I chose this activity because we have PS classes only once or twice a week and I like to exercise regularly. I chose kickboxing because I can learn self defense and a new sport at the same time. It will increase my stamina and flexibility which will also help in other sports like basketball. A kickboxing coach will come to my home every day and will help me strengthen my power. I will do cardio, weightlifting and learn fighting techniques. It will also help me increase my flexibility and stamina.
Why did I choose kickboxing as my CAS activity-
- I wanted to learn a new sport
- It improves coordination
- Burns calories
- Develops concentration
- Helps build muscle strength
Learning outcomes I met were:
L1 Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
Knowing my strengths and weaknesses is one of the key part of learning and getting better at this sport. I already knew how to play Karate hence I thought kickboxing was similar but it was not so I had to start from the beginning. Personally, I am very flexible hence learning kickboxing would be easy for me but I have low stamina and I am not good at weight training which is essential to learn kickboxing. Being aware of my weaknesses would help me reflect and do them again and again so that I can turn them into my strengths. Doing this would help me excel at what I was not good. It can lead to personal growth as if I knew my strengths during a match I could use that to my benefit and help defeat the opponent. I started developing my stamina by running before the class and also I started eating healthy food so that I could have more energy. Knowing my weaknesses and turning them into my strengths helped me benefit during the matches.
L2 Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
During the process of learning kickboxing, there were some challenges that I faced. I knew to learn a new sport I would have to give a lot of hard work and dedication. I would have to manage my time by studying in the morning so that I could go for kickboxing classes in the evening. This helped me improve my time management skills, I reduced going out with my friends and watching movies, I made a study schedule to make sure I did not lack behind in my academics. I had a habit of sleeping late and waking up on my normal school time if I wanted to practice and keep up with my studies I would have to find a way to sleep on time and wake up early for camps. At first, I was not that consistent at waking up early so I had to miss a few days however I pushed myself to wake up early as my sleep was a sacrifice I was willing to make so that I could go for kickboxing class in the evening. This helped me as I was consistent in attending the classes hence I was able to learn new kicks and punches easily.
L3 Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience
To become more organized I developed a weekly schedule which consisted of my study time, free time, exercise time and the subjects I would study. Usually, I am not that organized. Planning was relatively easy than following the schedule. This was because if I am tired after school I would not be in the mood to study but then as soon as I made the schedule I tried to stick to it as much as possible and then gradually I could completely follow it. I discovered that I am really good at planning and organizing I did not know this as I had not tried to plan anything before. Now that I have learned it I think it would be easier in the future. It is important to plan and initiate as without that developing new skills or learning new things would be difficult.
L4 Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Staying committed to something is the key to learning it or becoming better at it. Without practice there would be no result, we can also see this during studies. My interest in this game helped me to work harder at it. I was committed to my goal and had the desire to learn it and therefore I was able to achieve it as I knew if I learn this game I would be able to participate in tournaments. I woke up early to go study and in the evening I would go to kickboxing class. I used to wake up at 5:30 in the morning and studied for 1 and a half hour every day. After school, I went to play kickboxing for an hour or went to the gym to build my muscle strength. Some days, I practiced at home and worked on my punching skills. When I lifted weights at the gym my muscles became sore and it was really difficult to play the next day however I knew what my goal was which helped me stay on track. I found solutions to the problems I faced and I overcame every challenge and this definitely shows commitment and perseverance.
During this activity, I showed commitment, developed time management skills and identified my strengths and weaknesses. This was a really good experience as I got to learn new skills and then implement it. I also faced challenges and adopted strategies to overcome them hence it was very beneficial for me. I could now protect myself in dangerous situations hence it also made me independent in a way.