Honduras - From a Fitness Perspective

A couple of weeks ago, I had the great opportunity to attend a church mission's trip to Honduras.

Great trip. Great exposure.

There are so many ways to write about this trip. But, since this message is located in this particular blog the best way to talk about the trip lives in the fitness realm. I had the exhilarating chance to lead an obstacle course for kids ages 5 or 6 years old to early tween age through their schoolyard. The teenagers, on the other hand, mostly enjoyed playing futbol [soccer]. As for the obstacle course, it involved the following:

• Start - running one full counter-clockwise lap around a school-center, which measured approximately 100m in circumference. 
• After one full lap and [a return to the start line], everyone proceeded up four steps to hop-scotch drawn on the sidewalk. After finishing hop-scotch, each kid jumped back and forth over a 10-foot linear line also drawn on the ground...we're hitting at agility here. Great for kids at this age.
• After jumping, another run up about 5 steps preceded yet another hop-scotch diagram.
• Something new: no linear line here. The kids had to jump over the "idle-v" as it reached its widest end mark. If you have never seen an "idle-v" (I like to call it that), it simply resembles the letter "v" drawn on the sidewalk. When jumping, start at the bottom of the "v" on either side where it is narrow and keep jumping as the lines separate. It is fun for a kid with a lot of energy. It is more difficult for a someone who is training to improve leg power and agility. But, hey, these types of exercises can train any age level. The intensity is the thing that is lessened or increased.
• We are around half-way complete with this obstacle course - it definitely covered a vast majority of the grounds where the school-center was located. Following all of the jumps, the kids proceeded to the tire-field, zig-zagging or figure-eighting around four tires placed roughly 12 to 20 feet apart. The fifth and final tire was used as the agility part - two feet in-two feet out - just like normal tire agility training. If you can picture what five dots resembles on a domino piece, then you can picture the tire-field. However, the middle dot or tire in this field was placed at the top of the set of four. The higher two tires in the field were placed slightly wider then the two bottom tires. Come to think of it, the diagram probably looked more like a pentagon.
• Plenty of room left. From the tire-field, it was a quick run back down the second set of five steps and on to the sliding board. By now, kids were on top of each other as a line formed to go down the slide. But, these kids did not complain. They did not shove (I do not think they did). They humbly giggled and waited their turn. On to the last lap.
• Finish - Racing down the previous first set of steps, each kid scrambled to run clockwise around the building and finish back where they started. Done!
• Otra-vez ("Again")! Everyone cheered.

Through two tries total for each group  (one morning group and one afternoon group), everyone burned plenty of calories. We covered speed, agility, endurance, strength, coordination, and fun throughout this obstacle course. Oh, and a little vitamin D from the unguarded sun. To tell you the truth, anyone could run this obstacle course. But, the fact that these kids either went to school beforehand or left for school afterwards coupled with their desire to continue playing prior to their long walks home for the evening means they wanted to move. 

I know kids have a lot of energy, but we all can learn something from children. They are youthful and very energetic. They make boring things look exciting. Adults can do the same thing. The enthusiasm may go awry during our late adolescent years when we realize that certain fun activities are not cool because friends and other students will laugh or play lazy. Adults do work all day, but there is adequate time to partake in sound fitness training for working folks. Nike says, "Just do it!"

So, just do it.

During this entire one week trip, futbol was the main sport or movement activity. Futbol fields were located everywhere with their goals made of metal posts or even a fence. Big fields. Small fields. All fields spelled m-o-v-e! Even when a field was not occupied, the urge to move passed as a jolt. For Americans, it is like seeing an empty basketball court, imaging yourself dunking (even when you cannot dunk). It is a thought process. It is a culture. It is a movement.

I asked a couple of the teams in my best broken Spanish if they would like to play Team Handball. Yes, a non-American dominated sport in a futbol culture. No hands to no feet. Was not happening. Thankfully, the teens listened to me explain the sport. It was fitting that the Olympic games were being played in London during this time because it is the only time when Team Handball gets a lot of attention on the world stage. Really, it looks like a cool sport. Yet, we have never medaled in it.

For one week, it was all about futbol, hop-scotch, swings, running, sliding, see-saw, horseback, hiking, walking, bicycling, farming, and even hotel room workouts. Activity in the Danli and Linaca areas of Honduras. Amazing!

Progressing,
Derek