Introduction to Sports
The Lesson Activities will help you meet these educational goals:
· Exercise—You will participate in physical activities that get you moving.
· 21st Century Skills—You will apply creativity and innovation.
Directions
Please save this document to your desktop. Type your answers directly in this document for all activities.
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Self-Checked Activities
Read the instructions for the following activities and type in your responses. Click the link to the Student Answer Sheet at the end of the lesson. Use the answers or sample responses to evaluate your own work.
Choose Your Sport
In these Lesson Activities, you will choose one of two options. The first option is to participate in the training regimen of a boxer. The boxing information can be found in the knowledge article. If you need a place to record your punch combination, you can use the table below. The first punch has been done for you.
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8jab
9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16
Your second option is to participate in a sport of your choice. For this option, you must join an after-school sports team or program. The activity must involve a sport that is physically challenging, such as boxing, karate, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, gymnastics, wrestling, figure skating, racquetball, rowing, hockey, cheerleading, dance, football, or track and field. You must participate in the sport for a minimum of five days.
1. Boxing or Choose your Sport–First Session
Answer these questions before you begin your first activity. Once you have answered all the questions, complete the circuit training program in the knowledge article. You will complete two full boxing circuits in this session. As an alternative to boxing, you can attend the first session of your sports program.
a. Which option did you choose? Boxing? A different sport? Why did you choose it?
Sample answer:
I chose to do the boxing training activity because I don’t know anything about the sport. I think it looks interesting. I hope to pick up some basic boxing skills, but I also see it as an opportunity to build muscle.
b. What do you hope to learn from participating in the activity you selected?
Sample answer:
I hope to learn the basic moves and stances of boxing. I understand that I won't be boxing with another person, but that’s OK. These exercises seem like a good starting point. I really want to understand how to put together combinations. I’ve seen professional boxers throw combinations on TV, but their hands move so quickly that I can’t catch the finer details of the sport. Maybe this will be an opportunity for me to find out more.
c. Do you foresee anything holding you back from completing this activity?
Sample answer:
I’m concerned whether I will have the stamina that it takes to box. I often see boxers getting very tired after only a few rounds of boxing. I think I’ll need to improve my fitness levels before I can build my boxing skills.
d. Do you have any goals for completing this activity? If so, what are they? If not, try to think of at least one goal that you could try to achieve.
Sample answer:
My goal for the activity is to adopt the training methods boxers use. I work out regularly, but I've been doing the same exercises for a long time. I want to learn some new exercises that I haven't done before and try to master them as best I can. I want to build my endurance level by at least 50 percent. If I'm able to cope with these exercises, I might even consider joining a boxing club.
e. Is there any aspect of this activity that concerns you? If so, what is it?
Sample answer:
My parents are concerned that boxing is a violent sport and that I should perform a different sport for this activity. But I told them there is no physical contact in these exercises, not even with a punching bag. That’s actually one of my concerns. I’m concerned that I won’t really understand the mechanics of the punches if I don’t get to hit a bag of some kind.
2. Boxing or Choose your Sport–Second Session
Complete the circuit training program in the knowledge article. You will complete three full boxing circuits in this session. As an alternative to boxing, you can attend the second session of your sports program.
a. Compare how you felt after the second workout with how you felt after the first workout. Were you more energized or tired? Did you experience any soreness or muscle pain?
Sample answer:
I was more energized in the second boxing session than the first. I did the exercises without any major problems, but I still have a long way to go. My shoulders are sore from throwing so many punches, but they’re not painful.
b. What was your favorite part of the workout and why?
Sample answer:
My favorite part of the boxing workout was shadowboxing. There’s just something fun about throwing punches in the air when you know that you won’t get hit. I felt like I was getting pretty accurate with my punches. Without the shadowboxing, I’m not sure that I’d like the activity that much.
c. What was your least favorite part of the workout and why?
Sample answer:
My least favorite part of the workout was the jump rope exercise. I’ve never been good at jump rope. Most people think jump rope is for little kids, but it’s really a serious cardio workout. After struggling for a few minutes with the rope, I had to give it up and do the jumping jacks instead.
d. You are learning specific sports skills during your workouts. Do you think these skills can transfer to other sports? If so, which sports? If not, why not?
Sample answer:
The circuit training program was specific to boxing, since it made use of boxing punches. But the jump rope, push-ups, crunches, warm-up, and stretches can all be used in different sports. I feel that a cardio exercise like jumping rope is basic enough to be used in almost every sport that requires a high level of physical fitness. The push-ups and crunches can be used in training for sports that demand greater upper body strength, like tennis or baseball.
e. Did you warm up, cool down, and stretch before and after the workout? Why or why not?
Sample answer:
I warmed up and stretched before the workout, because I know this can lower my chance of injury. The stretches keep me from getting stiff muscles, especially when the number of circuits goes up. I did the cooldown for about five minutes. I walked around outside for a few minutes as part of the cooldown
3. Boxing or Choose Your Sport–Third Session
Complete the circuit training program in the knowledge article. You will complete four full boxing circuits in this session. As an alternative to boxing, you can attend the third session of your sports program.
a. Was this workout any easier than the workout in the second session? Why or why not?
Sample answer:
In some ways, the boxing workout was easier. I worked on what I learned from the last two sessions, and was better prepared to do the exercises. I don’t seem to need as much rest between circuits. This time, I ran in place instead of jumping rope. That makes my workout easier. I sometimes forget the punching order, so I just improvise as if I’m in a real match.
b. Compare how you felt after the third workout with how you felt after the second workout. Were you more energized or tired? Did you experience any soreness or muscle pain?
Sample answer:
During the third boxing circuit, I almost felt as if I couldn’t continue. But I pushed through the crunches and just kept going. I got a second wind. I don’t remember that happening in the second workout. When the workout was over, I felt quite good. I still have some stiffness in my shoulders, but no pain.
c. If you participated in the team sport or activity, were your teammates helpful and supportive? If you participated in the boxing circuit, have you established any kind of support system? If so, who is it?
Sample answer:
I don’t know if he’s a support system, but my friend was at the gym with me when I completed the boxing circuits. He didn’t do the warm-up or the stretching with me, but he did shadowbox while facing me. We didn’t make any contact of course, but the workout was a lot more fun having him around.
d. How long did it take you to complete your third workout? Where did your workout take place?
Sample answer:
The session, including the breaks, warm-up, and cooldown, took me about an hour to finish. I worked out next to the weight room at school. There are mats where the wrestling team practices, but their season is over so the room was empty.
e. If you performed this workout every day, do you believe it would improve your level of fitness? Could it impact your life in a positive way? Why or why not?
Sample answer:
I think if I did this every day, I would see improvements to my cardio and flexibility. Right now, my high school is hosting football tryouts. I’ve always wanted to see what football is like, but worry about making the cut. I talk about it, but never do it. Keeping up with a regular workout could give me the confidence to try out for the team.
4. Boxing or Choose Your Sport–Fourth Session
Complete the circuit training program in the knowledge article. You will complete five full boxing circuits in this session. As an alternative to boxing, you can attend the fourth session of your sports program.
a. People of all ages play sports. Think about the sport you just participated in. Who would you recommend this sport to? How old are they? Why might age be a consideration for this kind of sport?
Sample answer:
In general, I’d recommend boxing to someone who’s between 18 and 30. The boxing workout can be done by anyone since there is no contact. But I think that when striking is involved in a real match, the person should be an adult. They can’t be too old, because they would lose some of their quickness, so I listed an upper limit of 30 years.
b. What do you believe it takes to achieve in this sport? Explain. Consider using one or all of these ideas: physical fitness, mental fitness, strategy, and diet.
Sample answer:
In boxing, you must have the best cardio and flexibility possible. I think boxing requires more speed than strength. If you had a real opponent, your mind would have to be sharp. For example, if you got hit, you’d have to ignore it and try to stay focused on your strategy. That would not be easy to do. Nobody likes getting hurt. I think boxers need to have good planning skills and be able to improvise if their plans don’t work. A boxer needs to eat right and at the right times. During my own workout, I knew that I did not leave enough time between eating and exercising because my stomach sometimes felt queasy. This could hurt a boxer’s performance.
c. Describe the offense and the defense in the sport that you chose. What tactics are used on offense or defense? What is the goal of each?
Sample answer:
In boxing, offense is throwing punches and moving around. The goal is to gain points by striking. On defense, I suspect the goal is blocking punches so you don’t get hit in the head or the body. To do well on offense, you’d have to throw punches fast and hard, trying to find holes in the other person’s defense. To do well on defense, you’d have to move around a lot, duck, and keep your hands up.
d. What forms does sportsmanship take in the sport that you’ve chosen? Give one or more examples.
Sample answer:
In boxing, sportsmanship would be throwing punches in the approved areas. You can’t hit the back of the head, for example. It would be bumping gloves before and after a match. Sportsmanship would be congratulating the other person whether you win or lose. Maybe you’d help them up off the ground if they fell down. It could also mean listening to the referee and following all directions.
e. Which sports are similar to the sport that you’ve chosen? How are the sports similar? How are they different?
Sample answer:
Boxing is similar to any one-on-one sport where opponents go head to head. I think it’s like wrestling, karate, and mixed martial arts. The sports are similar in that they require one opponent to overtake another. They are different in how that is accomplished. For example, karate and mixed martial arts are about striking. But wrestling is about putting someone in a hold without hitting them. Boxing and wrestling have been around for a long time. I think karate has too.
5. Boxing or Choose Your Sport–Fifth Session
a. For this session, participate in a completely different sport. For example, if you have been playing basketball, play volleyball or soccer instead. If you’ve been doing the circuit training program in the knowledge article, design a new boxing circuit. Come up with a new punch combination for shadowboxing and enter it into the table below. Change the supplemental exercises in the circuit too. For example, instead of jumping rope, push-ups, and crunches, you might choose to jog on a treadmill, lift weights, or do sit-ups. You may vary the time of each exercise if you wish. Place the new exercises for your circuit in the table. Once the table is filled out, incorporate it into the circuit training program in the knowledge article and perform the circuit training program. You can choose to do between two and five circuits.