We were watching a nature clip on TV last week when the wild male animal started rolling around in the dirt and throwing the dirt all over the place. My wife laughed and said it was like me going out on our property! I got to thinking deeper about this and decided it was worth a share because I've been conducting this experiment on myself since moving to the country and doing so much work on our forested land--it's been brutally physical and quite manly--and I think it's really boosted my self-worth as a man and as a citizen too. It's a good sort of pride and accomplishment. Here are a few thoughts directed toward men snorting a bit and rolling in the dirt, but I think it's also important for women to hear.*Photo Credit: Ron Jones

Some positive volleyball PE updates as I share my students learning "through the physical" as emphasized by ancient Greece. I also offer a few behavioral psychology tips from a professional perspective, and these tips can be helpful whether you are a coach, teacher, parent, or even the end user coaching yourself.*Photo Credit: Richard Olson Negatives, Box 001, Image 0007-CA Women Beach Volleyball (Circa 1920)

I made a valiant effort to teach two basic volleyball skills to my elementary PE students this week. Here's what they learned and what I learned.*Photo Credit: Richard Olson Negatives, Box 001, Image 0007-CA Women Beach Volleyball (Circa 1920)

One of my 3rd grade country girls in PE came up to me last week and excitedly shared, "Coach Jones-I shot a deer." I'm like...well okay then! We had a conversation about her experience, and the more that I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to share the story here and highlight all the practical skills she had to learn with her father to go hunting and shoot her own deer. Whether you are a hunter or not, I think the show is worth a listen.

There are a lot of ponds in Oklahoma. Many people here have large lots or acreage, so it's pretty common for people to have their own private ponds. Some of the ponds are really nice--they have gazebos, benches, docks, and even small shacks on the edge of them so people can sit and relax. I realized after a year of seeing all these ponds with their sitting areas that I have yet to see a single person sitting by one of them! Here are some reflections on pond sitting...and just using the stuff to do the stuff we intended to do in the first place.

My thoughts on Thanksgiving...I'm thankful to even be alive! I'm also thankful for a new start in life made possible by a major effort to completely change my state of residence and local environment.

What's the key question for working in education in my rural area--can you love our students? That's what the parents want to know, and if you do love and care for their kids, they will support you. At least here in the country school in Oklahoma--it's easy to love my students and look forward to them every day. Here's what they taught me so far beyond my history and educational studies.

A senior lady I know has significant postural issues along with some internal organ digestive problems. When she asked her medical doctor if there could be a possible relationship between her poor posture and distended waist, her doctor explained there would be NO connection between her postural and gastric problems. This is absolute medical ignorance that goes deeply into medical and health history that warrants some critical commentary! *References: "Growing Straight: A New System of Physical Education with Mental Control" by Maud Smith Williams (1930); "The Posture of School Children: With Its Home Hygiene and New Efficiency Methods for School Children" by Jessie H. Bancroft (1917); "The Gravity Guiding System-Turning The Aging System Upside Down" by Robert M. Martin M.D. (1982)

The "Hip Hinge" (or the athletic ready position) has been called the most important sports movement. There are many ways to teach the hip hinge. I prefer teaching it using a light two-pound "SandBell" disc. Due to some recent inquiries, here's a fairly detailed explanation of how I teach the Hip Hinge with SandBells plus a link to one of my videos on this topic for further review.*SandBell Figure-8 Toss: https://youtu.be/wGl19QbbRNE

I use drums and percussion equipment in my PE classes. Why? Initially, I wanted to use drumming to help teach my students rhythm, but then I realized over time that there were MANY valuable life lessons and life skills they could learn through drumming far beyond rhythm like: fine motor control of hands and fingers, social skills, love of music, teamwork, situational awareness, energy awareness and conservation through proper expenditure, and to address the increasing needs of occupational therapy due to digital dexterity deficits with young children. Today's show is a partial list of why drumming and percussion should be a consideration for today's children.

At one time, America had the greatest physical education in the world and also manufactured the best PE and fitness equipment too. In today's PE programs, most of what I have seen purchased is absolute crap! Here's some history of what PE equipment used to be, what it is today, and what to do about it.

Here's some more wisdom from the 1914 book by Col. WM. C. Hunter entitled, "PEP: Poise-Efficiency-Peace...A Book of Hows Not Whys For Physical and Mental Efficiency." Today, I explore Chapter 17 and Col. Hunter's thoughts on "hypochondria" and thinking yourself sick--or well.

I have three simple rules for my PE students: 1-Be Kind; 2-Be ACTIVE!; 3-Know YOUR Body. I'll explain why I use these and how they apply to UPlifting overall culture plus go into the historic origins of my class credo which is, "Be strong to be useful."

Malcolm X addressed a group of black high students on December 31, 1964 about how they needed to "think for themselves" and if they did not--they would be talked into "hating their friends and loving their enemies." It's a rather profound statement in 2022. Look around...the truth bell is ringing; here are a few words of wisdom by Malcolm X to inspire some deeper thought. *Source: "Malcom X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements" edited by George Breitman (1965)Photo Credit: Herman Hiller, World Telegram staff photographer

With a major hurricane crashing into Florida within hours, I got to thinking of my recent PE lessons on "hanging" for my kids in grades 3,4,5. Hanging is one of the many "survival skills" I teach in PE. Here are some thoughts about hanging and survival through my classical PE lens. If you are in FL and surrounding areas this week, best of luck with Hurricane Ian.

"Everything we do we will it to be done!" -Ray EliotOne of the most successful college football coaches in American history was Coach Ray Eliot from the University of Illinois. I've spoken on Coach Eliot before, but in this show, I'll be sharing some of his thoughts from a book written by his grandson in 1995 entitled, "Ray Eliot: The Spirit and Legend of Mr. Illini." Coach Eliot had some amazing wisdom looking into the troublesome future of football devolving into a money pit at the expense of getting a quality education. Also referenced is Eliot's famous speech from the 1960s entitled, "The Proper State of Mind." It's an amazing speech and only 30 minutes long. I highly recommend listening to his speech as it's quite inspirational--and it's not really about football...it's about the big game of life.Speech link is: https://youtu.be/w-JLGLrypyI

On the tragic eve of another female runner violently attacked and murdered, here are my thoughts on the rights and issues surrounding female runners in America. *Photo by Ron Jones

As the world learns of the passing of Queen Elizabeth, it is worth reflecting upon what we can learn from her sense of decorum, poise, sense of honor, and tradition. Here are a few thoughts in respect and my best wishes to all my friends in the UK tonight. *Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II#/media/File:Queen_Elizabeth_II_in_March_2015.jpg

Some random thoughts of the day from an armadillo report to the demonic imagery of Biden's propaganda speech and more...

I've been observing my PE girls this last week during some free play. Their movement skills are stunning! It got me thinking about the values of barefoot fitness and how people can learn better through their feet and movement in general--it's a nice bright spot to polish today.

American author Will Rogers had some brilliant thoughts on taxes a hundred years ago...here are a few to consider when understanding that "free is NOT free" when it comes to free money from the government. *Photo Credit: Wikipedia

I started noticing a bunch of holes in my yard a couple of months ago. I found out they were being dug by the resident armadillo! Most people here uses traps and take them away or kill them--however, is there a better way to think about this? Can I become one with the armadillo? Here are a few fun armadillo facts and deeper reflections. *Photo by HunadamTomfriedelderivative work: WolfmanSF - File:Glyptodon-1.jpgFile:Nine-banded Armadillo.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58555357

Here are four bright spots to polish coming out of California teacher education at the university level. My friend and teacher Dr. Rocannon MacGregor put up a post about some of the work being done by education professor Dr. Marga Madhuri--I've also worked for years with Dr. Madhuri and have been impressed by her instruction and character. There were four critical points cited that are worth discussing today: eye contact, presence, touch, and playfulness. Enjoy the show. :)

A few weeks ago, the historic home of Bonnie Prudden in Tucson, AZ was flooded for the second time in one year. The home is inhabited by Bonnie's long-time assistant Enid Whittaker who has been my mentor for many years. The damage is so extensive that Enid had to vacate the home. Many of the historic reference materials were damaged. Enid needs help with repair and restoration costs that are not going to be covered by her insurance. This show "briefly" lays out the legacy work of Bonnie Prudden and Enid Whittaker and why it is important to preserve. I hope you give it a listen and some reflection. If I have ever helped you in any way, it's likely to have been guided by the work of Bonnie and Enid. *Photo by Ron JonesGo Fund Me Link for Enid Whittaker: https://www.gofundme.com/f/enid-whittaker-flood-and-mud-fund

I've been reviewing some of my vintage running manuals since returning to XC coaching this year. Here are some great running tips from the US Navy "V-Five" pilot aviation program in WWII. The USN V-Five was legendary and represented state-of-the-art physical and mental training during WWII. *Source: "Track and Field" by The United States Naval Institute (1943)

I met all of my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade PE students yesterday on the first day of school. What a difference! Here are my observations over the last couple of years regarding pre and post-pandemic movement quality in American children and some thoughts on why country kids move differently.

A few education quotes from American author and thought leader Will Rogers as Americans head back to school this month. *Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Like many Americans, I've been monitoring our southern border crisis with increased concern if not total horror. The amount of illegal drugs coming into our country is beyond belief, yet what is driving their deliveries? Is it really the Cartels? No. Let's talk about root causes to the chronic suffering in America...then begin to take real action to UPlift ourselves and our neighbors.

Do you realize that many American youth today do not even know their shirt size, height, or weight? Even teens! What are they paying attention to besides a basic connection to their bodies and biometrics? It's worth a show and chat. *Photo by Ron Jones

Vin Scully was a baseball and American icon. Today, I use his passing to discuss a deeper issue related to baseball culture and how a classical type of baseball "could be" used as a healing agent in American culture. Sit back, get a ballpark dog and drink, and enjoy the show. *Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

The last week of the 2022 school year, I offered these tips to my 8th grade US History students...they are worth a share outside of the school too.

In just three days, my XC kids are making amazing progress in improving their form and biomechanics. It's so positive that I felt it worth sharing. So often we think kids cannot do this or that, but many times the real problem is the lack of opportunity to learn what needs to be learned in the first place! We have a great group of dedicated runners from 6th-12th grade. What a joy to be working and coaching these boys and girls... here are a few things they are working on this week.

I finally finished my gazebo deck rebuild project. It was scorching hot here over 100 degrees all week, and I was out in all of it covered in sweat and sawdust. What were the real values of this project beyond just having a better deck to sit on? Maybe more than you think?

The "hygiene" area in classical PE programs includes weather acclimatization to ALL kinds of weather--hot, cold, wet, dry, calm, windy, etc. The idea is to at least have some sort of baseline weather toughness so you are used to different types of weather. Today, we have a predicted ambient temperature of 107 F and 111 F heat index...it's HOT! I'll be outside working on my deck project in the hottest part of the day--and I'll be fine. Here's why. *Music provided by Stanley Jay Tucker

About a year ago I was observing my new 8th graders trying to place a soccer ball on top of a safety cone during a new school year activity day. They were having a difficult time getting the ball to stay on top of the cone. After closer observation, I realized they were not using their hands properly to place the ball...here are some historical thoughts on the importance of teaching hand agility and precision of hand movements in not only PE classes but throughout the school day.

Another important share from the 1914 book "PEP: Poise, Efficiency, & Peace" written by Col. WM. C. Hunter. Today, we take a look at Section 3 which goes into the physical and emotional cost of "worrying" and how this can cause a "congestion" that produces disease and illness, etc.

Here's another share from NYU's legendary Professor of Physical and Health Education JB Nash's 1942 book entitled, "Building Morale." In this show, I share Nash's historic wisdom on how to layer in skilled movement efficiency in order to create more "energy reserves" and caloric efficiency. These are HUGE concepts out of history brilliantly simplified by Nash in his practice writing style. "Skilled movement" matters!

In 1942, NYU Physical Education and Health Professor JB Nash wrote an amazing book entitled, "Building Morale." Today, I'm sharing a brief excerpt from Chapter II on "The Hand on the Back" where he goes into what drives human survival, existence, and how a combination of drives can UPlift and elevate culture through things like "art in utility" and striving for excellence or improvements, etc. *Photo Credit: "JB Nash" courtesy of Roderick Nash

"PEP: Poise-Efficiency-Peace (A Book of Hows Not Whys For Physical and Mental Efficiency)" was first published in 1914 by Col. WM. C. Hunter. Today's show is Hunter's layout of his book and how to read and follow along.

I've been reading a lot of critical history on the psychology of mass genocide and medical killings by the Nazis and had a flashback to a personal training client of mine many years ago...she kept complaining about her feet, so when I inquired deeper, I found out a doctor had sewn all her toes together! If you have blind faith in the medical community, maybe you should listen to this real story and think about it...rationally. *Photo Credit: Dr. William Rossi, DPM

The State Department of Education in Oklahoma is providing a series of teacher education courses around the state to help prepare educators for the new school year. On Tulsa's local KMRG AM 740 radio show with Dan Potter this morning, Oklahoma State Superindentent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister was interviewed. It was a nice interview about all the great topics being covered then they got into the importance of music and art to develop the whole child along with discipline and other good learning and life qualities. I completely agree, BUT, where's the BEEF as in Physical Education? Not one single word during the interview about the critical importance of proper PE to improve learning and mental stability...here's some historical context on why this should be "front and center" in any general conversation about current education and especially when discussing the mental stability or mental health of our current children.*To access our PE documentary film "The Motivation Factor" by Doug Orchard Films, please visit the film's website at: www.motivationmovie.com

How did Americans arrive at the point where we accept children leaving their academic school settings for up to a week at a time to play sports for a club team that has nothing to do with their own school? Some thoughts on the team sport money grab, soaring youth sports injuries, and a breakdown of intellectual culture to glorify youth sports championships. *"Line of Fire" courtesy of Stanley Jay Tucker and the "American Revolution" album.

"Things left out" can tell you a lot about a community's culture. Here are some thoughts that can be helpful for anyone looking to relocate...

I was listening to "For What's It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield last night on my deck after sunset...because I had the time to be still and deeply reflect upon their lyrics, I started thinking more about what they were saying and how it applies to our current events too. Photo Credit: "Buffalo Springfield in 1966" (Wikipedia Public Domain)

Here's a simple way to polish a couple of bright spots--with little books you can find used for just a few dollars each. Here are two great finds of mine for $5.00 or less. "PEP: Poise-Efficiency-Poise" by Col. WM. C. Hunter published in 1914 and "The Book of Success: Ideals of Great Men" edited by Margherita Osborne published in 1927. Reading some vintage books is a wise use of our "leisure time" and a great way to keep from going crazy at the same time as we UPlift culture and educate ourselves too.

I'm back! It's truly been a "Long Road" to bring my podcast shows back online. Here's what I've been up to and how I'm adjusting my format to move forward better and stronger. Fasten your seat belts...I'll be quite active with new shows moving forward. Onward and upward!

On June 1, 2020, I had the rare opportunity to sit down and interview a WWII veteran--this was my second interview with a Greatest Generation veteran. Mr. Lee Graham was in the US Army as a Technician and discharged as a corporal (Technician 5th Grade). Mr. Graham was assigned to the infamous Sugamo Prison in Toyko, Japan which contained some of the worst war criminals of WWII such as Prime Minister Hideki Tojo who ordered the Batann Death March. The "Toyko Rose" Iva Toguri was also imprisoned in Sugamo when Mr. Graham was assigned there. The day after Mr. Graham graduated from high school in Oklahoma, he was in the US Army. Like most people who served in WWII, Mr. Graham humbly summarized that he just did what was needed for his country. He returned after 1.5 years of service to enter the natural gas industry in Oklahoma and raised a wonderful family...this is his story. To all those who served in WWII and beyond, thank you.

There is a lot of disturbing news today, and at times it's quite overwhelming. Using the historical wisdom of JB Nash who advocated to "polish the bright spot" instead of focusing on negatives--enter Pastor Brian Hawkins who is an African-American ex-con running for US Congress in California. If there was ever an American success story--this is it. Pastor Hawkins not only turned his life around in prison but also figured out a way to get rival gangs to get along and respect each other in the prison yard. He had some startling comments on the poor literacy rates of prisoners that compelled me to do this show. I hope you take a listen--then read a book or two! https://www.hawkinsforcongress2022.com