coach to the modern coach. Good or bad a more modern progressive coach tends to permit the player more leniency more opportunities. More than likely because in most programs numbers is an issue so taking a hard line with players will come back to bit you

[Old Henry Man]

I have noticed that Older Coaches seem to care more about the players and making them good men more than just Kicking a 17 year off the team.
Younger coaches seem to try to impress the parnets and administration by kicking a kid off.

I see nothing wrong with Weight Lifting classes. The Greeks believed that a person should spend the same amount of time working on ther bodies and they do their minds.

[SKINNYPIG]

:Thumbs::Thumbs:
And the reason for this is because you have people like those on this site who believe weights should be part of the schools curriculum.

Before anyone disagrees with me look back over what I've said cause never in any post have I said kids shouldn't lift weights. I think its great for the athletic programs but it definately has NO benefit in preparing a kid for college. So if you want to respond with a rebutal, inform me of the benefits and why it should be part of school curriculum and why the kids shouldn't do it before or after school hours.:thanks:

If Your kid graduates HS and can't do basic things like balance a checkbook, don't blame a weightlifting class or the school curriculum...Blame yourself!

[HAT51]

At many places, especially small schools, therenisna fine, fine line between installing discipline and trying not to cut your own throat in the process.

For example, offseason attendance, I know of a couple top tier programs throughout the state that if it weren't for allowing weightlifting as an in school elective for their athletes (football players in this case), then their off season attendance would be 50% at best (and, that's just counting kids who aren't involved with winter and/or spring sports).

Now, with saying that, I know programs who aren't considered top tier (.500 types) and don't have in class weightlifting, yet make their players attend x amount of workouts in the off season, or they can't play. To which my question is,does the school who is top tier ( allowing their student athletes the opportunity to in school weightlifting) really have a program with that much more discipline than the team down the road who doesn't allow it, yet struggles with off season attendance in after school attendance?

Disagree. They will be there if you tell them they must be there. An absence here and there is not going to break you but pressure must be applied.

[Ike Cooter]

If Your kid graduates HS and can't do basic things like balance a checkbook, don't blame a weightlifting class or the school curriculum...Blame yourself!

For the record, my kids do know how to balance a check book. Both have jobs, both have savings accounts, both have just started an IRA and they have learned it all at home. And why is that, becuase our school systems feels that weight lifting is more important than those things that actually happen in the real world.

Sorry people but you can not conveince me that weights should be part of school curriculum. No one has given a legit reason to why it should either.

Me personally I have a problem paying a teachers salary to sit on his/her ass while students lift weights just to help him/her to increase the sports winning percentage. They are paid to teach first and extra curricular second. If you don't want to put in the time before or after school then don't be a part of it.

I guess before I posted my opinion I should have realized I'm posting on a site full of sports freaks (including myself). Just figured people would use common sense and be realistic.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
You could have enrolled them at a private school then if your that pissed about it.
I for one think weightlifting/conditioning classes, (which takes the place of Physical Education course in most schools) is greatly needed. Kids have gotten so fat from doing nothing and playing video games that its ridicolous, and id rather see this then common sense stuff parents should be teaching there kids.

[Ike Cooter]

^
You could have enrolled them at a private school then if your that pissed about it.
I for one think weightlifting/conditioning classes, (which takes the place of Physical Education course in most schools) is greatly needed. Kids have gotten so fat from doing nothing and playing video games that its ridicolous, and id rather see this then common sense stuff parents should be teaching there kids.

I shouldn't have to pay to send my kids to a private school for a good education. My job already pays these people to do their job.

Everyone talks about how these things should be taught at home and how the parents should do their part in educating their children. Well then do your part and take the video controller away from your kid. Teach them about proper nutrition and quit taking them to McDonalds. I guarantee theres only a handful of schools in America where PE is actually a physical education class. Plus I know alot of kids who lift weights year round at school and are classified as either overweight or morbidly obese. So explain to me why that is. :worthy:

Not singling you out "upthegut". Its just those that are for lifting during school rather than learning life skills can't/don't have justification why its better. Again do it before or after school. I'M FOR THAT!!!

[Fly Like a Duck]

I shouldn't have to pay to send my kids to a private school for a good education. My job already pays these people to do their job.

Everyone talks about how these things should be taught at home and how the parents should do their part in educating their children. Well then do your part and take the video controller away from your kid. Teach them about proper nutrition and quit taking them to McDonalds. I guarantee theres only a handful of schools in America where PE is actually a physical education class. Plus I know alot of kids who lift weights year round at school and are classified as either overweight or morbidly obese. So explain to me why that is. :worthy:

Not singling you out "upthegut". Its just those that are for lifting during school rather than learning life skills can't/don't have justification why its better. Again do it before or after school. I'M FOR THAT!!!

Same could be said for teaching life skills, do that at home.

I've given my reasons for strength and conditioning/excercise phys/kiniseology classes. One of the reasons they are beneficial during school is for those kids who are multi-sport athlete kids. When they are playing and practicing various sports from August-End of May, it's very difficult for them to get better. And where do you get better? Off season strength/speed/conditioning work.

I guess it all boils down to what you view as important life skills, to each their own. You and others against this have totally disregarded my stipulation for taking Strength/Conditioning, along with other elective classes, in students needing to be able to reach particular benchmarks in their core classes. I'm for all sorts of elective classes being offered (see my last post), but before you take those, you better be able to read, write and do math at or near a proficient level.
If you can, then chances are everything else will take care of itself, so why not take a wellness class? (as I said before, the one I took 3 years in HS was strength/conditioning/nutrition all in one and it was offered to boys and girls, athletes or not..the classes usually ended up being all athletes, bc the non athletes weren't cut out for it truth be told).
And, ask NKY pointed out, they are called electives for a reason. Take them or don't take them.

This has turned into a dumpster fire. We might as well he arguing politics or religion, because it's obvious there is not changing our minds. I'm done.

[lchsalumnus]

For the record, my kids do know how to balance a check book. Both have jobs, both have savings accounts, both have just started an IRA and they have learned it all at home. And why is that, becuase our school systems feels that weight lifting is more important than those things that actually happen in the real world.

Sorry people but you can not conveince me that weights should be part of school curriculum. No one has given a legit reason to why it should either.

Me personally I have a problem paying a teachers salary to sit on his/her ass while students lift weights just to help him/her to increase the sports winning percentage. They are paid to teach first and extra curricular second. If you don't want to put in the time before or after school then don't be a part of it.

I guess before I posted my opinion I should have realized I'm posting on a site full of sports freaks (including myself). Just figured people would use common sense and be realistic.

answer me this. why should the state require my kid to take 2 years of a foreign language as part of their admission requirements? to me that is a waste.

lifting weights during school isn't done just for athletes. why are you so misinformed? what most schools have done is they have created several sections of "Weightlifting/Conditioning" classes throughout the school day. There are upper classman (juniors/seniors) who do not play sports that can sign up for this class as an elective. then some of the other sections are filled up with your athletes, whichever best fits their schedules.

your main problem is thinking that school is all about going to college. it isn't. it is about socializing and learning to be productive in today's challenging world. not every kid will go to college. some will flunk out. it isn't because of the poor education more as to a combination of how poorly the school, the student, the parents, and the community did not prepare them together.

little things like making a big deal out of a weightlifting class is the problem. if you don't like it, then refuse to allow your child to take it and instead have them take an upper level math/science class. but don't come down on parents who do not object and try to parent THEIR kids the way YOU think should be best.

[HAT51]

For the record, my kids do know how to balance a check book. Both have jobs, both have savings accounts, both have just started an IRA and they have learned it all at home. And why is that, becuase our school systems feels that weight lifting is more important than those things that actually happen in the real world.

Sorry people but you can not conveince me that weights should be part of school curriculum. No one has given a legit reason to why it should either.

Me personally I have a problem paying a teachers salary to sit on his/her ass while students lift weights just to help him/her to increase the sports winning percentage. They are paid to teach first and extra curricular second. If you don't want to put in the time before or after school then don't be a part of it.

I guess before I posted my opinion I should have realized I'm posting on a site full of sports freaks (including myself). Just figured people would use common sense and be realistic.

I bet you were turned down by administration about an in school weight lifting program.

[HAT51]

I bet you were turned down by administration about an in school weight lifting program.

We have a bunch of kids that never get excercise in school. Physical fitness is what is wrong with bunch of obese Americans.

[toussaints]

There's nothing wrong with teaching teens the proper way to lift weights and exercise.

We have great discipline when it comes to staying on subject lol

[RunItUpTheGut]

In public schools, especially larger public schools, your kid has to take an initiative to learn and want to learn.
When you have 1400 kids in a school or more, then teachers are going to pass you for showing up, its the kids that will learn if they want.
Id hate to think of how many kids that graduate high school that cant even read.

[mr.charlie hustle]

Weight Lifting/Physical Education is obviously very important to the student as well as the student athlete. Proper training in same is likewise important. When you think of a comparison of Athletics and Academics which do you believe holds the greater weight and do you believe that the college coach is more interested in GPA ACT than the 40/60 times, Dead Lift, Squats and Etc. One might want to ask themselves to list former players who have made a living,raised a family and paid for a home with income from playing a certain sport. The coach can find many athletes but a much lesser number of good student athletes.