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This contemporary project may prove useful in other communities and environments. The design of the club can be transferable into other contexts with the same concrete aims and goals we have established. The model itself is quite not specific to any demographic in the population and therefore this design can be replicated elsewhere with simplicity.
We must think critically where this model could be used in the context which is most relevant to us as future physical educators which is a school context. The overwhelming increase in physical inactivity, which is a direct cause of juvenile obesity, is prevailing throughout the country each year. This made2move club model could be used as a weapon to fight this hindering trend.
The pod activities could certainly be transferred to a school-context. You could select a group of four students each week to conduct a 30 minute fitness class for their entire year. This class could be executed after school on Wednesdays (Irish Schools often have half-days on this day). This class could also be executed instead of a C.S.P.E lesson because there is normally more than one C.S.P.E lesson a week, therefore, students may have 5 minutes to get changed both before and after, and the lesson may last 30 minutes. These activities may obey no restrictions besides the imagination of the students conducting the lesson and the resources present in the school. This may give the students the opportunity to demonstrate creativity and leadership. These activities may be executed across each year group in the school and the 'pod groups' may consist of two, three or four members depending on the size of the year groups.
In relation to the mentor/mentee model, I think that this could certainly prove successful in a school context with some slight changes. The students could definitely be paired up for the entire school year but I propose that the mentee/mentor roles could be shared between the two students. The pairs may be selected at random and for the first half of the school year (September - Christmas), one student may be the mentor, and the second half of the school year (January - June), the other student may be the mentor. This gives everyone amble opportunity to play both roles in this project. Each mentor may be provided with a 'Mentor Resource Pack' which consists of guidelines and advice for conducting a program for their mentee. These packs can be changed and packed full of useful information which the students must then assess and implement. The screening processes could be held before the commencement of the program and after which assess progress. The pair with the best combined results (In terms of body composition improvement, muscular strength improvement etc.) could receive a prize at the end of the school year.
Evidently, the model must be slightly altered because students would be apprehensive about playing the mentor role because of limited knowledge surrounding exercise prescription. However, most models need to be adapted to suit the relative situation and this proves no different. The use of creativity and innovation would be vital in adapting this model to suit your specific school. This process could prove time consuming but an altered model of made2move could definitely thrive in any school in Ireland.

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2018 Mentee Physical Activity Planner - Chris 2018

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Account: The second semester presented a new challenge in the form of a new mentee with similar intentions as mu previous one. This student wished to increase his knowledge and understanding surrounding resistance training with a view to increase his overall fitness and well-being. This presented the incredibly simplistic task of replicating the same program I produced in Semester 1 as this program is exceptionally relevant for beginners. I am good friends with Jacques and therefore, I knew his lifestyle and physical activity levels before implementing this plan.
I already completed strength and conditioning sessions with Jacques in the past and this made it simplistic to assess his current level and construct goals for him to strive for. Throughout the weeks, I completed his plan with him on five separate occasions. These meetings allowed me to assess his progress and instruct him on points to improve on. The main points that arose were perfecting his technique or 'form' because he would sometimes compensate his from for an increase in weight which is not good practice. I also introduced him to compound movements such as barbell bench press, squat and deadlift at the 6-week period. This allowed him to incorporate these more advanced movements into his training after constructing and solid foundation in the previous 6-week period. I gave him variations of exercises and small advice on numerous occasions when he questioned me on his training.
His steps target were set at 10,00 per day. He struggled with this goal both at the start and at the end of his program. He commenced the program with achieving approximately 8,000 steps per day which gradually rose to 9,000 over time. This started to decrease due to his relentless college schedule and he was achieving just 6,000 to 7,000 steps per day. However, a compromise was struck and I urged him to complete simple 15-20 minutes cardio sessions in the gym before or after his resistance training as a prolonged 'warm-up' or 'cool-down' to compensate for his lack of steps which he completed for the last 4 weeks of the program. This gave him an adequate balance of both cardio-respiratory training along with muscular strength training.
Jacques' progress was consistent and evident over time. His strength in all aspects of weight-lifting increased by a mean of 10% which is quite significant. His self-efficacy and confidence benefited the most from this program as he reported increases in both. His awareness surrounding his diet and food increased due to his newly established health-conscious mind. He developed healthy and productive lifestyle patterns and routines which will certainly continue past his program. He encountered many set-backs and obstacles to conquer like college timetables and disappointing weekly completions of his plan but these brought opportunities to learn and grow.
Overall, we both enjoyed the experience and we both felt that Jacques found the program helpful in his future endeavors in an healthy lifestyle.

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Weekly Accounts and Reflections of My Mentee Program

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Weekly Accounts and Reflections of My Mentee Program

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Weekly Accounts and Reflections of the Made2Move Club Project

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Weekly Accounts and Reflections of the Made2Move Club Project

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Factors which Influenced the Club's Structure

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Factors which Influenced the Club's Structure

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Rationale Behind the Instigation of the Club

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Rationale Behind the Instigation of the Club

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2018 Mentee Physical Activity Planner - Jacques Moore 2019

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- A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives

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My mentee thoroughly enjoyed his participation in his mentee program but he decided that a relentless strength and conditioning program would not be wise with his fore coming sporting season of GAA and soccer. However, he does intend to continue to incorporate strength and conditioning at least once or twice a week for the foreseeable future.
This choice made by Chris gave me the opportunity to embark on a new journey with a new person in semester two.

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The final week of the program for my mentee was the seventh week after the introduction of the program itself.
This week was exceedingly productive and consistent for Chris as he was eager to end the program as he started it.
We saw increases in strength across all exercises and his ability and technique improved due to his neurological development. His strength was improved by approximately 10% which was quite significant.
He gained more confidence and assurance throughout the weeks and he genuinely enjoyed the fresh challenge of strength training.
His weight increased by 2 kilograms due to the addition of lean muscle. I would expect that his body composition improved dramatically as the proportion of fat mass to fat-free mass would of dropped due to his increased activity.
The physical changes he endured were not especially monumental but I think the mentality changes which he adapted were of more value to him in the future. He developed an understanding and knowledge regarding strength training and nutrition. He found that he could be exceedingly more efficient with his time and therefore accomplishing more in a day or a week. He found confidence in a gym environment which can prove daunting to the majority of people.
Therefore I found that both Chris and I benefited from this entire process and experience and we both continue to remain in contact as friends.

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The sixth of Chris' program was projected to be the last but we decided to extend it by a week because of his poor adherence last week.
Thankfully, Chris achieved all of the targets stated in his program along with maintaining a healthy balance with his academia and club training. This small victory of completing one week of productive behaviour would urge me to ask Chris why he could not complete this every week and therefore creating habits, routines and procedures which accumulate into success, progress and results.
Chris felt eager to break down his macro goals into small daily achievements which disintegrate large daunting goals into small steps. This skill can be transferred to absolutely any goal you wish to accomplish.
Therefore the tools and methods which I wish to kindly equip Chris with to construct his physical fitness, may be used to build other projects he wishes to embark on. Thus, making Chris an empowered citizen.

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No Class - N/A.

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Description: The penultimate instalment of made2move lectures revolved around innovation praxis. This dealt with the topics of agile development and social innovation regarding our evolving model of made2move.

Reflection: The concluding class of this project provoked everyone involved to reflect on the previous weeks.
The negative aspect which hindered every side of the club was certainly the poor reception received by the club from the students of UCC. The attendance at pod activities was exceptionally under-whelming and the lack of members initially was disheartening.
Additionally, mentor's and mentee's attitudes were inconsistent and often lacked true conviction.
The main positive of the project was that it certainly provided a solid foundation for the evolution of the club in the not too distant future.
Additionally, the positives achieved in the form of lifestyle changes completed by the few mentees that chose to adhere to the trusted advice of their mentors.
I felt that we all learned and grew as people by shaping our traits of leadership among many other positive attributes which we acquired throughout this process. The role of guiding someone and accepting responsibility was vital to our understanding of what it is like to be provide a professional service in the fitness industry.
The main message I took away from this semester was the sheer determination, perspiration and dedication necessary for any project to succeed. It altered my perspective on failure, I learned that mistakes and down-falls can be an opportunity to learn and grow. It taught be that not everything goes to plan and therefore runs smoothly.
To conclude, success in anything is not linear, there may be both good and bad moments but it is vital how one reacts and adapts to these obstacles on the journey to results and success.

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Description: The tenth week of the made2move project was heavily based on the role of the made2move officers.
This set of four of our peers were vital to the structure of the club. This group of confident, assertive and understanding individuals provided a key path of communication between the lecturers and the mentors. They provided moments of insight and advice from their point of higher perspective. They played a role of a supervisor to pod activities and the major events of the club throughout the previous weeks.
They possessed a greater knowledge and understanding surrounding the club and this extensive knowledge proved useful to anyone who asked these officers numerous questions about any topic revolving around this movement.
They stood as a point of contact for mentors as someone approachable, trusted and understanding.
Their role was much more time consuming and difficult than the role of an officer. They held many responsibilities and they must convey the attributes which provide the perfect mould for a mentor.
The class content consisted of conversing about these topics and progressing the evolving model of made2move.

Reflection: The selection of officers could of been handled better. Instead of previously selecting a group of mature students, the class could of held elections which consists of students voicing what they could bring to the club at such a position of responsibility.
This was a common theme through the weeks, a theme of decisions being made without the consent or input of the second-most important people of this movement, the mentors (The first being, the mentees). The original design of the club had no input from any mentor and I genuinely think this is the reason for lack of engagement from the mentors. This truly felt like a project subjected upon us to carry out as oppose to a project invented by us to carry out. Although there was a clear indication that the club was ours to promote, we never conceived the ideology behind the club. For example, no mentor knew that the club had a stand at the UCC club's day. Major decisions could be dealt with through the use of voting.
Perhaps the first semester could of been used to design the club with all opinions taken into account and the second semester could be used to launch the club.

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The fifth week of my mentee's program was one of the most disappointing weeks in terms of progress and adherence. Chris missed two of his strength and conditioning sessions but still maintained his club training.
This was directly related to the relentless volume of college work subjected to Chris as he assured me that he needed additional time to focus on his education. This was simply sufficient for me because this period in people's lives can be hectic and pressuring. It is wise sometimes to prioritise your time to objectives which need your immediate attention.
Restricting deadlines and exams may force us to focus on college work ahead of fitness. I think this is justified once this adjustment is only temporary and a balance must be achieved to live a healthy and productive lifestyle.
This set back was minor but the learning outcome was crucial for Chris and I. We established that Chris must be more efficient with his time to achieve all of his goals. There could be less time spent on social media or procrastinating and more time chasing his aims and goals.

There are 960 Minutes in a day minus 8 hours which is allocated to sleep. Make them count.

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Online courses such as this one could of been taken by every mentor prior to the commencement of this project.

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Design thinking is an approach to creative problem solving. It is a human-centered approach to innovation that will transform the way you develop products, services, and organizations.

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The fourth week of my mentee's program was similar to the previous ones.
I had a rendez-vouz with Chris to acquire an extensive knowledge on his progress to date. He seemed to be genuinely enjoying the plan and his improvement in strength and technique has been exponential. I assured him that these gains often occur to people who newly endeavour in strength training. These neurological and physical adaptations are rapid and extensive. These adaptations will continue to happen for the next 3-4 weeks until  the progress seems to dwindle or diminish completely. This will be combated by variation and progression in Chris' training. I will introduce barbell training and more advanced weight lifting if Chris is eager to continue with the program.
In conclusion, his training is going well and besides a few minor set-backs in terms of his busy college timetable and progressing technique, he is progressing gradually and he is certainly on target.

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It's startling to consider but, according to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, less than 5% of American adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day. Could it be that most of us aren't associating "exercise" with "fun?" Even if you aren't an athlete, you can still have a good time while working up a sweat. In fact, here are 50 ways you can put the fun back in fitness. (See also: Fitness for Those Who Hate Exercise)

1. Challenge Yourself

Try Tabata Training. Developed in Japan by Dr. Izumi Tabata, this is a 4-minute routine consisting of eight work/rest cycles. (See also: Ways to Exercise in Under 5 Minutes)

2. Dance

Many fitness centers offer dance classes specifically designed to sculpt and tone your body.

3. Bend With Friends

Take a yoga class with friends and share a healthy dinner together afterward.

4. Pump Up the Volume

Load your MP3 player with upbeat, fast-paced music for cardio sessions and add a slower playlist for cooling down and stretching. Shuffle your music to keep things interesting.

5. Catch a Little TV

Watch from your exercise bike instead of your easy chair. Just starting out? Take a rest during the commercials and pedal through your favorite program. (See also: Things to Do While Watching TV)

6. Get Social

According to research conducted by the University of California's Department of Preventative Medicine, people who exercise with their spouse, friends, or coworkers enjoy it more.

7. Go Outside

Break out of the gym and go for a walk, hike, bike ride, or swim.

8. Journal

Keep records of your workouts and take pictures along the way. Having proof of your progress will boost your motivation.

9. Dress for Success

You don't need to buy the most expensive athletic clothes for the gym, but wearing the wrong clothing can detract from your fun by trapping sweat, chafing skin, and causing blisters.

10. Avoid Overtraining

Your body needs recovery time between workouts in order to function efficiently. Include time for relaxing, reading, visiting friends, and other activities outside of the gym. (See also: Natural Ways to Relieve Sore Muscles)

11. Celebrate Small Victories

While you might start exercising with major change in mind, try challenging yourself to incremental goals that you can assess in a shorter period of time like losing one pound a week for a month.

12. Run (or Walk) for a Good Cause

Make your workout more enjoyable by setting a goal to train for your area's next breast cancer walk or similar event.

13. Add Some Variety

Change your routine frequently to avoid boredom and prevent the dreaded fitness plateau. (See also: Benefits of Changing Your Routine)

14. Get Pavlovian

Create a reward system for motivation, and you'll get into the fitness groove more quickly. Try a healthy treat like a post-workout smoothie.

15. Ease Into It

Start your workout gradually by warming up with a little cardio. This will signal your brain to secrete the endorphins that produce a natural "high."

16. Skip Rope

It's not just for kids. Did you know that jumping rope will burn the same amount of calories as running?

17. Bounce

Not ready to skip rope? Get hopping on a personal trampoline to build up your stamina and balance.

18. Jump on a Pogo Stick

If jumping is hard on your joints, try jumping on a pogo stick. It reduces stress and provides many of same benefits as jumping exercises.

19. Try "Exergaming"

Do you or your kids enjoy gaming? Try out some video exercise games.

20. Don't Save the Worst for Last

Work your hardest exercises in the middle of your routine as a way to mark the "top of the hill." You'll be more motivated to finish knowing that the rest of your routine is all downhill. (See also: 9 Ways to Stay Motivated)

21. Swing Some Kettlebells

With their origins Russia, these cannonballs-on-a-handle are all the rage. Try this kettlebell workout for beginners!

22. Stand-Up Paddleboard

This combination of kayaking and surfing is a challenging core workout.

23. Get Professional Help

Consider working out with a pro who can build a fun routine to suit your needs.

24. Use Fitness Apps

Integrate tech and fitness with one or more of these popular fitness apps. (See also: Top 5 Strength Training Apps)

25. Learn New Things

Get up to speed on the treadmill with your favorite TED Talks or podcasts. You can load learning on your MP3 player just as easily as music.

26. Push Yourself (Gently)

Challenge yourself to do just one more rep, minute, or mile the next time you feel like giving up on a routine. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment because you pushed yourself just a little further.

27. Get Mental

Psyche yourself up by creating an empowering mantra like "I can do this." Repeat this phrase in your mind as you exercise - especially when the going gets rough.

28. Drop and Roll

Roll your way to better to a tighter tummy and great legs. Try these eight exercises.

29. Stand on Your Head

Get a new perspective while gaining balance and control. Start out by balancing against a wall and gradually move towards inverted independence!

30. Eat Right

Feeding your body the right fuel will give you more energy for better workouts. One important tip: eat more protein.

31. Suspend Yourself

You can get a total body workout with this novel training technique.

32. Get Inspired

Motivate yourself with these fitness success stories.

33. Use Your Body Weight

You'll never need gym equipment again with these exercises you can do anywhere. (See also: 20 Body Weight Exercises)

34. Hula Hoop It

Revisit your childhood and use a hula hoop for serious abdominal-toning fun. (See also: Fitness Gifts for $15 or Less)

35. Get Some Doggone Company

Enjoy exercise by taking your dog for a walk, playing fetch, and meeting new people at the local dog park.

36. Swing

Get on a swing for dual action workout. When you push off, you're engaging your leg muscles; when you pull back, you're working your midsection.

37. Prancercise

You've seen the viral video, now show off your most flamboyant moves as you groove your way to better fitness.

38. Do a Domestic Sprint

Feel the burn by challenging yourself to a five minute housework blitz. Better yet, get your kids to join you and multiply the effort! (See also: How to Declutter Your Home in 10 Minutes)

39. Pedal While Sitting

Maybe you're just starting out or can't stand for long periods; either way, try using a foot peddler while sitting.

40. Sit and Be Fit

Another option for exercise while sitting is the Sit and Be Fit chair exercise program.

41. Flex

Simply flexing your muscles counts as exercise. Play a game by flexing your abs, butt, or arms each time you get into your car or stop at a red light.

42. Multitask

Try doing squats while brushing your teeth. They won't interfere with your oral hygiene, and they're great for your legs.

43. Take the Stairs

Make a game out of taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Accumulate 10 points for each flight and give yourself a little reward when your score hits 100.

44. Jump Up

Jumping jacks are an overall fun movement that burn lots of calories.

45. Arm Wrestle

Work out those biceps (not your back) and have a friendly contest with friends.

46. Have a Pillow fight

Get playful with your kids or partner and have a lively pillow fight - you'll definitely get your heart rate up and have a few laughs along the way.

47. Play Tag or Frisbee

Playing these classic outdoor games is good fun and great exercise.

48. Laugh

Lighten up and get some health benefits at the same time. Here are over 100 ways to laugh your way into fitness.

49. Practice Martial Arts

From mild (tai-chi) to wild (karate) you're sure to find something you'll enjoy. Check for classes in your area.

50. Practice Gratitude

Be thankful that you can exercise. Research shows that being grateful helps boost your overall mood and that alone should make fitness more fun!

Like this article? Pin it!
Now that you have 50 different ideas, which ones will you choose to make your workout seem less like work?

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It's startling to consider but, according to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, less than 5% of American adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day. Could it be that most of us aren't associating "exercise" with "fun?" Even if you aren't an athlete, you can still have a good time while working up a sweat.

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The seventh week of the mentee program was only the third for my mentee.
This week was quite uneventful but significant in terms of progress. Chris successfully completed all of the goals required in his program.
I assured him the importance of simply taking it week by week. Setting these micro goals and aims will gradually lead up to the macro outcome of this program. His confidence and ability will grow every eek and I am extremely content with his reaction to this new challenge.
My fear is that he will become bored and tired from the rigorous weekly schedule he obeys. However, for now, his motivation is high and I can only hope to nurture this optimistic attitude.

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Spoiler alert: It's the Design Sprint with some pretty major developments that your clients/team will love.

Since the Sprint book came out in 2016, we've run over 200 Design Sprints here at AJ&Smart. We learned a lot about what works and what could be done faster and better.

On top of this, we've trained thousands of people with Jake Knapp-and through this we've found lots to little ways to improve the process and make it more efficient. With learnings from a combined 350 sprints behind us, we give you: the Design Sprint 2.0!

What is the Design Sprint 2.0?

Design Sprint 2.0 is simply the most up-to-date, semi-official version of the Sprint, as of May 2018. We say semi-official because this is the version we teach when we train with Jake Knapp. We have created a number of videos to explain the updated process step-by-step, and we're embarking on a series of posts to describe the changes in detail.

One of the biggest differences between the original Design Sprint and the Design Sprint 2.0 is that 2.0 is optimized to work not just in startups, but also in large organizations that don't necessarily have time to commit an entire week to the full process.

How is it different from Sprint 1.0?

While we assume you're familiar with the original Design Sprint, here's a quick recap: the Design Sprint is a five-day process to solve big problems and test ideas. A dedicated team discusses a challenge, designs potential solutions, and tests them with real users. You start with something vague, and finish with real feedback and something extremely tangible in just five days.
In Sprint 2.0 there are two major differences to this process:

1. It takes four days instead of five. Why? Because we realized that there are countless little hacks you can do to make the process more efficient. We moved things around, changed up the order to make the flow more logical, and we also shortened a lot of the steps involved. Incredibly, we've also added stuff in, only to make the whole thing take less time. I know, this sounds confusing, but it'll make sense if you keep reading...

2. You only need the full Sprint team for two days instead of five. Anyone who has ever dealt with senior stakeholders knows this is a major, major win. Clearing your calendar for five days is a massive sacrifice at any level, so getting the same Sprint results with committing just two days of time is huge when you're trying to convince someone to authorize a Sprint.

After this tantalizing glimpse, I bet you can't wait to quench your thirst and find out exactly what's different day by day.

Give me the details

Here's what the original Design Sprint looks like:

It goes from Monday to Friday: You map on Monday, sketch on Tuesday, decide and storyboard on Wednesday, prototype on Thursday, and test on Friday. You've got the experts in from Monday to Wednesday at the very least, but ideally for the whole week as you'll need some of them on Prototyping day, and as many of them as possible on Test day.

Enter the Design Sprint 2.0, which looks like this...

The first thing you'll notice is that Friday is gone. It's just... not there. ? If necessary, you can use it to do a retrospective or tie up some loose ends, but you don't need it to invent work to fill it.
How did we squeeze everything else into the remaining days, you ask?
Well, two of the days are non-negotiable and non-shrinkable, so those are fixed. You guessed it: We kept prototyping (Wednesday) and testing (Thursday) intact. They take a whole day each, and they are done by the AJ&Smart team, rather than the client's experts.

The remaining two days are both split in two, with one focus area in the morning, and a different one in the afternoon. We work with the clientside Sprint team on these two days and although the schedule looks packed, we've been able to shorten all of the exercises to sometimes less than half the time the book suggests.

This is what the AJ&Smart Design Sprint 2.0 looks like:

Day 1, Monday

In Sprint 2.0, Monday is basically two days squeezed into one. We do all of Monday's exercises in the morning and Tuesday's exercises in the afternoon. We find it makes more sense and works much more efficiently this way, while also keeping the momentum and the energy levels high.
Morning: Define the challenge
We mix things up a bit by starting with the expert interviews and "How Might We" questions. While that's not what the book recommends, we found that this order helps us dive deep into the problem and ask better questions, with a better understanding of the situation.
Related: When a design sprint isn't the answer
Armed with this knowledge, we then move on to defining the long-term goal and capturing the Sprint questions. Doing it this way, the progression feels more natural, and what we learned in the interviews often feeds into the sprint goal.

We spend 45 minutes (tops) creating a passable map, which is easy enough by this point. In the book it takes half a day, but when it's all built up like this you can do it in 45 minutes. You do NOT need longer to create a map that's good enough. The Decider then chooses a target area on the map-and voilà! That's Monday done in half a day. Time for lunch and a BIG coffee...
Afternoon: Produce solutions
Now that you know everything worth knowing about the problem, it's time to think about potential solutions. We basically do the entire day of Tuesday on Monday afternoon (while suitably caffeinated, of course)

We start with the Lightning Demos (which would take place on Tuesday morning) and spend less time looking up inspiring solutions than the book suggests. #Timehack!

Once we've captured the standout ideas from the Lightning Demos, we move straight on to the four-part sketches, which we condensed, again, to keep the momentum going. There's still plenty of time to comfortably design up the solutions and stick them on the wall for the next morning.

That's Monday done-all your knowledge pooled, your target set, your concept sketches done. Phew, now it's time to go home and sleep. Tomorrow's a big day.

Day 2, Tuesday

This day isn't all that different from Wednesday of the Sprint book, so skip to the afternoon if you wanna see what's new.
Morning: Vote on the solutions
Ah, Tuesday morning. A leisurely stroll around the gallery of concept sketches, coffee cup in hand, taking it all in. We spend the whole morning deciding what to prototype, starting with the Heat Map, where people place multiple votes on inspiring parts of sketches so that clusters can form. These clusters are then highlighted in the solution presentations, where the moderator walks the room through each individual sketch, followed by the straw poll (where everybody puts one vote on the one solution they want to push forward). The morning is rounded off with the Decider's vote, where they pick one or two concepts that they want to prototype.
Afternoon: Create the storyboard
We added a new exercise here that makes the storyboarding process at least 27 times easier (give or take). It's called User Test Flow and it's a form of Note & Vote exercise. Everyone designs the barebones of their own storyboard and then we vote on the one or two that we end up prototyping. Even though it's an extra step, it speeds up the storyboarding process by a million miles and eliminates the "designing by committee" aspect of it. Here's a video that explains it in detail (and there's a Medium post on it, too).

So by the end of Tuesday, all of the decision-making is done, and your experts can retire and pick up their day jobs again. You've got a clear direction and can move on to prototyping and testing what they asked you to.

We can't stress enough what a massive win this is. It's a low-commitment version of the old Sprint concept, but the output is just as polished (if not more) and it has won many reluctant clients over.

Day 3, Wednesday

Day 3 sees us kick off prototyping, and we do this pretty much exactly as stated in the book, so nothing new to report here. It's noise-cancelling-headphones-on mode for our resident Prototyper, and we'll have a couple of huddles throughout the day to make sure we're all on track. We'll also update the client at the end of the day to keep them involved and show them what we've been doing throughout the day.

Day 4, Thursday

Day 4 is user testing day. Again, we do this pretty much by-the-book and the only difference is that we're doing this on the Thursday rather than the Friday.

Here's a video about asking great questions during user testing:

Day 5, Friday

And just like that it's Friday and the Sprint is over, the client has the wrap-up report and hi-fidelity prototype, and everyone is happy. We'd use the Sprint Friday to have a retrospective of the week, have a team lunch, do some reading/learning, and generally let the past week sink in. Phew.

Aaaand that's a wrap. In future posts on our channel (and maybe here on the InVision Blog?) we'll explain each day in detail, with the time hacks and condensed exercises that we mentioned above. We'll tell you exactly how long we spend on each exercise, because that's the kind of transparent folks we are. 😀
Let us know if you plan on trying it out!
If you liked this article, there are a few other things you might like! For more rants check out my Instagram, the AJ&Smart YouTube and my Podcast with Jake Knapp. Come say hey!

To see the behind-the-scenes of running AJ&Smart, check out our Instagram and to learn more about AJ&Smart you can find us here.

Also thanks to @ImolaUnger for helping us document our Sprint 2.0!

Keep reading about Design Sprints

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The Design Sprint 2.0: What is it and what does it look like? | Inside Design Blog

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Since the Sprint book came out in 2016, we've run over 200 Design Sprints here at AJ&Smart. We learned a lot about what works and what could be done faster and better. On top of this, we've trained thousands of people with Jake Knapp-and through this we've found lots to little ways to improve the process and make it more efficient.

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The second week of Chris's endeavour with my mentee plan was quite successful. I had arranged to meet up with him and proceed to attend the gym with him. This was because I wanted to see if he could perform the exercises with correct technique and weight stated in his plan. We proceeded to go through every exercise with only doing one or two sets of each because there was a lot of exercises to get through and it would be quite time consuming if we did the official sets and reps mentioned in the program. WE spent more time on the exercises which were more complex and difficult to perform. I offered Chris guidance and constructive feedback on what to improve. I also did not hesitate to praise him and his efforts in the hope of being encouraging and motivating.
This session gave me amble opportunity to transfer my ambitions of the plan directly to my mentee and it helped to build a professional and positive relationship. This solid foundation laid would prove vital for the fore coming weeks.

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The fifth week of the mentee program was actually the first week which my mentee had the opportunity to become immersed in the challenge of achieving greater fitness and improved physical health.
I assured Chris that starting is half the battle. I assured him that progress is not linear and once he established a routine and comfort  with his program, the fore coming weeks will seem to become easier and more productive.
I shared with him the concept of setting SMART goals which is explained below in the image. I put an increased emphasis on him simply focusing on himself and not comparing himself to others as comparison is the thief of joy. He should set small goals like lifting a certain amount of weight and he should always strive to become a better version of himself everyday.
He assured me that he did not miss a beat when it came to his first week of the program. This was extremely encouraging for both my mentee and

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As you can see, there was a complete excess of content for the mentees to get through.

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The fourth week brought the arrival of the plan which I wished to complete with Chris on his journey to muscular fitness.
The plan is attached below and it is exceedingly simplistic in design but it could prove extremely effective for Chris if he chooses to adhere to the guidelines.
The plan is self-explanatory but there are video tutorial links to each exercise which outlines the exercises to the minute detail if Chris does not know the exercise.
The program has evident room for progression and variation if Chris feels like he could exceed the guidelines initiated. There is room for change if Chris does not like aspects of the plan as my ultimate goal is for him to enjoy his exercise and activity along with making substantial progress physically.
I proceeded to email this plan to Chris and his reaction was truly sincere and rewarding for me. He was simply thrilled at the complete plan as he said it incorporated everything he could of wanted in a strength and conditioning program. He genuinely thanked me for my efforts and help. I added a small note to Chris to notify me if he wanted to change any aspects of the plan or if he was unsure about any concepts presented in the program.
I had planned to meet him in two weeks to discuss is short-term progress and his capabilities of the integration of the plan into is daily routine.

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The sprint gives teams a shortcut to learning without building and launching.

The sprint is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. Developed at GV, it's a "greatest hits" of business strategy, innovation, behavior science, design thinking, and more-packaged into a battle-tested process that any team can use.

Working together in a sprint, you can shortcut the endless-debate cycle and compress months of time into a single week. Instead of waiting to launch a minimal product to understand if an idea is any good, you'll get clear data from a realistic prototype. The sprint gives you a superpower: You can fast-forward into the future to see your finished product and customer reactions, before making any expensive commitments.

This page is a DIY guide for running your own sprint. On Monday, you'll map out the problem and pick an important place to focus. On Tuesday, you'll sketch competing solutions on paper. On Wednesday, you'll make difficult decisions and turn your ideas into a testable hypothesis. On Thursday, you'll hammer out a high-fidelity prototype. And on Friday, you'll test it with real live humans.

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The sprint is a 5-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing with customers. Learn to run your own sprints, and read about our book on sprints.

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The third week finally brought the presence of a mentee, Chris, who possessed a strong sporting background in both Gaelic games and soccer. He plays competitively in both sports and his general fitness would be considered above average. This made my role as a mentor simplistic.
However, he possessed a very basic knowledge and understanding about the newest trend of exercise which would be resistance training. Thankfully, resistance training happens to be my method of staying active and fit, and therefore I naturally had a surplus understanding surrounding this topic embedded in my memory. I knew reliable websites to resource information around this topic and this aided my preparation for the construction of this plan. I will refer to my mentee as Chris as a pseudonym as his real name is not actually Chris. I chose this name to coincide with my favorite football player who is Cristiano Ronaldo
Chris possessed a favorable body composition already and his general fitness regarding his aerobic exercise was certainly above average. The fact that my mentee was initially competent and perhaps not the key demographic, which the club was aimed for, made me question his involvement in this project. However, he expressed an interest in increasing and improving his muscular strength and muscle mass which could translate to a heightened performance on the playing field. This aspect was something that I gravitated towards for reasons already stated and this made complete sense for Chris' sporting background as strength and conditioning can implement improved performance in a competitive setting.
We agreed on certain barriers that should be considered when constructing the plan which was his training and match schedules and his college timetable. These two factors left us with little room to fit in the desired sessions but I agreed to be efficient and realistic with the goals of the plan.
With regards to Chris' screening, his results were as follows:
RHR: 64 BPM
Height: 185 CM
Weight: 69 KG
BMI: 20.2 (Normal)
Waist: 20 CM
HIp: 29 CM
WaisHit/Hip Ratio: 0.69 (Normal)
Press-Up Level and Max: Advanced - 26 Push-Ups Max
Abs Curl and Max: 48 Abs Curl Max
Sit and Reach: 32 CM
Mile Challenge: 6 Minutes 32 Seconds

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2018 9 26 SSPE ED2318 Move Mentor Lesson 3

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2018 9 27 ED2318 Wesley O Brien coaching

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Description: The ninth consecutive week of the made2move project was heavily influenced and therefore based on the concept of 'design sprint' which has so frequently featured in this padlet and in the entire process of developing this club. The lecture for this week is attached below.
This lecture dealt with numerous topics which were exceedingly relevant to the process of inventing, improving and sustaining this club.
We discussed the important of leadership, innovation and creative thinking in this project. Such attributes are traits which mentors and club officers have the chance to develop whilst completing this module. These inspiring traits would hopefully be transferred into
our future profession of a physical education teacher. P.E teachers pride themselves on their ability to lead a class and creatively adapt to numerous situations which may arise in class.

Reflection: I felt that this class certainly addressed the challenging road of innovation. I feel that some may become complacent because they felt like the conception and elevation of the club is sufficient.
Although many clubs and projects may achieve short-term success, it is more significant if those clubs prove to be sustainable and successful over a long period of time.
Therefore, it is crucial that inspiration and motivation does not falter on the quest of consistency and sustainability.

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Description: The eight week held one of our lectures on Thursday morning as usual. Similar to the previous weeks, we covered a variety of subjects. We covered design sprint and thinking once again along with addressing any queries presented by any mentors.
We worked tirelessly in small groups throughout these few weeks. The ability to transfer ideas and concepts worked well in this group setting.

Reflection: This week was unique for me personally because my group and I were entrusted with task of dictating the pod activities on Tuesday and Thursday. Unfortunately, we had no members present for each session and this was certainly the lowest point for me for the project.
Our activity was quite simplistic in design but it was aimed to be challenging and fun. We had a large speaker to play music and the room was set up in a circuit format. There was cones scattered in a circle and the activities ranged from kettle-bell swings to jumping jacks. The range of exercises were planned to target the whole body with the design of burning fat and gaining muscle. We had warm-ups and cool-downs planned.
No one showed up for each session and this was exceedingly disheartening.

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Description: The seventh week of the Made2Move movement was similar to previous weeks. In class, we dissected the contemporary model of 'design sprint' which is a crucial process that must occur for any successful project and company. The lecture content is attached below and this information helps shape our understanding on the determination and perspiration vital for any new project being launched.

Reflection: I think there should of been more emphasis placed on the reality of launching something new. Steve Jobs or any other aspiring entrepreneur never succeeded on the first attempt of shaping the world. Therefore, I think that it should of been acknowledged that this journey was not going to be smooth and easy initially. This point could of been enforced significantly because I think the problems which were presented on this journey were seen as obstacles to simply climb. I think problems, difficulties and obstacles are an opportunity to  grow and learn. We learn more from our failures than our accomplishments.

In the middle of every difficulty, lies opportunity - Albert Einstein

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Description: The sixth week of this abstract and inspiring project held an exceedingly important lecture on the Thursday of that week. The lecture dealt with the aspects of the changing times that we are living in. The constant improvement and advancement of technology has certainly changed the world several times over in the past century. Children and adolescents are subjected to new ideologies and concepts of maturing in a brand new world which is quite different from the wolrd which their parents grew up in. College students are essentially still on the quest for their own unique selling point in the world and this sense of vulnerability of childhood can be present despite our best efforts at constructing a visage of confidence and assurance. My emphasis on mental health within this padlet is because I think it is more important than physical health and our mental well-being can be improved by improving our physical health.
The lecture was spent conversing about well-being and design sprinting.
This concept of design sprint is certainly relevant to us and we have learned that it is a process that is almost never completed due to the infinite possibilities of improvement.

Reflection: I enjoy the creative process of this project and the opportunity to think abstractly and effectively. The image below is a list which we comprised as a group of the some of the aspects of being a made2move mentor.

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Description: The fifth week of the project was uneventful in terms of genuine progression but the movement was slowly materializing and all aspects of the project was in full motion. Mentors worked tirelessly with their mentees behind the scenes.
The majority of mentees showed positive signs and they corresponded with their mentors frequently. Unfortunately, some mentees lost interest and their interaction with their mentor became extinct. Hence, some mentors were left mentee-less and this unfortunate event occurred many times over this 5-7 week period.
The class content consisted of more brain-storming and abstract thinking. The main outcome of this process was establishing the club's true identity and place in our community of third-level students.
The DAH lab in the food-science building on campus is ideal for the structure of our classes. It allows for quality group-work and presentations. The wifi connection is exceedingly useful for groups to find resources and inspiration online.
Our group really solidified the ideology behind made2move in the attachment below.

Reflection: Reflecting upon the most problematic topic of this week's, which was the loss of mentees, one must put an increased amount of emphasis on inspiration and motivation. Mentees were bombarded with motivational quotes and messages of inspiration by their mentors but I think something more substantial is needed.
I think that programs need to incorporated much variation and differentiation to avoid programs becoming monotonous, repetitive and boring.
I also think that pod activities could be more abstract and diverse. I have already touched on this point but the potential held by these activities are limitless.

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Description: The fourth week of the aspiring made2move project was not particularly ground-breaking in terms of the clubs profile but small advances were made. It is with these small steps and movements which contribute to results and success. The class content focused on improving the current model of made2move through innovation and abstract thinking in our pod groups. Experiences regarding issues of mentors with their mentees were addressed, discussed and solved.
The pod activities were constructed creatively by each pod but unfortunately, the presence of members at these pod activities were disappointing and numbers did not or ever did reach double figures. Pod activities varied but different types of circuits were usually incorporated which probably lacked creativity and thought.

Reflection: The pod activities seemed to struggle from the start and perhaps more thought and passion was needed. They were certainly being advertised on social media platforms.
My thoughts would be design abstract activities which could be sourced online. The pod activities could be performed on campus where the exposure of these activities would be exceedingly increased and hence, motivating other students to join the club.
Advertisement is something companies dedicate exponential time and money to and rightly so. Therefore, edited videos of pod activities could be made to advertise the club. An advert could be constructed which consisted of videos from pod activities, pictures from the club improvement sessions and interviews from the mentors and club officers. This tool could be placed everywhere possible around campus and perhaps in the Mardyke.

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Description: The third week of the made2move project certainly progressed the movement in terms of positivity and professionalism. This week had three events associated with this project.
The first event was the lecture scheduled as usual in the DAH lab on Thursday. This lecture consisted of a detailed discussion on how to keep your mentee intrinsically and extrinsically motivated and inspired. This consisted of a series of case studies and methods which outline that each person is different and therefore, each mentee plan is unique. The class really enforced the concept of developing this detailed but professional relationship with your mentee which makes it much easier to grasp their likes and dislikes and therefore create interest for them regarding the plan you construct. The lecture details are attached.
The second event was the lecture surrounding strength and resistance training which could be integrated into plans for mentees. This lecture was constructed by fellow sports studies lecturer, Wesley O' Brien. This lecture contained detailed progressions and regressions which could be prescribed to our mentees depending on their ability. We also were provided with a detailed tour of the UCC gym, the Mardyke arena. We were also provided with the details to complete a 'mile run' to assess fitness. This exceedingly useful information provided us with a more comprehensive overview of the rising topic that is resistance training. The content of this lecture is attached.
The third and most important event of this week was the assigning of mentees to mentors who had no mentee prior to this week. This event took place in the West Wing of the quad where pairs were assigned and the screening process was implemented once more. The group of new mentees were plucked from the maths-science first year course. This did contribute to our cause but the fact that the students were unwillingly participating did not convey a positive atmosphere to this event. However, the event was much more efficient and organised when compared to our first screening event. The process was discrete and the questionnaires were shortened. This provided a strong baseline or the fore coming weeks.

Reflection: I have already expressed my dislike for the lack of enthusiasm showed by the new mentees which was justified. The event possessed an air of stigma that no one wanted to be there and that this project was more of a burden than a passion project. I feel that mentors could of sourced their own mentee who they already held a relationship with. This would eliminate the need to source mentees elsewhere.
I was exceedingly satisfied with my role as a mentor and I felt that my mentee was exceedingly optimistic and helpful towards our cause. HE was willing and kind. THis made my mentor process evidently easier and it helped me become a successful mentor to my mentee from the starting point.

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N/A - I did not receive mentee this week and therefore there was no reflection recorded for the second week.

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Description: The second week saw the official introduction of the made2move movement. We had the official screening process on the Tuesday of the second week of semester one. This was when pairs of mentors and mentees were allocated and assigned with a general talk on the objective of this club. The newly formed relationships were established at this event and the mentors used this time to screen their mentee with the other mentors in the large room. This process lasted an hour and unfortunately the number of people that came to the vent was exceedingly disappointing. I did not receive a mentee and therefore my participation was minimal throughout the entire event. Mentors received an form of contact for their mentees and this established a strong point of contact for the fore coming weeks.
The lecture that week orbited around a discussion about the event that previously occurred on the Tuesday of that week. We discussed numerous topics and most surrounded the improvement of the event that occurred
on Tuesday.
As a group, we decided that the process took too long nd that efforts could of been mde to shorten the time consumption of the process by making more screening circuits nd assigning pairs immediately. The several questionnaires were certainly repetitive, monotonous and tedious, and therefore, the written screening part could of been shortened.
THe ethics part of the process was not tken into consideration. Perhaps that we were comfortable with conversing about our own individual fitness that we assumed that this topic ws openly discussed comfortably. However, topics of weight for example, is something very personal and private to each person.

Reflection: This week gave me an exceptionally pessimistic outlook on this project because we clearly failed to make an impact on the campus because the overall presence of new members was underwhelming. I would like to suggest that every advertisement medium may be used to promote such an abstract concept like made2move. This advertisement process should of commenced weeks prior to the start of the first semester.
Additionally, the neglect of mentors who did not have a mentee was disheartening. They clearly had no role or place in this club event and this initally set a pessimisstic outlook on the project. These students could of been assigned to broadact the made2move message throughout campus whilst they spent the tim idle at the back of the classroom.

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N/A - I did not have a mentee for the first week of the semester as the project did not commence yet.

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Description: The first week of the module ED2318 commenced with an introductory lecture to the made2move concept and idea. This session basically entailed with the lecturers providing the information already shown in this document to the left of this passage. The aims and goals of this project were clearly stated and the lecturers urged us as the mentors, to propel this idea forward for the greater good.
The lecture entailed the proper routine that must be achieved whilst conducting a screening for your mentee. The content also shared case studies for different hypothetical situations where one might prescribe someone an activity planner.
The objective was for the class to complete a screening for all their mentees next week to start the mentor/mentee process as soon as possible. Any appropriate questions were mentioned and answered.

Reflection: This project was very much subjected upon us with little notice. Therefore, this project could of been made aware to us through an informative email two or three weeks prior to the commencement of the first semester and the project itself. This would prepare us psychologically for the challenges ahead. It would additionally give us amble opportunity to research ideas for our role as a mentor. It would also give everyone the opportunity to advertise the establishment of this contemporary club to UCC. This would perhaps give the club more awareness and understanding around campus.

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Introduction of the club at the 'UCC club's day'.

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Introduction of the club at the 'UCC club's day'.

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Aim is to complete this pyramid for our Mentees and Club Members

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Aim is to complete this pyramid for our Mentees and Club Members

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Yesterday is ours to recover but tomorrow is ours to win or lose - Lyndon B. Johnson

Any successful project or idea never ran smoothly without encountering problems or difficulties. Throughout the first semester and introduction of the club, we encountered many obstacles which needed to be rectified. To quote another phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day".
We initially recognized that this was a working progress and every week, there was work in progress to conjure up the methods that could provide validity behind this concept which made it sustainable and promising for the future.

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The mentor/mentee project was the main focal point of this project. This concept consisted of pairing one or two members of the club to a student from our class who inspired the members to exercise more often and they also provided them with an exercise plan. The initial system was to pair one of the people who joined the club initially to a student but there was a severe lack in numbers and therefore, students of the math-science course were called upon to contribute to the lack in numbers.
The mentors received training and advice which supported their individual progress with their mentees which will be discussed throughout the weekly reflections. The mentees were all unique and each person provided their own set of obstacles and challenges which needed to be addressed by their mentor. This concept was similar to the relationship between a personal trainer and a client. The relationship needed to be professional and the onus was on the mentor to demonstrate a sense of empathy, understanding and support towards their mentee.
The role of the mentors were crucial, they initially screened their mentees based on their general fitness and body composition. This process occurred twice, firstly in the Electric Engineering Building on campus and secondly, in the West Wing on the quad of UCC. The screening process took no longer than 10 minutes and this provided a solid foundation to compare any progress made by their mentees in the not too distant future. My own screening took place in the second round of the screening processes where my mentee was resourced from the math-science course in first year.
The programs varied and depended on the initial ability of the mentee but many consisted of simple activities like walking, running, cycling and resistance training. Mentors were highly encouraged to consider what the mentees already enjoyed doing and hence, using that as a basis for their constructed activity plan. Mentors initially provided a plan for the first semester for their mentees and they provided constant motivation for their mentess. Ideally, they met up with their mentees to frequently to evaluate progress and progress the plan if needed. They kept in contact with their mentee though text message and provided Gillian with feedback via email every week.
My mentee was thankfully exceedingly active already due to his participation in organised sport which was GAA football and soccer so his baseline fitness was above average. However, he had goals and aims to develop a knowledge and understanding around resistance training as he already possessed a basic knowledge but he wished to progress his abilities by improving his muscular strength and power which could translate to an improved performance on the playing field for his sporting activities. This honest objective coincided with my expertise and hobby which was resistance training as I have spent countless hours in a gym setting and spent considerable time researching this topic out of pure curiosity. However, his busy timetable which was filled with training and college proved problematic for scheduling times for the plan I wished to implement with him.
his attitude and co-operation was explaery, his enthusiasm for the objectives ahead was infectious and therefore made my role as a mentor enjoyable and elementary.
Therefore, I combined my mentee's goals and Fiona and Gillian's advice with my own unique knowledge around the resistance training and the UCC college gym (Mardyke Arena), to create an individualized plan for my mentee, Chris, which is attatched below. This ple dissected and explained further by me in person and the plan is simply a foundation for future progress and it will be revised according to Chirs' progress.

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2018 Mentee Physical Activity Planner - Chris 2018

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Every club in UCC has training schedules and times for their members and our club was designed to also follow this conventional aspect of any club. However, what was unconventional was that our training routines were not restricted by any boundaries and therefore possessed a sense of unpredictability and excitement for the members.
Our class was split into 'pods' which consisted of four students who were entrusted to design two pod activities for their week where they will instruct the their pod sessions. The pod sessions ran every Tuesday 5 pm - 6 pm and Thursday 6 pm - 7 pm.
The true niche of these pod sessions were that they offered something abstract to the students of UCC who were not involved in a sport and hence, this was their opportunity to start exercising without having to acquire a set of skills for a sport. Especially at the age of third level students, it would be exceedingly difficult to commence a competitive sport at a level where other students have had several years experience in that sport.
This revolutionary concept was advertised at 'UCC club's day' and our newly established club was mentioned in the credited newspaper 'The Irish Examiner'. This advertisement was additional to the social media advertisement through a variety of platforms where students, and lectures alike, helped broadcast the true message of this project. The overall concept possessed potential but unfortunately, the idea did not materialize as one would hope as the weeks progressed, this matter will be discussed further in the weekly reflections.

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Three studies with minimum restrictions showed that brisk walks of only 5 to 10 minutes per day were sufficient to reduce tension and increase energy

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Three studies with minimum restrictions showed that brisk walks of only 5 to 10 minutes per day were sufficient to reduce tension and increase energy

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(Thayer, 1987, 1987b, Thayer, Peters, Takahashi and Birkhead Flight, 1993)

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Frankly, the statistics of poor mental health are quite overwhelming.
however, one thing that can help people be pro-active about their own mental health is exercise.

Specifically, exercise seems useful in the management of depression, anxiety, tension, anger, reaction to stress, self-efficacy and self-esteem (Biddle, 1996, Glenister, 1996, Hinkle, 1992)

Recent studies have provided a solid foundation of promoting exercise as a tool to deconstruct these feelings of negativity and depression. Exercise increases confidence, self-esteem, self-perception and endorphins and neurotransmitters that contribute to this feeling of happiness which people are deprived of.

In general, the results to suggest that in this population, exercising at an aerobic level of 60% for 10 minutes a day is sufficient enough to increase vigor, decrease fatigue and decrease total negative mood state. (Hansen, Stevens, Coast, 'Exercise duration and mood state, how much is enough to feel better?') (2001)

Needless to exclaim the infinite positive attributes which exercise can bring people. I truly believe the simple remedy of exercise can help fight this monumental problem of poor mental health in our communities.
Therefore, one of the main priorities and goals of this Made2Move movement is to improve the mental health of students through the improvement of physical health. This specific aspect relating to the benefits of exercise extremely appeals to me personally as I know a bad day can be soothed by a recovery session in the gym with my headphones. I cannot stress the importance of mental health enough and this topic is something that I am exceptionally passionate about. Productive physical activities could provide students with the method to drinking less often and consuming narcotics

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At the moment Ireland ranks 4th in the EU/OECD area for suicide rates amongst teens. (UNICEF)

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At the moment Ireland ranks 4th in the EU/OECD area for suicide rates amongst teens. (UNICEF)

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Prevalence of Obesity, Diabetes, and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors

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Prevalence of Obesity, Diabetes, and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors

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Obesity and diabetes are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Evidence from several studies indicates that obesity and weight gain are associated with an increased risk of diabetes, and that intentional weight loss reduces the risk that overweight people will develop diabetes. Each year, an estimated 300 000 US adults die of causes related to obesity, and diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death. Correspondingly, both obesity and diabetes generate immense health care costs.

It is certainly within everyone's interest to minimize health are costs as a result of minimizing inactivity.
The cases of type II diabetes are becoming more evident with and teenagers which is simply unacceptable.
Therefore, this matter of disease among our youth was a topic that is exceedingly topical for us as future Physical Education Teachers.

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Statistics relating to suicide rates in the past decade

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Statistics relating to suicide rates in the past decade

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Percentage of the people who consume alcohol at an excessive rate

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Percentage of the people who consume alcohol at an excessive rate

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Percentage of population of Ireland who are overweight or obese

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Percentage of population of Ireland who are overweight or obese

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Healthy Ireland website and resources.

Ali H. Mokdad, Earl S. Ford, Barbara A. Bowman et al., -'Prevalence of Obesity, Diabetes, and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors' (2001)

Central Statistics Office Website

Hansen, Stevens, Coast, 'Exercise duration and mood state, how much is enough to feel better?' (2001)

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Surprising article relating to obesity in Ireland today.

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Surprising article relating to obesity in Ireland today.

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One in four children in Ireland are now classified as overweight or obese

Irish men have the highest body fat percentage in Europe

Obesity causes all kinds of problems, but as levels of the condition rise throughout Ireland, one of the greatest concerns is its impact on this nation's heart health.

That's because obesity is one of the major risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

With Irish men scoring the highest body mass index (BMI, a key measure of being overweight), in Europe, Irish women ranking third in this category, and one in four children in Ireland now classified as overweight or obese, concern is growing about the inevitable impact on our hearts.

A person who is overweight is defined as having a BMI of between 25 and 29, while a BMI of over 30 defines obesity. The strong link between being overweight and heart disease is underlined by World Heart Federation statistics which show that 21pc of chronic heart disease cases are actually attributable to having a BMI of over 21, which, for many people would come as a shock.

In this context, the fact that so many Irish children are now overweight or obese is of huge concern. Figures show that 75pc of obese children risk remaining obese into adulthood - thus bringing with them an increased risk of heart disease and stroke as they age, explains cardiologist and Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation, Dr Angie Brown.

She points to the 2014 Cork Children's Lifestyle Study which showed that 8pc of children aged between eight and 10 years of age already had high blood pressure.
So how does obesity damage your heart?
First, it increases your blood pressure. When we are overweight, the additional fat in the body needs oxygen and nutrients in order to live. This requires the blood vessels to circulate more blood to the fat tissue.

In turn, this forces the heart to work harder in order to pump all that extra blood through additional blood vessels. More circulating blood puts more pressure on the artery walls. Increased pressure on the artery walls increases the blood pressure, and thus, strain on the heart.

Research has found that atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries - is present 10 times more often in obese people compared to those who are not obese. Narrowed arteries and reduced blood flow to the heart can cause chest pain, also known as angina, or a heart attack.

When you carry more weight and increase the strain on the heart, a thickening of the heart muscle can result. And this, explains Dr Brown, can lead to heart failure, which is where the heart's blood-pumping function does not work properly.

Obesity also increases the risk of sleep apnoea which in turn heightens the risk of high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation (AF) or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). In turn, AF can lead to heart failure and other heart-related complications.

Furthermore, a condition called abdominal or 'central' obesity which occurs when excessive abdominal fat builds up around the stomach and abdomen, can lead to 'metabolic syndrome'.

This is a cluster of conditions which include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar due to insulin resistance, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, all occurring together - and which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke three-fold.

Research in the US shows that around one-third of overweight or obese persons there have metabolic syndrome.

"The higher your BMI, the higher the risk," warns Dr Brown, who adds that when a high BMI is combined with a sedentary lifestyle and smoking, it further increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Being overweight and obesity are now common in Ireland, she says, adding that the link between obesity and cardiovascular disease must be highlighted: "It is very important that we raise awareness of that. If we're not careful we will be heading towards increased levels of cardiovascular disease in the future."

However there is good news - obesity is one of the risk factors for heart disease that we can actually do something about, observes Janis Morrissey, head of Health Promotion, Information and Training at the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF), who points out we cannot do anything about some risk factors for heart health, such as age or family history:

"Your weight is something that you can change," she emphasises.

However, she warns, because heart disease can remain "relatively silent" for a long time, it may not receive the same level of attention from some people as, for example diabetes type 2, for which obesity is also a major risk factor, and which can sometimes be perceived as a more immediate or dramatic condition.

"Diabetes can carry a greater level of worry in the public mind, but it's very important that the message about how obesity can affect the heart gets out there - remember, heart disease and stroke are the number one causes of death in this country," Morrissey warns.

"Our mobile health check unit reaches people in their communities to assess the risk of heart disease and stroke.

"Highlighting the link between obesity and heart disease is part of having an assessment with one of our nurses," she explains.

The IHF's army of health check staff, who visit marts, workplaces, community centres and other venues to carry out heart and blood pressure checks, regularly hold one-to-one sessions with people to explain the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

"We try to explain that carrying excess weight around the middle can cause problems for your heart," says Health Check Manager, Marese Damery.

"We're trying to raise awareness of the fact that if you're overweight it can affect your blood pressure, and that if you have high blood pressure it is a major risk for heart disease and stroke," she says, adding that staff explain that losing even 10pc of your excess weight can help lower high blood pressure.

The feedback from patients is positive, she says. "About half of those we see say they are considering making changes in terms of diet and physical activity."

New tech brings fresh hope

* Diagnostics and treatment for cardiovascular disease have improved dramatically in recent years, says cardiologist and Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation, Dr Angie Brown.

* Better medication is now available to treat heart attack and stroke.

* Improved blood thinning medication for treating atrial fibrillation - which can be associated with an increased risk of stroke - is now on the market.

* New treatments for heart failure reduce mortality rates and improve a patients quality of life, says Dr Brown.

* Improved diagnostic tools can lead to more accurate diagnosis - with Echo machines, MRI and CT scanners

* High-tech measurement devices enable people to self-monitor their heart rhythm, she explains.

"People who have experienced heart rhythm disturbance can now have a monitoring device injected under the skin to monitor rhythms and people can avail of telemonitoring at home thanks to these devices," adds Dr Brown, who explains that special apps are now available which enable patients to self-monitor and measure heart rate accurately using their phone.

* Smaller, more sophisticated pacemakers - devices which are placed in the chest or abdomen to help control abnormal heart rhythms - are now more available.

"There is now a leadless pacemaker which can go directly into the heart and does not require a lead."

* Increasingly sophisticated artificial hearts, which can serve to keep the heart working until the patient can avail of a heart transplant, are also now available.

Health & Living

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A weighty problem: How Ireland is on course to be the fattest nation in Europe - Independent.ie

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Obesity causes all kinds of problems, but as levels of the condition rise throughout Ireland, one of the greatest concerns is its impact on this nation's heart health. That's because obesity is one of the major risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

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How is Obesity treated? (According to 'Health Ireland')

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How is Obesity treated? (According to 'Health Ireland')

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Obesity is caused by lifestyle choices, and these habits need to be broken if an obese person is to stand a good chance of losing weight. There are no quick fixes. Your GP can refer you to a dietitian or a nutritionist who will draw up a personal diet plan to help you lose weight. In order to lose weight successfully, it is essential to take up some regular exercise. This need not involve hard and repetitive work in the gym. Walking briskly for 20 minutes each day will help to keep the heart in good working order, and use up some of the excess energy that has been stored as fat.
There are a number of drugs which can cause rapid weight loss results, often by stimulating the body’s metabolism while suppressing the appetite. However, taking a drug for weight loss is a short-term treatment, as it does not confront the underlying behavior that leads to gaining weight.

Thankfully, there are an infinite amount of small changes one could make to their lifestyle which could have a big impact on their health and well being. AS oppose to surgery or medication, exercise can be the prescription for this prevalent disease.
This project believes in taking up small good habits which accumulate to larger results.
It is important to note that obesity is curable and that the detrimental factors which it causes, can be reversed!

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The short-term (five-year) targets for overweight and obesity are (According to 'Healthy Ireland) -

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The short-term (five-year) targets for overweight and obesity are (According to 'Healthy Ireland) -

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Firstly, Healthy Ireland is the Department of Health's national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Ireland. Its main focus is on prevention and keeping people healthier for longer. Therefore, in 5 years from 2016, they aim for:
• A sustained downward trend (averaging 0.5% per year as measured by the HI Survey) in the level of excess weight averaged across all adults.
• A sustained downward trend (averaging 0.5% per year as measured by COSI) in the level of excess weight in children; and
• A reduction in the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups by 10%. (As measured by the Healthy Ireland and COSI surveys.)

 These realistic goals are certainly achievable and projects such s this one definitely attribute to our blight of ill-health which is effecting so many people in Ireland today.
 We certainly must recognize the countries' goals in the hope of being an important cog in the machine that produces a healthier Ireland.

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The Made2Move movement was initially thought of in the summer of the year 2018 by Gillian O' Sullivan and Fiona Chambers. This project is fronted by the students of the second year Sports Studies and Physical Education course in University College of Cork.
The innovative project was designed to tackle obesity and inactivity present within the community of this college with a further hope of spreading this feeling of productivity and optimism into students' lives and lifestyles. This aura of productive behavior would hopefully transmit into the lives of many other people outside of the college community.
The rationale behind the creation of this club is quite apparent which are shown by other links connected to this section. The country needs a change and we can make that change by starting locally in our college which caters for 18,820 students so our opportunity for impact is certainly present.
The aim is to make changes to people's lives, whether drastic or minute. The project we lunched on multiple social media platforms with this message:

Made 2 Move is a physical activity intervention designed to be delivered by university students who will help fellow students become more physically active.