Policy for Outdoor Physical Education
Classes
Learning to exercise in a variety of weather conditions is a part
of the curriculum; it is the student’s responsibility to dress appropriately
for the weather during outside activities.
The guidelines below are designed to assist students in dressing
appropriately for outdoor activity and assist staff in determining when outdoor
activities are appropriate.
- All Physical
Education Teachers in a particular building must be consistent in
decisions regarding inside or outside classes.
- Decisions may change
as the weather changes from period to period during a day.
- During indoor
activity units students must be notified of any lessons planned for outside.
- A student’s failure
to dress appropriately for the weather will result in their having to stay
indoors and lose their participation points for the day as they will not
be able to meet that day’s objective.
Rain:
- Students should stay
indoors during any heavy rain.
- If the rain is just a
mist or light enough so that the students are not wet for their next
period class then they may be outside.
- Consideration will be
taken regarding wet ground and mud but students shoes may get wet and they
should bring an old pair for use on rain days.
Temperature:
- Students may be
required to go outside in cold temperatures when given notice to be properly
dressed.
- During periods of
high winds the wind chill factor should be taken into consideration.
- During cold weather
outdoor activities students will move indoors as soon as the activity is
completed. (Students should not be
sitting out in the cold.)
Excuses:
- Students
with medical restrictions must still dress for class and will be required
to perform an alternate safe activity. (Ex. A student returning from
an illness may ride the stationary bike inside at an easy pace to maintain
cardiovascular conditioning.) If a student misses three or
more classes or needs adaptations for a prolonged period of time a doctor’s
excuse is required.
- Students
who are excused from all types of physical activity may be required to
complete a short written assignment during class.
Advanced
Physical Education Classes:
- Students
in this course will be required to participate in more extreme conditions
as their training levels allow for.
Recommended Tips
Dressing for
Cold / Wet Weather Exercise
Avoid
heavy, bulky garments
Unless your doctor has advised against it, there's usually no
reason why you can't continue your favorite outdoor activity year-round,
provided the weather isn't extreme.
In winters past, the standard advice was to bundle up with cotton
long underwear, a thick scarf, a heavy parka, and so on. Today, winter sports
and fitness enthusiasts know that a layered system of high-tech, lightweight
fabric is more comfortable.
"Layering helps you hold onto your body heat and prevents the
retention of perspiration on your skin," says Edward Laskowski,
M.D., co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo Clinic, Rochester,
Minn. "The idea is to have layers that you can easily put on or take off
as conditions change. Many winter fabrics are now lightweight and so
compressible that you can carry them easily in a small backpack, fanny pack or
pouch."
How should you prepare yourself for an outing on a cold, wet and
windy day? Dr. Laskowski has some tips to make the
most of your layers:
·
Layer 1. Closest to your skin, wear a thin layer of synthetic microfibers such as polypropylene to wick sweat away from
your body. Look for long underwear products and turtlenecks that feature this
wicking action. Avoid cotton, which absorbs and holds moisture close to your
body.
·
Layer 2. This is your insulation layer. Try synthetic fleece — a lightweight,
quick-drying material that provides good insulation. A front zipper on your
insulating layer allows you to release excess body heat and perspiration.
Fleece can be treated to be water-resistant, and it may be sufficient alone as
your outer layer when it's not too cold.
·
Layer 3. This is your shell, your front-line defense against the elements.
You want it to be as windproof and waterproof as possible. If the day gets warmer,
you can always take off this outermost layer. There has been a steady advance
of technology for wind- and waterproof fabrics, the best known of which is
Gore-Tex. In extreme cold, a windproof shell with goose down lining provides
excellent retention of body heat without weighing you down.
·
Hands and feet. Your hands and feet — the farthest points from your heart and the
least insulated — are highly vulnerable to cold. Wool or polypropylene socks
are a good choice for insulation and wicking moisture from your feet. Remember:
If your boots are too tight or you have too many layers of socks, this can
reduce circulation and make your toes even colder. All-climate shoes are
available for winter jogging or hiking. These shoes have a water-resistant
outer covering and soles that provide traction and stability. In extreme cold,
use gloves or mittens that employ the same three-layer system described above.
Polypropylene glove liners are a relatively inexpensive accessory that may help
keep your hands drier and warmer inside your gloves or mittens. In general,
mittens are warmer than gloves because they retain more heat around your
fingers.
·
Neck and head. You lose a lot of body heat if your head is exposed to the
elements. Again, you'll appreciate something like wool or fleece that wicks
away perspiration from your head. Cover your ears. Some skiers favor a fleece
head sock (balaclava), which covers your whole head and neck and provides
openings only for breathing and vision. Face masks that cover your nose and mouth
also are helpful for protecting your face on cold, windy days, and they keep
the air that you breathe warmer and more humid. Goggles or wraparound
sunglasses will protect your eyes from both wind and ultraviolet radiation.
Wear sunscreen, especially at high altitudes. Look for a lip balm that contains
sunscreen.
How Cold Is Too Cold?
Under
most conditions, it will not be too cold to exercise outdoors, provided proper
clothing is worn. However, there are
some instances where the temperature will be such that exercising outdoors will
be ill advised. The thermometer is not
always the best way to judge if it is safe to exercise outdoors. The best way to determine "cold" is
with the wind chill index. Because wind
exacerbates heat loss, it can have a substantial cooling effect on the
body. Individuals who plan to exercise
outdoors during winter weather should always consult the wind chill index to
ensure that it is safe for outside activities.
As a rule of thumb, any wind chill temperature of less than minus 20
degrees Fahrenheit should be viewed with caution; a wind chill of less than
minus 70 degrees is potentially dangerous.
Exercising
with a Cold
Research published by the
The authors reiterated a useful model
for exercising during a cold. If symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing or
scratchy throat exist (so-called "above-the-neck" symptoms), it is
probably safe for an individual to exercise at a lower intensity. If these
symptoms recede in the first few minutes of exercise, intensity may be
increased accordingly. Exercise is not, however, recommended for individuals
experiencing "below-the-neck" symptoms of a cold, such as fever, sore
muscles or joints, vomiting or diarrhea, or a productive cough. Persons with
such symptoms are urged to allow the illness to run its course and resume
physical activity when the cold is gone. The results of this study allow us to
conclude that "above-the-neck" symptom sufferers will not experience
prolongation or exacerbation of their illness if they do moderate-intensity
exercise
The
Exercising
with Asthma or Exercise Induced Asthma
Despite the fact that asthma may be brought on by aerobic activity, exercise may still be a desirable option for many
asthmatics. Research indicates that as tolerance for physical exertion is built
up over time, it is less likely that an asthmatic will experience an attack during
exercise. And, in addition to reducing the risk of developing many other
diseases, appropriate exercise can help asthmatics reduce stress, sleep better
and feel more energized.
It might surprise
you to know that even world-class athletes, such as Olympic gold medalist
Jackie-Joyner Kersee, continue to compete after being
diagnosed with asthma.
Have a thorough
medical evaluation and obtain your doctor's permission before beginning any
type of exercise program. This is an absolutely essential first step. Your
physician may prescribe medications that might further aid in controlling your
condition. You will need specific instructions on when to take the medication
before exercising and how long the effects will last.
Once you have
received clearance from your doctor to begin an exercise program, consider the
following guidelines:
Take extra time
to warm up before exercising. A prolonged period of low-level aerobic activity
will help prepare your body for higher-intensity exercise.
Exercise toward the
lower end of your target heart rate. Exercises such as walking or swimming are
great for asthmatics because they are low intensity and may be done for longer
periods of time. Those who wish to participate in higher-intensity exercise,
such as running or fast-paced sports, should slowly increase intensity over
time.
Rest when
necessary and listen to what your body is telling you. Strength-training
exercises are unlikely to cause an asthma attack if you rest between sets.
Avoid exercising
in polluted environments, or in cold or dry air.
Don't rush
through your cool down; extending it can help prevent the asthma attacks that
occur immediately following an exercise session. A warm bath or shower may also
help.
KEEP YOUR
OPTIONS OPEN
Asthma does not necessarily mean you have to live an inactive life. Regular
physical activity is one of the best things you can do for both your health and
your overall well-being. As long as you and your physician are comfortable with
your level of activity, nothing should keep you from doing the activities that
keep you happy and healthy.
References
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise® is the official journal of the
Study: "Effects of a
rhinovirus-caused upper respiratory illness on pulmonary function test and
exercise responses," Thomas G. Weidner, Beth N. Anderson, Leonard A. Kaminsky, Elliott C. Dick, and Terry Schurr,
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise®, May 1997, Vol. 29, No. 5.
American College of Sports Medicine Fit Society Page, winter edition 2001
American Council on Exercise, Fit Facts, Exercising in the Cold
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education
and Research (MFMER), All rights reserved.
"MayoClinic.com"