Group Helps People Exercise Outdoors
2024-11-27
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1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
2In Edmonton, Alberta, the sun had yet to come up.
3The temperature was more than 20 degrees below zero.
4In the dark and cold, Tanis Smith was ready to run up and down hundreds of stairs among the trees in the Saskatchewan River Valley.
5And Smith was not alone.
6Ten people joined her for the activity.
7All were wearing several layers of clothing to keep warm.
8"You're pretty much just putting everything you own on," said Smith, an accountant.
9"If you look at the pictures, you don't know who you are unless you remember what you were wearing."
10Since that winter back in 2013, Smith has rarely missed a workout with a group called November Project.
11November Project is a network of free outdoor group exercise classes that started in Boston, Massachusetts.
12No matter the weather, members get out of bed before sunrise at least once a week and go outdoors for group exercise.
13November Project is part exercise, part fun, and part community.
14It is a model for exercising outdoors, especially in the winter.
15It started in 2011, when two friends agreed to exercise every morning for the month of November.
16They were looking for accountability and motivation to help them stick to an exercise routine.
17By the end of that first month, they had invited others to join them.
18Soon, their meetings were bringing in almost forty people. And it became a year-round project.
19"A party is better when there's more people around. We would talk to anybody who would listen," said Bojan Mandaric.
20He created the project with friend, Brogan Graham.
21Then, as people moved to other cities, they took the idea with them.
22So, the November Project grew.
23Now, there are 52 groups in eight countries, including 44 in the United States and Canada.
24People of all ages and fitness levels join the workouts.
25Some groups begin with something called "The Bounce."
26They chant and jump at the same time to bring the group together.
27Those who feel inhibited, do not have to do this.
28Most classes include running and body weight exercises like squats.
29The project also uses the surroundings of the location.
30So, for example, some places include running up steps in an outdoor sports stadium.
31Currently in D.C., members meet on Wednesdays to run up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
32To keep the workouts fun, they also might include fun games and activities from childhood.
33In Edmonton, they play snow games in winter and water games in summer.
34The games help to lower inhibitions.
35This helps people make connections, said Jason Shaw. He is co-leader of the Indianapolis, Indiana group.
36"Nobody (is) cool at November Project," he said.
37Shaw said groups recognize members' milestones.
38People can earn prizes for reaching different goals.
39To find out if a November Project group is near you, go to their website at November-Project.com.
40Building community and making friends is another big part of the project.
41So, each group is active on social media.
42If you do not have a November Project nearby, you can find another type of outdoor exercise group.
43Or start your own.
44The November Project organizers offer a few suggestions on how to work out during colder months.
45Find workout friends.
46At the center of the project, is accountability.
47Members promise to show up.
48There is a sense of letting down your teammates if you do not show up, said Mandaric, who moved to Boston from Serbia to row crew for Northeastern University.
49(Rowing crew is a type of boat racing.)
50Invest in some cold-weather clothing
51There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, said Shaw, the leader from Indianapolis.
52He suggests wearing clothing next to your skin that removes sweat.
53This will help keep you warm and dry.
54Avoid cotton, he warned.
55It keeps sweat in contact with your body and will make you colder.
56Also, add a top layer that protects against bad weather.
57On its webpage, the November Project leaders for Washington, DC say workouts are not cancelled for weather.
58Promise yourself to exercise on the same days and times for a month.
59Create a routine.
60This will make it easier to stick to an exercise routine, says Mandaric.
61And make sure to have fun.
62Exercise does not have to be hard or serious.
63Smith, the member from Edmonton, Alberta, says she enjoys the social part of the November Project the most.
64She calls it "a chosen family."
65They came together because they had fun exercising. She said.
66"You can have fun and get fit."
67And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. 2In Edmonton, Alberta, the sun had yet to come up. The temperature was more than 20 degrees below zero. In the dark and cold, Tanis Smith was ready to run up and down hundreds of stairs among the trees in the Saskatchewan River Valley. 3And Smith was not alone. Ten people joined her for the activity. All were wearing several layers of clothing to keep warm. 4"You're pretty much just putting everything you own on," said Smith, an accountant. "If you look at the pictures, you don't know who you are unless you remember what you were wearing." 5Since that winter back in 2013, Smith has rarely missed a workout with a group called November Project. 6November Project is a network of free outdoor group exercise classes that started in Boston, Massachusetts. No matter the weather, members get out of bed before sunrise at least once a week and go outdoors for group exercise. 7November Project is part exercise, part fun, and part community. It is a model for exercising outdoors, especially in the winter. 8It started in 2011, when two friends agreed to exercise every morning for the month of November. They were looking for accountability and motivation to help them stick to an exercise routine. 9By the end of that first month, they had invited others to join them. Soon, their meetings were bringing in almost forty people. And it became a year-round project. 10"A party is better when there's more people around. We would talk to anybody who would listen," said Bojan Mandaric. He created the project with friend, Brogan Graham. 11Then, as people moved to other cities, they took the idea with them. So, the November Project grew. Now, there are 52 groups in eight countries, including 44 in the United States and Canada. 12What do the workouts look like? 13People of all ages and fitness levels join the workouts. Some groups begin with something called "The Bounce." They chant and jump at the same time to bring the group together. Those who feel inhibited, do not have to do this. 14Most classes include running and body weight exercises like squats. The project also uses the surroundings of the location. So, for example, some places include running up steps in an outdoor sports stadium. Currently in D.C., members meet on Wednesdays to run up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 15To keep the workouts fun, they also might include fun games and activities from childhood. In Edmonton, they play snow games in winter and water games in summer. The games help to lower inhibitions. This helps people make connections, said Jason Shaw. He is co-leader of the Indianapolis, Indiana group. 16"Nobody (is) cool at November Project," he said. 17Shaw said groups recognize members' milestones. People can earn prizes for reaching different goals. 18To find out if a November Project group is near you, go to their website at November-Project.com. Building community and making friends is another big part of the project. So, each group is active on social media. 19If you do not have a November Project nearby, you can find another type of outdoor exercise group. Or start your own. 20The November Project organizers offer a few suggestions on how to work out during colder months. 21Find workout friends 22Find workout friends. At the center of the project, is accountability. Members promise to show up. There is a sense of letting down your teammates if you do not show up, said Mandaric, who moved to Boston from Serbia to row crew for Northeastern University. (Rowing crew is a type of boat racing.) 23Invest in some cold-weather clothing 24There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, said Shaw, the leader from Indianapolis. He suggests wearing clothing next to your skin that removes sweat. This will help keep you warm and dry. Avoid cotton, he warned. It keeps sweat in contact with your body and will make you colder. 25Also, add a top layer that protects against bad weather. On its webpage, the November Project leaders for Washington, DC say workouts are not cancelled for weather. 26Make it a usual activity 27Promise yourself to exercise on the same days and times for a month. Create a routine. This will make it easier to stick to an exercise routine, says Mandaric. 28Make it fun 29And make sure to have fun. Exercise does not have to be hard or serious. 30Smith, the member from Edmonton, Alberta, says she enjoys the social part of the November Project the most. She calls it "a chosen family." They came together because they had fun exercising. She said. "You can have fun and get fit." 31And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo. 32Albert Stumm reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it into a lesson for VOA Learning English. 33________________________________________________ 34Words in This Story 35layer -n. one thickness or fold over or under another 36call-and-response -n. statement quickly followed by an answering statement 37chant -n. a rhythmic, one-tone statement or song said out loud 38squat -n. an exercise in which a standing person lowers to a position in which the torso is erect and the knees are deeply bent and then rises to an upright position 39burpee -n. conditioning exercise in which a person squats, places the palms of the hands on the floor in front of the feet, jumps back into a push-up position, in some cases completes one push-up, returns to the squat position, and then jumps up into the air while extending the arms overhead 40inhibition -n. a restraint or check upon the free or spontaneous instincts or impulses of an individual guided or directed by the social and cultural forces of the environment 41milestone -n. a significant point in development 42crew -n. the sport of rowing a boat, causing it to move through water using poles with flat ends called oars 43sweat -n. the fluid excreted from the sweat glands of the skin 44routine -n. a standard or regular way of doing something