Korea Times recently dropped in on Associate Professor Doug Richards' sport medicine class to learn more about the field of kinesiology and potential career paths for graduates of the program. They also chatted to third year kinesiology student Jiyoung Jang, who shared her experience of being a student at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
Below we share an excerpt from the article and a link to the YouTube video with Richards' and Jang's interviews.
Even if you exercise for three hours a day, sitting for eight hours is not good. The negative effects of remaining inactive for eight hours may not be offset by any amount of activity.
This statement overturns the common misconception that exercising a lot leads to better health. In the field of kinesiology at the University of Toronto, the importance of "how long one remains still" is considered just as significant as "how much one exercises."
Doug Richards, a professor at the University of Toronto, explained, “It is a field that studies how movement is created and how that movement and exercise affect humans.”
In an interview with this newspaper and the University of Toronto on the 26th of last month, Doug Richards, a professor of kinesiology and physical education at the University of Toronto, explained, “Kinesiology is not a discipline that deals only with sports,” adding that it is “a field that studies how movement is created and how that movement and exercise affect humans.” He defined kinesiology as “one of the broadest health-related disciplines.”
Professor Richards is a figure who practices "movement-centered thinking" in his daily life more than anyone else. He works while walking on a treadmill desk. His statement, "I walk while I work," is not merely an introduction to a habit, but encapsulates the philosophy pursued by kinesiology. It implies that health does not begin with a single, concentrated workout, but with an overall rhythm of life that avoids prolonged sitting.
It’s not a major only for people who like sports.
One common misconception about kinesiology is the perception that it is a major only for people who are good at sports. However, Jiyoung Jang, a student at the University of Toronto, offers a different perspective. “At first, I thought it would be a major focused on health or fitness, but in reality, the curriculum is much broader,” she said. “As you learn about psychology, physiology, anatomy, and even women’s health, you acquire the ability to view things broadly and analytically.”
Jang said that after coming to Toronto in the 9th grade, she first learned about the major of kinesiology through a Q&A session with seniors. She was drawn to the fact that it would allow her to understand the human body and movement more deeply, and the beautiful campus environment also influenced his decision to pursue the major.
Read the full article on the Korea Times website