In this paper I am going to use classical argument to support my claim of value, that classes involving exercise should be made a part of university requirements throughout the United States and specifically at Iowa State.  I will do this by first stating a concession to those who do not believe exercise classes should be a part of the curriculum.  Next, I will include a refutation section where my claims are supported against the opposing claims.  Then, I will include the presentation of why universities need to require exercise classes.  Last, I will conclude my paper by giving the solution to the problem of lack of exercise. 

            One of the arguments against installing a program of required exercise classes is that in order to get the full health benefit from the program some of the responsibility would have to depend on the student and their attitudes.  Universities cannot force students to lead healthy lives.  This is a true statement because not all students would take full advantage of the benefits in exercising even if classes were required. 

            However, it would be foolish to not see the importance of exercising for college students.  Those against mandatory exercise say that if students feel it is important to exercise they will create a program of physical activity on their own and it does not need to be a part of the school.  The problem with this theory is that the majority of people would stop the program if left on their own without any sort of accountability.  For example, a study was done on several different exercise plans to see what results would happen over time.  First the theoretical approach of self-monitoring was used.  This program left individuals to attend exercise sessions on their own without any intervention from others.  The overall observation was that interest in attending and exercising was lost after about four weeks.  Next the approach of stages of change was used.  This program used four different groups.  One group received weekly calls with structured inquiry to see how and when the subjects were personally exercising.  The second group received weekly calls with general inquiries about their exercise habits.  The third group received a call every three weeks with general inquiries of exercise, and the last group received calls every three weeks with structured inquiries.  The results were, that 63% of the subjects who were called more frequently were regularly exercising as opposed to only the 22% exercising success rate of those that were called less frequently.  Also those called with the structured inquiry method had a much higher rate of successful exercise then those who were just asked generally about their exercise patterns  (Physical Activity and Health 219).  These results show that exercise is most effectively put into practice when people are held accountable.  This is a great reason for universities to start a program to help hold its students to a plan of exercise by making them accountable in a class.

            Other reasons that come up for not forming a mandatory exercise program include students already being crunched for time with an overload of credits, students with disabilities encountering problems fulfilling the requirements, freedom for choosing classes becoming more limited, and university athletes already being in a regular program of exercise.  All of these reasons could be overcome by simply planning the required exercise program out well.  None of the reasons listed above are valid enough on their own to keep such an important program from being formed.  For example, the university could make space in individual college requirements for exercise classes.  This would enable students to have time in their schedule for exercise classes.  Having university wide class requirements is already in effect with classes such as library, English, U.S. diversity requirement, and international perspectives requirement.  With both the U.S. diversity and the international perspectives classes students are given several options of completely different classes to take in order to be able to fulfill the requirement, because all the classes have a common theme.  By doing something similar for the exercise program, where different options of varied forms of exercise classes are offered to fulfill requirements, the problems of freedom, disability, and athletics are all resolved.  Students would still get to have choice in the classes they take for the requirements.  Those with a disability could choose a class that would be most beneficial to them and athletes could supplement their training for the classes.  All of these types of issues can easily be solved but only if the university finds it important enough.  It is often said that a person speaks of what is in their heart and if the health of its students is important the university needs to show it by making healthy habits, such as exercise, a part of its curriculum.

Indeed exercising is an important habit to form for the sake of health. A few of the benefits found in exercising are as follows:  improved cardiovascular fitness, improved lung capacity, improved capacity for work, improved fatigue level, improved resistance against diseases, improved relaxation, improved endurance, improved sleep, and improved ability to cope with stress  (Berland 5).  Furthermore, it is important to form life long exercise habits at the college level.  Studies show that activity levels begin to fall drastically at the age of 18  (Dishman 2).  This decline that begins as adulthood is reached, could account for the following statistics on the overall state of American exercise levels.  40% of Americans do not exercise during leisure time, 40% are active at levels too infrequent and low for health and fitness gains, and only 20% exercise intensely and regularly enough to meet the current fitness guidelines  (Dishman 1).  If Americans are not exercising enough the overall health of the nation goes down.  Many work places offer exercise facilities for their employees.  Out of all the employees 20%- 40% take advantage of the equipment.  Only half of this percentage uses the equipment regularly and at the correct level for fitness.  Before workplaces can expect employees to properly use their equipment it must be taught and instilled in the employees.  By colleges creating a program where students can be taught proper fitness that takes place on a regular basis, a training ground for future health habits is provided.  "Doc" Spackman, a trainer, said, "Too many believe that one should exercise until one is 20 to 25 years and then they have enough fitness built in to last the next 50 years.  Physical fitness lasts about three weeks.  Exercise is not for kids, as most people believe.  Exercise is for everyone over 21 years, the more over 21, the more exercise one needs." 

Many do not realize that fitness is fleeting and the only way to maintain it is by a constant routine of exercise.  Exercise is composed of two major parts, strengthening and endurance.  Each of these parts needs to be put into practice several times a week.  It is shown that it is the most beneficial to focus on the increase of strength 2-3 days a week, while 3-4 days a week focus on endurance.  Each day flexibility should be pursued to prevent injury (Holland 9).  Even though an individual may be exercising everyday if a person starts to become inactive what they had gained is lost in two to three week (Berland 3).  How can students who have started a program of exercise be caused to stick to it?  The best way a university, such as Iowa State, can help students is by keeping them accountable, through classes, for the four or more years they are here.  Accountability after all was already proven earlier in this paper to cause exercise patterns to become more regular.

By being kept accountable and sticking with a program students will be able to have the full benefits of exercising.  Involvement in a program of balanced physical activity causes biological adaptations to occur that enables an individual to take part in activities that are more varied and vigorous.  The author of Values of Physical Activity stated it this way; "The average adult unnecessarily limits his potential for activity with age because of his unwillingness to maintain a regular conditioning program"  (Holland 4).  By exercising now, a whole new world opens where more energy is available for even the small tasks in life.  Dr. Passmore, a famous Edinburgh physiologist, illustrates this when he said, "On my way home my path leads across an open field.  There is a bit of a brook and over it a small footbridge.  When I prefer to jump across that stream I know I’m in good health."  (Montoye 7). 

Since exercise is an important part of life for health and fitness reasons, then it should be made an important part in the lives of college students.  A program needs to be started where it is mandatory to take some sort of a physical fitness class once a year.  The students could pick the specific form of exercise they want, but in each class proper fitness would be shown how to be achieved and maintained through accountability.  The university would need to make adjustments in their curriculum so students could be able to have the time to take these classes.  But by adapting this program the lives of students would start to become healthier causing the positives to out weigh any negatives found in the program.  After all mandatory exercise classes are not a new idea; they are all ready in effect for students through twelfth grade.  Iowa requires students one through twelve to exercise at least 50 minutes each week (Davis 52).  Since exercising is already in practice for lower grades, universities should continue the process of exercise for healthy living through education.  If a program is not started now the exercise level for adults will continue to drop first at the college level and then continue into later life.

In conclusion, a person’s life becomes busy and cluttered with so many things.  In order to do all these things you must stay healthy.  In order to stay healthy you must make time to take care of yourself.  Universities can help students do this by giving them time for exercise and holding them accountable to physical activity by promoting a required exercise program. 

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