2 . Tennis, basketball, soccer, swimming — these are examples of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of sports in the world. People in every country play some kind of athletic game. Why do people spend so much time and energy playing sports?     1    

Good health is one big advantage to playing sports.     2     Scientists in Finland discovered that even between twins, the exercising one had more muscle, more energy, and healthier hearts and lungs. The one who did not play any sports had less energy and more fat.

    3     Another reason is that they want to be social. People who play on a team become friends with their team members and meet players from different teams. Sports games become enjoyable social events, not just competitions.

An additional reason for playing sports is that it makes people feel good. It does this in two interesting ways. First, playing sports makes people feel good about themselves.     4     Second, when we exercise, our brains produce chemicals that make us feel good. When people run around for two hours playing a basketball game, they often feel great even if they lose the game.

There are a lot of other reasons why people play sports, but studies show that the biggest reason is enjoyment. When asked why they play sports, most people said they play because it’s fun.     5    

Do you want to be healthy, socialize, feel good, and have fun? Play a sport.

3 . Many people lead busy lives and think they barely have time to work out every day.     1     They are short workouts that often involve high-intensity(高强度的)exercises. Here we explore some reasons to do micro workouts.

Require Less of a Time Commitment

Committing to exercising for a certain amount of time per week can be difficult, especially when you do not have the time or motivation to work out for an extended period. Microworkouts are good alternatives. They take up only 10 to 30 minutes of your day. Many people spend much longer scrolling through social media each day.     2    

Make Scheduling Workouts Easier

It can be challenging to commit the time needed to exercise every day,but it can also be hard to fit a workout into a tight schedule. However, a study suggests that it may be possible.     3     For example, walking your dog, using the stairs, parking farther away from adestination, or walking during your lunch break are all ways you can try.

Need No Equipment

Investing in expensive home gym equipment can be a real burden. When you decide to domicro workouts, though, you don’t need a bunch of equipment.     4     For example, you may choose to do steps on your stairs, run on the spot, or even do some star jumps. Since youcan choose what type of workout you’d prefer to do, it means that you can exercise wheneveryou please.

    5     Now that you know all about micro workouts, you can add them to your day.Get as creative as you please and think about the types of movements that suit you. You neverknow-it might just boost your health and wellness.

5 . Recess for Kids

Ask a group of kids about their favorite part of the school day and many will talk about something that happened at recess. Maybe they finally made it across the monkey bars (单杠). Maybe somebody kicked the ball over the fence. Maybe a fruit tree in a neighboring yard started to drop apples on the playground.     1    

It’s true not just according to kids, but also to adults who study recess for kids. Whether they’re inventing a new game or sitting under a tree, kids need a break — or several of them — during the school day.

Why Kids Need Recess.

There's no debate that recess, or mainly referred to as physical activity, is good for kids.

You can’t have your brains go hours at a time and retain and store information in working memory.     2     Besides, activity that involves arms and legs — running, climbing, crawling — builds new neural connections, which helps kids regulate their emotions. Studies show that after recess children are more attentive in class, perform better and have fewer emotional problems.

How Much Recess Should Kids Get.

“Ideally, children should get four 15-minute recesses every day”, says Debbie Rhea, a professor from Texas Christian University, who advocates for outdoor play in schools.     3     It is noted that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently expanded the idea to encourage recess for all students, including those in middle and high school.

    4    

In addition to simply providing enough time for recess, schools should teach skills that will make recess more successful. For instance, letting kids run fast will help them develop coordination.     5    . And even falling, is something kids need to practice to avoid getting badly hurt. To allow children to take reasonable risks with their bodies is also a wise move.

6 . Online training is one of the fastest growing parts of the fitness industry. If you’re considering joining the online fitness community, consider these benefits and drawbacks.

One of the most popular reasons for working out following an online video is that it offers ultimate convenience. No need to roll out of bed at 5 a. m. to attend that 6 a. m. boot camp class, which may end up being full when you arrive.    1    And what if you’re on the road? No problem. You can access your workout video through your phone.

    2    Most online fitness programs are much less expensive than similar offline programs—most range in cost from $ 10 to $ 20 per month. Some are even free. For example, the online Les Mills+program offers a free 30-day trial of its 1,500-plus workouts.

Online training also has broad offerings. When you head online, you have instructors from around the globe, all ready and willing to help you master your favorite moves.    3    Just because there isn’t a Krav Maga class in your area doesn’t mean you can’t go online to find one led by qualified instructors.

All these are undoubtedly positive-online training provides fitness resources to general consumers wherever they are, without requiring access to a gym or fitness studio.    4    

Very few online fitness programs enable the instructor to see you, check your form, and offer corrections based on your performance.    5    This is particularly concerning for beginners, as they’re more likely to do incorrectly. Besides, if you struggle with self-motivation and prefer a social workout environment, online fitness may not be for you.

7 . If you’ve fallen off the exercise wagon (健身车), it can be hard to get back into it even if you know about its advantages.     1    

Step 1: Be gentle with yourself.

You are probably worried that you’re not as fast as you used to be.     2     If you’re busy judging your performance and what’s not happening, you can’t focus on what it is. Just be brave to start over from where you are now.

Step 2:     3    

Be smart about the frequency and duration (持续时间) of your exercise, especially during your first few weeks back to exercise. Spreading them throughout the week rather than being a weekend warrior (勇士) and gradually increasing your activity levels will help you avoid injury.

Step 3: Make things convenient.

    4     When it comes to finding the time, keep your training short and effective. In this way, you don’t need to think of it as a time-consuming activity. All you need is 15 to 30 minutes of running to keep up your workout.

Step 4: Try getting it done first.

Everyone has a different sweat style, whether you prefer dawn exercise or are more of a night owl. By getting the exercise done first, you have less chance to make excuses to leave out the workout later in the day.     5     That feels good.

8 . The Growing Popularity of Cycling

They say once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Most of us learnt when we were kids, and many still strap (系好) on our helmets, put our feet on the pedals , and shoot off for a ride around the streets. In recent times, cycling has seen a boost in popularity.     1    

First, let’s look at the health benefits. Cycling can improve your cardiovascular (心血管的) health and burm excess body fat. Strengthening your leg muscles in your calves (小腿肚) and thighs (大腿).     2     A long ride in the countryside could help you to clear your mind, or de-stress. But it’s not only about your body and mind— there are also some plus sides for your wallet’s health.

Cycling can be a great way to commute (通勤) or get about town.     3     If you do drive into work, sometimes finding somewhere to park can be a nightmare, whereas finding somewhere to chain your bike up can be much simpler. Then, on the train, there are changes at stations and other commuters speaking loudly on their phones to deal with. And if you’re worried about safety, there are designated cycle lanes in many major cities. Wearing high-visibility clothing is another way to improve your safety when cycling on the roads.

    4     It can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not pumping out fumes into the atmosphere is better for the planet and your own environment.

So, whether people want to cycle for their health, getting about town, their wallet, the environment, or a combination of all of them—    5    

10 . Sports day! These two words can inspire both joy and terror in the hearts of students everywhere. For many, sports day can be a great day of fun and the chance to bag a prize or two.     1    

Today, more and more schools have recognized the importance of exercise.     2     They hope that by making sports days less competitive, children of all abilities will be motivated to take part without fear of losing. Exercise and fitness is important for everyone, no matter how good at sport you are.     3    

However, some people feel that it’s important that sport has winners and that learning to lose is just as important as learning how to win.     4     Particularly, on a sports day which is your chance to really prove yourself!

There are lots of people who agree with the idea—parents in particular! According to a 2017 survey by Families Online, 82% of parents say they prefer “traditional” competitive sports days.     5     It’s also an opportunity for some children to show off their physical and sporting skills.

People have different ideas about whether it is the winning or the taking part that counts when it comes to school sports days. So, should School Sports Day be competitive or not? We want to know your ideas.