Work and Labour (not included in blog count)

This week we covered what work and labour are and how hey relate to us as humans and our occupations we do during our life.

Labour is activity that corresponds to the biological process of the human body, it is something that we do from start to finish. Its something you "have" to do. Its about survival.

Work are the things that we want to do rather than the things we need to do, activity that corresponds to the unnaturalness of human existence. Things you choose to do within life is considered work. Work brings joy to us.

The activity of exercise is what I consider to be work, the joy I create for myself when I arrive at the gym ready for my class is exciting, the atmosphere in the room, with the loud heart racing music brings back memories of when I used to live in New Plymouth. These memories are of me using exercise classes as a way to relax after a hard day of study at my then "chefing" course. I could remember the smell of the gym, it brought with it a sense of working hard to sweat out the tension from the day, this is a bit of ambiance in itself, the smells, memories, lighting, people, all add to why i saw the gym as a means of fun, work and activity.

BLOG 6. Final Blog

In this final blog I’m asking myself what I understand exercise to be now that I have covered exercise in relation to ambiance, affordance, ergonomics and practical considerations.

I have come to discover that to me exercise holds valuable memories; these memories are portrayed through the four components above and each one holds different insight into how exercise makes me feel. I am a firm believer that what you put in is what you get out, this being a part of the ambience of exercise, the memory linked to this is one when I was living in a different city and I worked hard exercising for four months and I got so much more out of it than I have this time round living in Hamilton (this memory is my motivator). Ergonomics and Affordances are the structure to exercise, I am now aware of how I see that I fit into the larger picture within exercise and how I can adapt to the environment and vice versa. And Lastly Practical Considerations, the vital tools I need to complete my activity, I have learnt that without these tools I can-not successfully carry out exercise, memory plays a huge part in practical considerations where I must remember each one of them in order to make exercising run smoothly which is hard when there’s so much other influential things I need to remember.

This brings me to my final consideration of how right now Stress is influencing my exercise routine. What exercise routine?? At the moment I don’t have one; my head is so full of study that I can barely think about going to the gym, as Fiennes (1999, p.  17) states when a person is in the most dedicated routine of exercising they can be thrown into the winds by a stressful event. This is exactly how I feel right now, so I think back to last year at this time when I was in the same situation and remember that even though it was hard I kept my routine up as much as I could and it helped remarkably, moral of the story is what you put in, you get out! I love exercise.

Fiennes, R. (1999). Fit for life: Reach your personal best- and stay there. London: Butler & Tanner Ltd.

Student peer review: Lucy Kelly: Spirituality post, Sarah Mete: Reflections of running and inspirational nana, Isabella Circa: Me and My scrapbooking, Megan-lee Carrington: Getting ready for the game and Fatuma Salat: Affordances part 2.

Butler, M. (2011). Participation in occupation two: BT238001 [Lecture notes]. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago Polytechnic, School of Occupational Therapy.

 Christiansen, C., & Townsend, E. (2010). Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2^nd Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Fiennes, R. (1999). Fit for life: Reach your persona best –and stay there. London: Butler  & Tanner Ltd.

Hixon, S. (2011). Photography and spirituality: The inner world of the borderline photographic personality.

Medycyna & Sportowa. (2011). Health benefits of doing physical exercise yoga reported by the students of the academy of physical education in Katowice, 2(4), 123-131. Retrieved from EBSCO HOST database.

Stephens, S. (2010). Peter buck center for health and fitness. Architectural Record, 198(11), 120-123. Retrieved from EBSCO HOST database.

 

BLOG 5. Pulling out Affordances/Spirituality/Ergonomics/Communication

I decided to do two 1hour classes this day, as this time my day allowed for this extra time as I didn’t have a lot of study to do, this is an affordance for me. The first class was Body vive which involves strength and endurance of all your muscles. I started out running late to the class, so i joined in and as i felt my body starting to warm up and my muscles start to engage and physically and mentally i started to feel more a part of the group. Hixon.,S (2011) describes a part of spirituality for them as asking themselves what is more important, the taking of the photo or the finished product where people can gaze an enjoy it vicariously, which brings joy to the viewer and the taker. This was somewhat similar to how I feel as I become more a part of the group. For myself to be able to enjoy the class I need to feel one with them and enjoy the moment and people.

This reference from Hixon., S (2011), helped me to understand that different elements of an activity can activate spirituality, whether this be seeing others happy because of what I have accomplished or that I can use others around me to help me feel a part of the fitness class and this gives me belonging.


By the end of the first session i was pretty drained, but i had made an agreement with my flatmate that she would pick me up at 6 o'clock which was another hour, so i started my second class, this communication with my flatmate is essential to our expectations of each other and the harmony between us, after the session i felt amazing, lean, fitter and healthier, this all aids in the essence of my personal spirituality and happiness.

Hixon., S. (2011). Photography and spirituality: The inner world of the borderline photographic personality.

BLOG 4. Week 38 Affordances

This week our focus is on affordances.

M. Butler (personal communication, October 2011) states that when we are occupied we bring about changes in the human world and these activities/occupations can also bring about changes in us. In my activity of exercise, changes are being made to the environment and also by me, these changes occur from the affordances from the environment that allow the change to occur, these happen around me while I’m exercising. An example of an affordance is communication with my fitness instructor when I am exercising. The feeling of non-verbal communication given out from my instructor to me is the key for changing how hard I work on that day. They take on a trainer/ trainee role the way they communicate with their environment (the fitness group/class), they are motivators for the group and this brings about change in the way I think about what I am doing and the intensity I go to achieve my goals.

Ethically fitness can be a burden and this can be a press on the mental state that I am in about exercise. Burden on my activity is the motivation to actually attend my gym classes, the weather and studying (tired), in terms of affordances on this the environment can change how I am feeling, i.e once I am in my fitness class the feeling of burden is lifted because the environment allows for this as stated above. A change has occurred in me once I am occupied.

I have learnt that not only can affordances in the environment inflict change but I can also have impact on change, this can be changes in mood, motivation, others around me or a physical change in my body mind and soul.

BLOG 3. Week 37 Ergonomics

Ergonomics

Exercise has a vast number of ergonomic factors, these making up a large portion of how I do exercise, the adjustments I make within it and how I adapt myself and the equipment to match the environment so that everything interrelates in close, safe proximity with the person (me), the activity and the environment.

M. Butler (personal communication, October 2011) refers to fitting the person with the activity to identify the person’s inspirations and motivations. When exercising I choose specific classes to go to as I am fitting myself to the activity and choosing the classes that best motivate me to engage. To get a good outcome from my fitness class I go at the appropriate skill level, when using weights in my classes, I choose the correct ones for where my fitness level is at today. The environment in which I perform my fitness of strength, endurance and flexibility is the gym/group classes as this offers the most degree of stimulation and appropriateness for my activity. Accessing the person/activity and environment in the best way possible is facilitated by me engaging in the exercise activity willingly due to the environment allowing an accessible and welcoming warmth for my exercise that day.

The reference of M. Butler (personal communication, October 2011) Fitting the person with the activity, making opportunities for this activity and this person in this particular environment has helped me to gain a wide understanding of why I do exercise the way I do it, where I do it and what motivates me, inspires me and allows for me to realise my skill levels and adapt these to fit with everything else that I need to think about when I exercise.

BLOG 2. Ambiance and Practical Considerations

As  Stephens, S (2010) describes ambiance in their fitness building as the clear organization of the building having the heavy duty grunty work out area on the lower two levels and the lower intensity, yoga activities in their own space on the top floor, this enhances the functions of the building, the hallways of ivy surfaces reflect the leafy traditional environs memorably, this is similar to how I view my exercise place. The gym has a special feel about it; the intense group workout sessions are to one side of the building and are on the very top floor. The light shines in giving it a warm vibe, with the windows open and the people spread out, it has such a comfortable, fitness feel about it. Looking out the windows you see building tops. The loud music aids that feeling of freedom. As I walk in to the gym from outside I can hear the yelling and puffing from the fitness class before me and it gets me excited, this really is the essence to exercise, i love the feeling of harmony within myself that it brings.
This quote has helped me to understand that ambience is the essence of the activity, whether for exercise this is the gym that it is performed in or the way it makes me feel, i understand that exercise has many different components in the way it can make a person feel.

The practical considerations are those things that I need to aid my time while exercising, these being equipment of large weights, resistance bands, fitness gear that need to pack before I go, and never forget my drink bottle that is properly the most important item, giving me re-hydration. I will need my gym key and towel to catch the sweat dripping from my brow. Among the practical considerations lies the car to get there, making the time for exercise and most of all what class i will attend. These things are the practical items or thing/s I will need to do my activity, without these exercise is just not enjoyable.

Stephens, S. (2010). Peter buck center for health and fitness. Architectural Record, 198(11), 120-123. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from EBSCO HOST database.

BLOG 1. Semester 2 Participation in occupation 2

This semester is all about an activity or task that we will do as students for the next few weeks. We will draw from 6 blog entries that will portray ergonomics, ambience, affordances and practical considerations of our activity and show how these have helped us gain a better understanding of our chosen activity in relation to us as students, to be Occupational Therapists, our future clients and environment.

My chosen activity is Exercise:

Exercise is involving the body in movement; this can be slow walking, jogging, running, strength and resistance training, endurance training, weight loss and fitness training and more. Exercise is something that has a love hate relationship with people, for some they can’t go a few days without exercising and for others they may not have exercised a day in their life.

I exercise at the gym at least 4 times per week. I attend group classes of about 10 to 100 people and the classes range from weight training to aerobics fitness. I enjoy exercise; it keeps me feeling good and helps to keep my head clear. It is a relaxation tool that I wouldn’t go without. “The studied system of exercise contributed mostly to the improvement of general well-being and relaxation skills” (Medycyna. & Sportowa. 2011). Exercise improves my well-being and helps me to relax after a strenuous day, i see exercise as one of the most influential means of health to my body.

This quote has helped me to understand that its written in the studies and litrature that exercise really is such a healthy tool to use in everyday activities and can be used not only for increasing fitness or strength but for relaxation tools and improving well-being. With this comes many more possiblities for raising a persons enthusiasm for the activity.

In practice context I would exercise not only for fitness and strength, but for stress, relaxation, weight loss, a therapy tool, a motivator, a routine and a socialisation activity/tool used in peers or groups.

Working in a team as an O.T it is vital to stay on top of yourself mentally and physically.

Using exercise myself I will be able to pass my own experiences on to my clients in the hope that together we may explore different avenues more suited to their wants and needs.

Medycyna. & Sportowa. (2011). Health benefits of doing physical exercises yoga reported by the students of the academy of physical education in Katowice. 2(4). 123-131. Retrieved from EBSCO HOST database.