Gym Class Dad is a father to two kids, daughter of 7 and son of 9 years old at the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic. During the Coronavirus Pandemic, his kids were fortunate to be able to stay at home and attend public school virtually. Gym Class Dad took it upon himself to fill in the physical education gaps that went missing by his kids not going to in-person P.E. class or having traditional recess with other kids. Since regularly having P.E. sessions with his kids at home the results have been great from both a health and fitness standpoint and have formed a tighter connection relationship-wise. Gym Class Dad started this website as a way to document his family’s journey and to share what they’ve learned with others so that health and fitness for kids at home is possible during a pandemic and beyond.
Physical fitness has always been part of Gym Class Dad’s life. Throughout his early days Gym Class Dad participated in just about every major sport available from team sports like football, baseball, basketball, to individual sports like wrestling. After high school, Gym Class Dad immediately entered the U.S. Army and took his physical fitness to a new level excelling at military PT and incorporating additional training into his routine including running and power-lifting. As a non commissioned officer in the Army Gym Class Dad excelled individually by consistently scoring high on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and leading soldiers in daily PT sessions. Gym Class Dad was also often responsible for conducting and judging other soldiers during the APFT which required adherence to the strict and proper form of various exercises.
In addition to meeting APFT standards, strength training has always been a passion and hobby for Gym Class Dad. Squat, deadlift, bench, and press have been mainstays in his regular physical fitness regiment. The kettlebell and bodyweight exercises are other regulars continued physical fitness.
Throughout his life personal defense and martial arts have always been part of his physical fitness equation. Over the years Gym Class dabbled in many martial arts including wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, Judo, Brazilian and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, self-defense. The majority of his experience is in Kickboxing and grappling. Gym Class Dad believes that every kid and person should develop a foundation for them to be able to physically protect themselves and others when it is needed.
Outside of a lifetime of fitness, Gym Class Dad’s work experience is in the realm of process improvement. Many of the articles and tactics you’ll find on the site reflect many of the tenets of process improvement. At a high level, it is about planning, doing, studying results, and acting on things that may improve a process. This cycle continues over and over in perpetuity getting a process closer to perfection (though you never actually achieve it) or the environment changes. I take this mindset into everything I do from planning our P.E. weekly sessions, improving physical fitness, and coaching my kids on different exercises. Thank you for checking out my site and I hope you find resources here that will help you and your kids on your physical fitness journey at home!