Gymnastics education

The habit of fitness should be acquired at a young age.

L’abitudine al fitness dovrebbe essere acquisita in giovane età.

For many years physical and sporting activity has been interpreted mainly as leisure or competitive performance.

These two aspects are certainly important and have led thousands of people to try their hand at various sports, but the importance of motor activity has been overshadowed with a view to preventing many diseases and as a fundamental part of the physical and mental hygiene of the body.

In the United States (a country where the problem of obesity is very much felt) the American health care recommends at least half an hour a day of exercise three times a week for the benefit of the heart.

In this regard, researchers at Harvard University, have discovered by studying 17 thousand students for years that the risk of heart attack decreases by almost 50 % compared to a sedentary person who consumes at least 2000 calories per week with exercise.

This is achievable for any normally gifted individual who goes to a gym equipped for cardiofitness exercises and follows (after a medical examination of suitability) regularly the directives of his instructor, or, if he prefers, (always coordinated by a qualified teacher) engage in outdoor motor activities (walking, jogging, cycling …).

In Italy, the “Report of the Health Status of the Country 1999” of the Ministry of Health states that: “Playing a sport or even just doing physical exercises regularly can have a protective effect against cardio and cerebrovascular, osteoarticular and metabolic diseases.

One of the objectives of the National Health Plan 1998-2000 is therefore to increase the diffusion of the physical and sporting activities carried out continuously (at least once a week) among the population.

Without going into the specifics, we can affirm the preventive and curative value of corrective-postural gymnastics both in the treatment of paramorphisms in school-age children and in the prevention and treatment of the annoying cervical-back pain that for various reasons (sedentary work, heavy work, many hours of driving in a car, …) afflict many people.

The results of recent Canadian studies state that a good motor education set with continuity and quality on children since primary school has positive effects on healthy adult habits.

Finally, we should not overlook the recreational aspect that characterizes the practice of motor activity and that helps to deepen the knowledge of your body, then sport and motor activity for all (choosing the one that you like most and is more consonant with your physicality) but with gradualness and moderation, followed by qualified and trained staff.

In gyms in there is a serious programming is increasingly important collaboration with a doctor available to customers who establishes a constructive relationship with the teaching staff.

The family doctor, following the directives of the Ministry of Health, should, by way of prevention, stimulate and direct their patients towards motor activity.

(from “Giornale di Brescia” 29/09/2001)