The Kinesiology Department led a “Get Up and Move” campaign October 1 through 7 to support our initiatives and further connect with our community. The campaign highlighted the national exercise guidelines of at least 150 minutes of physical activity, while giving the community an opportunity to pledge their support and help Kinesiology launch future health and wellness initiatives.
“During this week, departmental faculty, staff, and students pledge to complete at least 150 minutes of physical activity,” said Dr. Sarah Shultz, Chair of Kinesiology. “We will track our minutes and you can watch progress on our website, or through the College of Arts and Sciences Facebook page and new Instagram account.”
She added, “On October 8, we will celebrate the end of our inaugural campaign with one of our new community partners, U-Power, by participating in their annual dodgeball tournament, Dodge for a Cause.”
Although the physical activity challenge is over, you can make a gift at any time:
Give now here - choose "Get Up & Move - Kinesiology" from the dropdown menu (the 10th item in the list.)
Employer matching gift programs can increase the impact of your gift to Seattle University. As a non-profit organization and 501(c)3 charity, Seattle U qualifies for many of these programs
With a high workload and young family, I get my activity where I can. My top 3 ways to Get Up and Move?
1. Active commuting. Seattle has more hills than outsiders realize and walking between the ferry and campus is a great way to get up and moving.
2. Running with my dog, Gus. Research has shown that owning a dog promotes fitness and activity, and I can attest: Gus is my favorite running partner.
3. Hiking with my family. We love to get out and explore, and Washington is great for that! We pick hikes and walks that the kids can enjoy, with plenty of stops to explore the wildlife.
I get my 150 minutes of PA each week mostly through my favorite activity, running! I can often be found running the streets and trails of Seattle with my 3 year old black lab, Stella, my husband, or my friends from the Seattle Greenlake Running Group who I train with. I also enjoy cycling and swimming and have done several triathlons in the past.
I am currently training for my 5th marathon, the Chicago Marathon! I am running the Chicago Marathon for the charity group Team Challenge to raise money for the Chrons and Colitis Foundation of America. As an ulcerative colitis patient myself, I know just how important staying physically active is for not only my physical health, but also my mental health. I truly believe that keeping myself physically active along with medical therapy has helped to keep my disease in remission for over 4 years! Physical activity will always play a huge role in my life!
I get my minimum of 150 minutes of activity each week by training for the sport of weightlifting, which mostly involves different barbell exercises. This type of training is beneficial for increasing total body muscular strength and power. The contested lifts are the Snatch and Clean and Jerk, where the barbell is lifted from the ground to and overhead position.
Physical activity comprises a considerable portion of my identity. I learned lifting technique from my Dad early in high school and proceeded to engage in multiple sporting events through my teens and twenties. After moving to the city, I discovered I feel the most alive when I am surrounded by nature. So, I use hiking and weekend adventuring as my primary avenue of physical and mental activity. When I get trapped in lightning storms and am forced to run for it, I for sure reach my 150 :)
Physical activity should be fun! Around the PNW, if you want to keep your sanity, you must have something to keep you active in every season. I love to snowboard, but in the summertime I have to find something else to do (usually cycling), but this summer I learned how to ride a summerboard! It looks like a longboard but rides like a snowboard on concrete. Much easier to be physically active when you’re having a blast!
I have never been very athletic, so for most of my life exercise has not been enjoyable for me. I went through a period of time where I felt like I had to run in order to receive the benefits of physical activity, but since I did not enjoy it, I wasn’t motivated. I reframed my thinking and decided to take walks (something I love to do) instead, and with this shift, I found myself very motivated to exercise each day. It feels great to take my daily walks around campus, and since I enjoy this activity, getting my 150 minutes each week is now a part of my life!
I get my 150+ minutes through running, resistance at the gym, and at work! I love cardio, feeling my heart work hard during exercise and recovery makes me deeply appreciate my body's strength. I work at Trader Joe's up the hill which involves a lot of walking and lifting - come stop by and see me get my 150+ minutes!
I am a third-year kinesiology undergrad. I complete my 150 minutes of weekly physical activity by participating on the SeattleU women’s swimming team. When I’m not swimming, I like to strength train or walk around the city for exercise.
I love to lift! Lifting is my favorite way to get in my 150 minutes of physical activity each week, and I often find myself getting far more than that because I enjoy the process so much. The type of lifting I focus on is powerlifting, which involves the three main barbell compound movements: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. These lifts recruit the most muscles, which is why I emphasize them in my workouts even though I don’t actually compete in powerlifting. Exercising can feel like a lot of work at times, but finding ways to be active while doing the things you enjoy is the best way to get it done!
I get my weekly exercise 150 minutes by running at SU park and at UREC. I love to run because it helps clear my mind and is a great stress reliever. I also do weight workouts at UREC as well.
Earlier in the summer, the College of Arts and Sciences announced the addition of the new Master of Science in Kinesiology, set to begin Fall 2020. The incoming program has encouraged our Kinesiology Department to consider innovative ways to engage faculty, staff, and students with research and the community.
The first initiative will establish a Mobile Equipment Laboratory (MEL), transforming an ordinary vehicle (RV, Box Truck, Cargo Van) into a space that is capable of answering important questions surrounding any individual’s quality of life and quality of movement. “MEL takes full advantage of cutting-edge wearable technology, which will provide flexibility not only in how we research and how we educate, but also in how we connect with our community,” said Dr. Shultz.
Students, staff, and faculty will use MEL for engagement and outreach to schools, groups, and communities. It can provide hands-on learning experiences for Seattle U students, developing leadership for better health promotion and better science promotion.
“Get Up and Move for Kinesiology” donations support the launch of the new master’s program, and initially focus on getting MEL ‘up and moving’: purchasing of the infrastructure (RV/Box Truck/or similar) and necessary research equipment. Other program needs include student and faculty research funds, internship/fellowship assistantship sponsorships, and scholarship opportunities.
Kari Berkas
Program Coordinator
206-296-2454
berkask@seattleu.edu