STLCC students take a walk off campus, meet PE credit while learning about a cardiovascular workout
By: JASON JAMISON
Sports Editor
Two physical education credit hours are required to obtain an associates degree from STLCC Meramec. Beyond swimming, weight lifting and aerobics PE courses, students can enroll in an alternative – Walking for Fitness.
Brian Carroll, instructor of the course at Meramec, acknowledged that skepticism toward the class exists, yet the class is a legitimate cardiovascular workout.
“That’s the one thing that surprises people about the class,” Carroll said. “They think that it is literally going to be a walk in the park. It ends up being a real cardio workout without tearing up your body like running or basketball would do.”
Carroll said the class is about more than just walking and the students should expect as much.
“The way the class is set up is more than just about walking period,” Carroll said. “Our expected outcomes include learning about cardiovascular fitness, learning about safety and walking technique. We also cover prevention of injury.”
Carroll said that another unexpected portion of the class is a series of orientation sessions where a portion of the class is made up of lecture.
“The first four to five sessions are orientation sessions where I talk for about 30 to 40 minutes and cover the walking technique and the best equipment for the actual walking portion of class,” Carroll said. “After that 30 to 40 minutes is when we begin to walk. Finally, after the first four to five sessions, we just walk.”
Carroll said that safety is a big part of his class and that he addresses procedures to keep the class safe and instruct on the best type of shoe to wear.
“During the sessions I let them know about safety because that is an important part of the class, seeing as how our goal is to do walks in the community off campus,” Carroll said. “So walking together as much as possible is what we try to do. Watching for cars and such are the sorts of things to pay attention to in order to be safe.”
Carroll said his goal as instructor is to make sure everyone in class is reaching a good level of fitness that is suited for them personally.
“I push them,” Carroll said. “I want them to be within their target heart rate zone.”
Carroll said what makes his class unique is the individual attention each student receives.
“I think one thing that makes my class stand out is the way I tailor every session to each individual. I never tell them that we are going to walk a certain distance,” Carroll said. “I tell them that we are going to walk for 50 minutes; so it’s my responsibility to reach our goal of 50 minutes and to finish at the same time.”
In order to finish at the same time and make everyone feel included, Carroll has created a certain walking pattern. “Usually we walk in some sort of pattern similar to a square and the groups toward the back, I try to cut them through to the front,” Carroll said. “What that does is make sure that no one is getting left behind and it makes everyone feel like part of the group.”
