Teacher says effective exercise does not have to make you sweat

Movement education teacher and coach Siim Tõnisson says exercise does not need to leave people drenched in sweat to be worthwhile. He made the remarks on ERR’s morning programme Terevisioon.

Tõnisson’s new book, Learning Through Movement 2, focuses on games and explains which skills each one develops. The book is aimed primarily at preschool children and grew out of a year he spent working with that age group and learning what activities engage them.

When developing skills, the number of repetitions matters more than the intensity of the exercise, Tõnisson said. He compared technique practice in javelin and shot put with games: a game of tag may leave children sweaty, while a game that develops coordination or throwing skills may not, but can still help them learn.

Tõnisson added that children’s tradition of playing games has weakened, and that playing sports in the yard no longer comes as naturally to them as it once did. He said the digital world was also competing for their attention.