Exercise is a vital activity in which all adolescents should participate. The action of physical exertion is not only beneficial for the physical health of adolescents, but is also essential for their mental well-being, especially during stressful periods in their lives. I am reflecting on my personal experiences in the last few weeks of the fitness program and how the sessions have been essential to maintaining a good physical condition and a clear state of mind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As I planned the fitness program, it became very clear that many threats would emerge in my attempt to improve my fitness levels. A major threat was that overwhelming schoolwork, portfolio assignments, and finally studying for prelims would consume most of my time during the day. However, this has created the opportunity to adopt key time management skills, which are crucial to completing a successful matriculation year. Large portions of schoolwork lead to another threat, where I found that the stress created by projects and studying was driving me to turn to unhealthy snacks to combat the pressure. This is where I saw an opportunity in the fitness program: adopting healthy eating habits that have been shown to elicit a more positive mood and substantially reduce stress levels. Another threat I anticipated would be pushing myself too far at the beginning of the program or even losing interest in the program completely. The opportunity I had was to set realistic but challenging goals within my limits, thus teaching me how thorough it is to be, while understanding that commitment to my goals is a quality that will serve me well in the future. Before starting the fitness program, I felt it was necessary to set goals for the duration of the program. I set my goals according to the SMART principle, which allowed my goals to be clear and concise and at the same time achievable based on my physical capabilities. My first goal was to train consistently, while increasing the intensity and duration of each session as the program progressed. This would allow me to settle into the program at the beginning and at the same time reach a climax of maximum exercise. My second goal was to statistically improve my fitness in terms of resting heart rate, exercise heart rate, and recovery time, regardless of how big the improvement was. These figures would be clear indicators of any progress in my fitness levels, and so I decided to record them thoroughly and carefully. My third goal was to maintain a healthy diet and track my eating habits that likely became unhealthy during stressful times of the year. In particular, I aimed to reduce my sugar intake and focused on keeping my diet balanced with diverse proteins, carbohydrates and fresh fruit. My ultimate goal was to enjoy the program and complete sessions that were worthwhile, as this is ultimately what keeps me interested in maintaining a healthy physical state. My fitness levels before starting the fitness program were satisfactory, with my average resting heart rate being 66.67 beats per minute and my body mass index (BMI) being 17.59, which is within the 'ideal range of 17.5-24.9 for a 17 year old. These levels of formphysics are relatively good; however, I knew I could improve these numbers after completing the fitness program. Before starting the program my resting heart rate varied between 66 and 70 beats per minute, while at the end of the program my resting heart rate varied between 63 and 67 beats per minute, even reaching a minimum of 59 beats per minute. While this isn't a substantial improvement, this data suggests that exercise is slowly having a positive impact on my health, and it's possible that with additional training over the next few weeks, I can lower my resting heart rate even further.More . Another discovery was that at the beginning of the program I tired very easily within 25-40 minutes and was very reluctant to complete long sessions. However, once I finished the program, I was able to complete longer sessions lasting up to 50-60 minutes with ease and my recovery time also decreased in proportion to the intensity of the exercise. This shows that I got into training mode much quicker towards the end of the program and the ability to complete longer sessions is a clear indicator of the progression of my fitness levels. The matriculation year is expected to cause stress for all students, however exercise has been suggested as an effective activity to combat stress. During the program, I was very busy with portfolio assignments, projects, and studying for prelims, but I definitely felt that the exercise I completed during schoolwork was a crucial break that was helpful in lowering my levels of stress. I completed my sessions between studies, which I thought was helpful as the stress built up from the first set of work was released during the exercise period, allowing me to continue my work with a clear mindset and state fresh in spirit. I found the most effective activity in releasing stress was Karate workouts, as this activity involved maximum intensity and this physical effort was key in reducing stress levels compared to other less intense sessions. The exercise completed in the fitness program was beneficial to my social well-being as I was able to meet friends and play sports instead of staying at home and choosing other antisocial activities that have become somewhat of the norm in modern times for teenagers. It was great to have fun and experience the pleasure of physical activity during the period of frustration and stress leading up to exams. I also thought that exercise had a positive impact on my emotional well-being, as I didn't feel tied down or burdened by schoolwork or studying. I was able to get on the treadmill or play outside and leave work behind. The exercise worked as a release where I could relax and not worry about the stress of my job. I would rather feel free to enjoy the exercise and return to my studies with a clear mindset. Sport has the ability to teach an athlete how to stay committed to goals, stay determined and take responsibility for their actions while being able to unite people from different groups, embrace multiple cultures and introduce people to new paths. This is the beauty of sport, as it can be characterized by its social aspect and also by its importance for the development of the individual. I have participated in both individual and social sports and can confirm that both varieties can provide different benefits. I have been practicing Karate for several years now and I feel that this sport, just like all individual sports, has enlightened me.