1 . How to Prepare For a Long Distance Run

A long distance race will leave you sweaty, sore, and deeply satisfied.     1    . However, working your way up to that long run is a challenging process that requires both mental and physical preparation.

Identify your goal

    2     Long distance runs span a range from a 3K (three kilometers) all the way up to a marathon (over 40 kilometers) or an ultra-marathon (over 60 kilometers). Think about your previous athletic experience and how hard you want to push yourself.

Figure out a training plan

You probably don’t want to wait, but it’s important to give your body time to adjust to long-distance running. Depending on your fitness level, it takes a new runner about 3 to 6 months to prepare for a half marathon and about 6 to 12 months to prepare for a marathon. If you’re running a very long race, like a half or full marathon, make use of a professionally developed training plan.     3     , or you can turn to an experienced coach for advice.

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This sounds surprising but is essential. You can’t keep a quick run for ten miles, so don’t try. Pace yourself ——you can always build up speed later in your training. The most important thing right now is learning to cover a lot of ground.

Find a runner’s group

If you want to get feedback, motivation, and potential new friends, locate a runners group near you. They’re all over the place and they exist for all different levels and events.     5    .

2 . Skateboarding is fantastic. Before you can do amazing tricks (技巧) in the air, though, you need to learn the basics of skateboarding.     1    .

● Know basic movements.

The first movement is to find your stance (站立姿势). Most skateboarders put their left foot towards the front of the board and use their right foot to push themselves.     2    , if you’re left-handed. Make sure your foot isn’t all the way at the front of the board, or it will tip (倾倒) forward.

● Push off the ground

    3    . First, put most of your weight over your front foot so that you can balance as your back foot pushes. Then, balance on the board as it’s moving. It takes time, so make sure you’re comfortable balancing before you move on! Next, once you get used to balancing with your weight over your front foot, you can practice shifting your weight to another while you’re on the moving skateboard.

●     4    

You use your back foot to stop, just like you use it to push. Let the bottom of your back foot drag along the ground to slowly bring you to a stop. Move slowly to judge how much force you need to put on your back foot to brake.

● Get off the board

Once the board slows down, change your weight to your back foot. With the weight, your back foot will soon take hold of the ground. When it completely stops,     5    . Ta-da! You have taken your first ride on a skateboard!

3 . More and more teenagers are becoming unwilling to exercise worldwide. Australia, a nation that prides itself on its outdoor culture, is doing particularly poorly. It is currently ranked (排名) 140th out of 146 countries for teenage exercise levels. The data shows that 85%of girls are physically inactive compared to 78% of boys. In Australia, less than 1 in 10 teenagers aged 12 to 18 are meeting the recommended levels of physical activity.

The current guidelines and evidence show that teenagers should be doing at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. This should include muscle and bone strengthening activities on at least three days per week, meanwhile limiting recreational screen time to a maximum of 2 hours per day.

Not being active can cause a range of health conditions leading to early adulthood and beyond. Adolescents may have decreased bone and cardio-metabolic (心脏代谢的) health which leaves them facing an increased risk of chronic disease (慢性病) in later life, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and decreased fitness. If you’re not moving enough you’re also at an increased risk of being overweight or obese, with data already showing that 29.8% of teenagers (14-17) are classified as overweight or obese.

So how can we get teenagers to exercise more? Firstly, high schools should place more importance on lunchtime and allow 1-hour breaks that increase physical activity. We should also encourage teenagers to be active on their lunch break. Parents and guardians also have an important role to play and should aim to devote 1 hour a day to moving more. This does not need to be 1 full hour and can be broken down into two 30-minute parts. The most important factor is to identify your teenager’s interests and needs surrounding their physical activity.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help in finding a safe and fun exercise program. A qualified exercise physiologist or exercise scientist can help your child find a way to be more active that is suited to their needs, age of development, and interests.

5 . How to learn Wing Chun(咏春)

Wing Chun is a style of kung fu that emphasizes close fighting, quick punches(击拳)and tight defense to overcome opponents. This traditional Chinese martial art is a complex kung fu method that requires years of practice to master.     1    .

Learn the center line theory

A foundation of Wing Chun is the protection of your body’s center line. Imagine a line that starts at the middle top of your head and travels along the middle of your chest to the lower body.     2    . It must be protected at all times.

Find a Wing Chun Academy

Martial arts schools often focus on one style of martial arts, especially for serious students. Wing Chun academies or clubs may be attached to a martial arts association. Search online or in a phone book for local Wing Chun schools. And then meet with the instructors and ask about their background.     3    .

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Find an area in your house where you can practice Wing Chun. Make sure there is enough room for you to move your body around in all directions. Check by swinging your arms and legs around. You do not want your moves to be disturbed by furniture in the room.

Find a partner to practice with

Learning the movements on your own will only take you so far. Eventually, you’ll need to start learning how your movements connect with an opponent.     5    . This person can also help encourage you and give you feedback on your form.

7 . Sports play an important role in teenagers’ lives. They help teenagers keep fit and teach them teamwork. Four teenagers from different countries talk about their sports.

Li Yue, China

I do many sports, but my favourite is table tennis. I play table tennis in a club at the weekend and I’m quite good at it. On Saturday I teach some younger children to play table tennis, and that’s really fun.

Sophie, Britain

My sport is rugby. I play for the U15s, the team for players under the age of 15. My team always plays a match on Saturday or Sunday, and I usually go to practice games three times on weekdays. It’s hard work, but it’s never boring!

Ben, Canada

I love the snow and the mountains. In the holidays, I always go to the mountains with my family. I go snowboarding with my sister and other young people every day, and I’m getting really good. I want to be a famous snowboarder one day.

Laura, America

I started running when I was really young. When I was 13, I joined a club and started taking part in competitions. I have never won a race, but I’m improving all the time. That’s the most important thing for me. I’ve also made many friends since joining the club.

8 . Want to add a simple movement to your daily life? Walking may be your best choice.    1    .

Walking is good for your heart

Walking is considered as cardio（有氧的）exercise, no matter the speed at which you take it. Studies show that walking can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your resting heart rate and blood pressure.    2    . You can go for a 30-minute walk once a day or break it up into three 10-minute parts.

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What benefits physical health often benefits mental health-the same is true for walking. Just five minutes of walking can lower anxiety. If you have any kind of green space nearby, try to take advantage of it. One study showed that people who went on a 90-minute nature walk reported fewer bad feelings.

Walking can improve your sleep

    4    . Getting outside in the day for a walk can also help you stay awake in the morning and get sleepier toward the night. If a nighttime walk is your preference, experts suggest you finish it three hours before bedtime.

Walking can help with fat loss

Walking is a type of cardio workout that is good for fat loss and can help you achieve or keep a healthy weight. It should be done regularly and for long periods of time.    5    . A brisk（轻快的）pace refers to a 17-to 15-minute mile, or 50%to 70%of your maximum heart rate.

9 . Playing basketball requires natural skill.     1     if you properly condition your body, practice with the right drills, and master the mental aspects of the game. Good basketball players put in the effort and training that it takes to get better on the court, and they have the personality characteristics that coaches appreciate.

    2     Some experts believe the ability to handle the ball well is the most important skill in the game. You shouldn't have to think too hard about dribbling the ball if you practice a lot. A good way to improve this skill is through dribbling drills.

Master your passing ability. Passing is a skill that basketball players must master.     3     One is a chest pass in which you throw the ball to your teammate without it bouncing. The second is a bounce pass, in which you bounce the ball once when throwing it to your teammate. This is the hardest pass for a defender to stop.

Better your shooting. The shooters get a lot of the glory, and they are obviously critical to the game. But you don't want to be in a situation where people are blocking your shots or you miss a lot of them.     4    

Condition your body. Speed, quickness, verticality, strength, and stamina can turn any skill deadly just by simply giving you the advantage over an opponent physically.     5     They are designed for basketball offensive players to condition their body, not just exercises like you might do for fun. Coaches look for players who want to work hard to achieve good conditioning, like who has an explosive first step or who can jump 2 feet in the air.