Reconnecting with “Heart”
By Marla Richmond, M.S.

If you rely too much on machines to set your style and stride, you risk becoming immobilized in the likely event of a computer crash. Instead of depending on back-up plans, take a step back and try making alternative plans. You may find new direction in your own natural resources. You also may reconnect with yourself and others with a little less haste and a lot more “heart.”

TECHNICAL BREAKDOWNS BRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW DIRECTION

The afternoon that I began writing this month’s section, my computer had evidently caught a virus. Among other symptoms, the keyboard went haywire. About every ten key strikes, it froze. Then, it would suddenly spray the page with a stream of random letters. After about two hours of running virus scans and restarting the computer, in utter frustration, I resorted to a novel idea. I grabbed a month’s worth of notes, a pad of notebook paper, a pen, and wrote it in longhand. I did it while working out on my elliptical trainer.

That evening, while preparing dinner, I reached into my purse to retrieve my cell phone in order to call to my elderly, out-of-town mom. It wasn’t there, so I attempted (unsuccessfully) to locate it by calling it from my landline. I am ashamed to say that I could not call her because my contact list, and thus, her telephone number, was in the phone and not my head. How ridiculous is that? In kindergarten, didn’t we all know “important” telephone numbers by heart?

The next morning after breakfast, I filled my water bottle and headed to the basement, excited to do a high-intensity cardio workout on my incline trainer. Having pressed the start button, the belt rolled to my 3.2 mile per hour warm-up pace. After about five minutes and a few dynamic stretches, I pushed the incline button to 20%, only to hear a loud, crunching noise followed by the deck crashing to a 5% decline.

After several failed attempts to reboot it, it was clear that my cardio workout plan would be taking a new direction - outdoors. I stomped upstairs to hunt for my heart rate monitor, but then remembered that the battery in the accompanying wrist device had died three weeks earlier. I struggled into my snow boots, put on my hat, gloves, and coat, and stormed out the door. Rather than an incline, the challenge would become a snowy winter trek in a seriously chilly Chicago wind. It was so awesome!

Stepping back for new direction - what I learned

• Combining a cardio with a written expression may result in an unexpectedly creative product. Current research has shown that the brain becomes sharper during and following physical activity. There is also something very authentic about composing a piece in longhand.
• Reserving some space/memory in our own brains might be the difference between connecting or not. Remembering phone numbers and birth dates of loved ones (and making time to call them) makes them feel as important as they are.
• Using our own “equipment” as frequently as we do electronics may be surprisingly exhilarating. While there is convenience and comfort in the use of indoor cardio equipment, crashes occur more often than you may think. There must be other options. Besides, it is nearly impossible to get same-day repair service on fitness equipment. Even in cold, winter climates, with proper attire, an outdoor cardio can provide an ample training/exercise challenge and a welcome change of scenery. Calling a friend to join you can also be a great opportunity to connect.

KIDS GET PUMPED ABOUT A VERY VITAL ORGAN

“Have you ever heard your heartbeat?” kindergarten teacher, Nikki Kohlenbrenner, asked her students. When she pulled out and demonstrated the use of a stethoscope, they were mesmerized.

I had asked Nikki that very question nine years ago when she consulted me (very sedentary) at age sixteen. Today, at 25, she remains both a client and a friend. She is an avid exerciser, runner, and teacher. She and I discussed the importance of teaching heart-health to children when they are young.

We pondered how we might combine our efforts in introducing some basic exercise principles and practices, as well as present the value of physical activity to her kindergarten class. We decided to begin by having the students connect with their own bodies. I suggested we let them hear their heartbeats using stethoscopes. Then, we would teach them how to feel and associate the beat of their hearts with different levels of movement and physical activity during the course of a day.

I ordered stethoscopes and together, Nikki and I created the lessons. We called the unit, Heartbeats, the title of an educational poem/song I wrote a few years ago, an excerpt of which is written below.

Did you know your heart’s a muscle?
Well, in case you didn’t know,
it must beat strong throughout your whole life,
‘though it strength seems not so show.
You cannot pose or flex it, or pump it up to brag,
But guaranteed if you challenge it, this muscle will not sag!

HEARTBEATS
	By Marla Richmond, M.S.		AND Nikki Kohlenbrener, B.A.

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

The students will:

• Learn that everyone has a heart
• Be asked to locate it on their chest
• Be asked why they think they have a heart
• Be introduced to a stethoscope
• Learn how to listen to and count both, their own, and their classmates’ heartbeats using a stethoscope
• Be able to identify activities that increase the heart rate from that of a resting heart rate
• Attain a basic understanding of the relationship between different levels of movement and physical activity, and the resulting increases in heart rate or number of heartbeats per minute.

Materials: Stethoscopes, one per 4 children Various magazines to use to make collages Large Construction paper (1 per every 2 children) Glue, scissors Worksheet for recording the heart rate of all students under four conditions: Resting Thinking Movement involved in the tasks of daily living Lively play/physical activity PROCEDURE: DAY 1 A. Gather students on a rug or in a semi-circle at their desks Ask them why they think we have a heart. Have them locate it on their bodies. Show them a stethoscope and demonstrate how it is used. Explain to them that we use a stethoscope to listen to the heartbeat. Warn them not to shout into stethoscopes! Choose one or two students to demonstrate how to listen to their own heartbeat.

Assessment:
You will be able to assess whether or not the children understand how to measure their heart rates by looking at the numbers on their completed worksheets. Walk around while the children are working on their collages, and observe whether or not they understand the types of activities that require greater effort and therefore increases in heart rate.

Differentiated Instruction:
Students who are developmentally capable of writing should write the names of the activities underneath the pictures they glue onto their collage.

Reflections of the Hearbeats Unit
By Nikki Kohlenbrener

I began the unit by having the children find their hearts and simply feel the beat for a short period of time. Then, I told them that I was going to play a song (Marla Richmond’s song, entitled, Heartbeats) and that they were going to dance for a few minutes. The kids LOVED the song and really got into dancing to it.

When I stopped the music, I asked the children to feel their heartbeat again. Without providing them with any clues, I asked them what they thought was happening to their hearts. Immediately, almost all of their hands shot up. They shouted, “It’s beating really fast!”

I drew a T-chart on the board. I asked the kids to brainstorm about possibilities of other activities that they might do to get their hearts beating fast. The kids caught on quickly. They gave me examples like soccer, biking, and swimming. Most of their ideas were activities in which they had previously participated. The children had so many ideas that I ran out of room to write.

After the discussion about activities that make the heart beat fast, I asked them to come up with times that they think their hearts beat slowly. They gave examples like watching TV, sitting and listening to the teacher, sleeping, and reading.

We discussed the importance of taking care of their hearts and doing things that will get their hearts beating fast for a while at least once a day. I asked them to think about an activity they would enjoy doing at home with their families - one that would get their hearts pumping.

I introduced a writing prompt to them. It was a piece of paper with space at the top of the page to draw a picture. On the bottom of the page was stated, “To make my heartbeat faster I will________________________.” I used this as the assessment after my heartbeat lesson. I am happy to say that 23 of my 25 students knew what to write.

The next day I introduced the children to stethoscopes. They were so excited to see, touch, and use them. I put them in small groups and let them listen to their friends’ hearts. They had a blast!

About a week later, we were making a class book about summer. The writing prompt on the bottom of the paper was “In the summer I like to__________________because___________________.” I walked over to the table of one of my students named Kevin. He completed his paper as follows:

“In the summer, I like to play soccer because it makes my heart beat fast! This made me so happy! Not only had the lesson and its message gotten through to him, he was still thinking about it! Now that is success!

EXTRA CREDIT

For reader-friendly information about cardiovascular health and exercise:

Read about cardiovascular exercise and heart-health from The Physiology Storybook: An Owner’s Manual for the Human Body, 2nd edition, by Marla Richmond, M.S.

After reading the above-mentioned section in the Physiology Storybook, use these two worksheets (explanation for using worksheet 1, worksheet 1) (explanation for using worksheet 2, worksheet 2) to see if you can create your own cardio, both indoors or out.

Learn about the link between fat-burning and cardiovascular exercise by reading this Northwestern University Fit-bite entitled, “Oxygen: The Key to Getting Lean and Fit.”

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