Will high school PE screw up my training?

Football coach subbed one day for the regular PE teacher. We lifted the whole class. I was so sore the next day, I ran 30 seconds slower than normal. Lucky it was just a dual meet.

I faced the same issue last year in my PE class, at first I just talked to the teacher and told him how important it was I was rested for my meets, at first he understood but then he started making me participate even when I had meets, I started to either fake an injury to get out of the class, or last case resort just hide in the bathroom all class

I got crazy fit one summer by biking to morning XC practice, running 6-10 miles, biking to PE, then running 2-3 more miles, lifting, doing taebo, and all kinds of sports. Then I biked home. It was summer school PE, so it was a full day of sports. Then I’d bike home. Easily ran PR’d on all courses and broke 25min for 5k that year. Sub 13 for 2 mile.

Sore for a week..... wrote:

Football coach subbed one day for the regular PE teacher. We lifted the whole class. I was so sore the next day, I ran 30 seconds slower than normal. Lucky it was just a dual meet.

This is exactly what I am afraid of. The problem is that is what it will be like for me EVERYDAY. Does anyone have any solutions?

Do you feel like a rat on it's running wheel in a cage?

Highschool wrote:

Sore for a week..... wrote:

Football coach subbed one day for the regular PE teacher. We lifted the whole class. I was so sore the next day, I ran 30 seconds slower than normal. Lucky it was just a dual meet.

This is exactly what I am afraid of. The problem is that is what it will be like for me EVERYDAY. Does anyone have any solutions?

Here's a idea, do what is best for you. Your PE coach says to do x amount of reps do half of that. Your PE teacher says do x amount of sets do half of that.

I am a PE teacher and if I had a student athlete who expressed this type of concern I would make allowances. I’m sorry that you are stuck with a teacher who does not understand the importance of rest/recovery.

I'm pretty sure that no general PE class will be rigorous enough to screw up your training. It wasn't for me when I was in highschool a few years ago. If all of the unathletic students have to do the same stuff then you'll be fine. Worst case scenario just explain to him on race days that you can't do anything too tiring or have your coach talk to the PE teacher.

If you don't over do it, it will make you fitter and faster, not tired and slower.

All PE teachers care about is participation. Do the reps, the key will be how much weight you use. If it’s a meet day, just look busy and go light enough to where your body hardly registers the effort. If it’s early in the week, build yourself up a bit with some appropriately challenging weight.

The good PE teachers are also looking for effort. We can usually spot the ones who are not giving it their best. That being said, I think student-athletes need to be given a pass or else it becomes counterproductive.

what to do wrote:

If you don't over do it, it will make you fitter and faster, not tired and slower.

+1

When you are lifting for distance running focus on building explosiveness i.e. 3-6 rep range and focus on compound movements i.e. squats, deadlifts, pull ups, dips, over head press etc. As far as sets keep it in the 3-5 working set range. It doesn't take much for example when I lift I do some kettle bell swings as active warm up than I do some squats and/or deadlifts than some pull ups and dips/maybe some standing over head press. Pretty simple routine but it works out every bit of my body without taking too much out of me from my training. Also, go for a light jog afterwards to flush out your body to speed up recovery.

When I was in high school, we had "Athletics" as a last-period class. It substituted for P.E. So, once I went out for track and did well my sophomore year, for the next two years I had "Athletics" last period instead of having to go to P.E. Of course, you had to be varsity to qualify.

This. Also your gym teacher can control how much weight you use.. go as light as you can, even just do that bar if you have to. Don't give a ton of effort in the sprints. I know it would be a d*ck move, but if that's the case and the football team gets to skip gym class when they have games and stuff and the gym teacher is a football coach, do one of two things or both. 1) get a bunch of other athletes in the class to go an complain to the principal/AD about it and explain how unfair it is. Normally this will get you out of it because the football team will be "too important" too work during gym, so they will just allow the other athletes to sit out. Threaten to sue for unfair/unequal treatment if you are that desperate... Any thoughts of lawsuits will get schools to buckle to you, even if the school is right. 2) if the coach is competitive, go after his ego. Say "hey coach, this is BS. First of all, I'm in way better shape than any of your team is, so if anything, I need this less than they do" then present him with a challenge. "I'll race a football player of your choice in a mile race, if I win, I get out of gym like your players do, if I lose, I'll shut up and do whatever for the rest of the year"

I am a recently retired PE teacher and I am embarrassed to hear about these types of teachers and these double standards. I never expected athletes to train hard on the day of games. I did tell them that they can wake up their central nervous systems by doing a bit of explosive work. Get your coach involved, go to your AD, have your parents complain.

You sound like a snowflake. Oh well, PE today is nothing like it was back in the 70's. It's soft and the kids are soft. Your "hardcore" PE teacher is probably nothing compared to how it was back in the 70's either. However, given your fitness level you should have no trouble handling a PE class that is designed for just the average non-athlete student. You're probably worrying about nothing. As has been suggested earlier you should talk to the PE coach about resting or doing something light, similar to the football team on game days, when you have a meet that day.

If the teacher is not willing to make any accommodations/compromises with you:

1.) They suck.

2.) Put in minimal effort. You are likely one of the most fit people in that class. Just give 50% (or less) effort on everything. He probably won't even be able to tell or care enough to punish you. And your 50% is going to be better than most people's 100% anyways.

Now, this isn't to say just blow off the class entirely, you should still get an 'A' in the class and respect the teacher. However, since the teacher is not willing to compromise, and your running career is more valuable then your PE class performance, it seems like a no brainier to me. Just sandbag the class and do as little as you can to get by.

When I was in this situation in high school, the teacher understood he had athletes in his class and he worked around it. I did a lot more upper body and core work, and I almost never had to do any running or cardio. It was very beneficial for me, I got much stronger than I normally would have thanks to that class.

Bottom line:You'll be fine. Make the most of if, but don't let it get in the way of your season.