If you are reading this, there is a good chance you are currently wearing sweatpants, holding a warm mug, and looking out the window at yet another layer of snow.
The recent wave of school closings and remote learning days has been disruptive. While a “Snow Day” used to mean sledding and hot cocoa, for the modern PE teacher, it means a broken curriculum and a scramble to find meaningful work for students stuck inside.
But the issue isn’t just about missing a volleyball lesson. It’s about a physiological crash called NEAT.
Here is the science of what happens to student bodies during a snow week, and the remote PE activities you need to counter it.
The Science: The Crash of NEAT
NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It encompasses all the energy we burn doing things that aren’t intentional exercise—walking to the bus, carrying a backpack, fidgeting in a desk, or moving between classrooms.
- At School: Even sedentary students accumulate significant NEAT just by navigating the building.
- At Home: Research shows that during winter breaks and snow days, NEAT levels plummet by up to 50%.
When students are confined to their homes, they move from bed to couch to computer. This sudden drop in metabolic activity contributes to “Winter Weight Gain” and the lethargy known as “Cabin Fever.”
The Goal of Remote PE: Your job isn’t necessarily to make them do 100 burpees. It is simply to replace the lost NEAT.
Stop Doing “Zoom Workouts”
In 2020, we learned a hard lesson: Synchronous Zoom workouts are awkward.
Watching 30 students do jumping jacks in their living rooms over a laggy connection is frustrating for you and embarrassing for them (Evaluation Apprehension).
Instead, use PhysednHealth to assign Asynchronous Active Tasks. This respects their schedule while ensuring the work gets done.
1. The “Snow Shovel” Workout (Log It!)
Manual labor is functional fitness. Shoveling snow is essentially a weighted lunge with rotation.
- The Science: Shoveling heavy snow can burn as many calories as a vigorous game of tennis.
- The Move: Don’t assign a generic workout. Tell them: “Go help your parents shovel the driveway for 20 minutes.”
- The Tech: Have them log this in their Student Portfolio Journal. They can snap a selfie with the shovel or write a reflection on how it felt.
2. The Living Room Strength Circuit
Use the Strength Workout Builder to create a “No Equipment” plan.
- The Science: Short bursts of resistance training (bodyweight squats, pushups) release myokines that improve mood and combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
- The Move: Create a workout titled “Snowed In Circuit.” (e.g., 3 rounds: 10 Squats, 10 Pushups, 30s Plank).
- The Tech: Assign it to the class roster. Students open the app on their phone, check off the sets as they do them, and the data syncs back to you instantly.
3. The “Cabin Fever” Check-In
Being stuck inside with siblings for three days is stressful.
- The Move: Before they start their activity, ask them to do a Wellness Check-in.
- The Tech: If you see a student logging “Angry” or “Tired” emojis consistently during remote days, you know to reach out with a supportive email.
Embrace the Asynchronous
Don’t let the weather freeze your program.
By shifting your focus from “compliance” (watching them on camera) to “autonomy” (letting them log their own activity), you empower students to find movement in their own environment.
Whether they are shoveling snow, cleaning their room, or doing a living room circuit—if they are moving, they are winning.
Need to send a workout home today? Use our Strength Workout Builder to create and assign a “No Equipment” plan in minutes. Build a Remote Workout | Login to Teacher Dashboard
