Joe Wicks
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The summary
When schools closed in Britain last year, Joe Wicks, a fitness coach and author, started doing his 'P.E with Joe' online sessions. He became the nations favourite sports teacher, a lockdown sensation and his workouts got an astounding 60 million views in 8 weeks. I didn’t do his workouts because we took my son to the park every morning but I do remember hearing his name popping up everywhere - from WhatsApp groups and zoom calls to TV shows.
Britain embraced his sessions and it became a great way for so many families to start the day. He got people’s hearts pumping and and the cherry on the cake was that it was totally free. His altruistic motives shone through and he genuinely wanted 'to get kids moving and feeling good'. He believes that role modelling is so important and really lives by the ‘do what I do not what I say’ philosophy. He wasn’t an overnight success but had been ‘banging the drum for the importance of P.E’ for years, a subject that is getting ‘squashed out of the curriculum.’
His popularity obviously isn’t just down to his burpees and star jumps. He was eye-candy for Mums all over Britain, who 'admired his lustrous brown hair' and ‘washboard torso’. He was given a bunch of nicknames, ‘Juicy Joe’, the ‘abs God’ and ‘like Jesus in active wear’! However, it wasn’t just his looks either. In one Guardian article, it said that 'he is palpably non-judgmental’ and 'viewers can smell that, at any age, even through their smartphones.’ He had a very traumatic childhood and shares that he would have been 'a right loose canon without exercise’. Even at a young age he was ‘rallying the troops and bringing people together.’
I really admire Joe Wicks and truly believe that he’s doing a great thing. He helped so many through lockdown life and improved the physical and mental health of so many kids, teens and their parents.
The summary with vocab
When schools closed in Britain last year, Joe Wicks, a fitness coach and author, started doing his'P.Ewith Joe' online sessions. He became the nations favourite sports teacher, a lockdown sensationand his workouts got anastounding60 million views in 8 weeks. I didn’t do his workouts because we took my son to the park every morning but I do remember hearing his namepopping upeverywhere - from WhatsApp groups and zoom calls to TV shows. Britainembracedhis sessions and it became a great way for so many families to start the day. He got people’s hearts pumping and and the cherry on the cakewas that it was totally free. Hisaltruisticmotivesshone throughand hegenuinelywanted 'to get kids moving and feeling good'. He believes thatrole modellingis so important and really lives by the ‘do what I do not what I say’philosophyHe wasn’tan overnight successbut had been'banging the drumfor the importance of P.E’ for years, a subject that is getting‘squashed outof the curriculum.’ His popularity obviously isn’t just down to hisburpeesand star jumps. He waseye-candyfor Mums all over Britain, who 'admired hislustrousbrown hair' and‘washboardtorso’. He was given a bunch of nicknames, ‘Juicy Joe’, the ‘abs God’ and ‘like Jesus in active wear’! However, it wasn’t just his looks either. In one Guardian article, it said that 'he ispalpablynon-judgmental’ and 'viewers can smell that, at any age, even through their smartphones.’ He had a verytraumaticchildhood and shares that he would have been 'a rightloose canonwithout exercise’. Even at a young age he was‘rallying the troops and bringing people together.’ I really admire Joe Wicks and truly believe that he’s doing a great thing. He helped so many through lockdown life and improved the physical and mental health of so many kids, teens and their parents.
Glossary
sensation
Someone or something that causes a lot of excitement and interest
astounding
Very surprising or shocking
popping up
Appearing suddenly
embraced
To accept something with enthusiasm
got people’s hearts pumping
When your heart beats fast because of exercise
the cherry on the cake
The final thing that makes something perfect
altruistic
Caring about the needs of others, not just for yourself
motives
Reasons for doing something
shone through
A good feeling or quality that is very noticeable
genuinely
Honestly
role modelling
To act in a certain way so others copy you
philosophy
Belief or attitude
an overnight success
When someone becomes famous very quickly
‘banging the drum
To show support for something publicly and enthusiastically
‘squashed out
To make something less important
Burpees
an exercise in which you quickly move from standing to a squat , jump back with your legs so they are straight behind you, return to a squat and then stand up again
eye-candy
A good looking man or woman
lustrous
Soft and shiny
washboard
A board that used to be used for washing clothes. A 'washboard stomach' is a flat and muscular
torso’
Upper body
a bunch of
A lot of
palpably
Something that is obvious or noticeable
non-judgmental
Someone that doesn’t judge or criticise others
smell
It means sense or feel in this sentence
traumatic
Very upsetting or difficult
loose canon
A person that doesn’t have a sense of direction and behaves in a way that people wouldn’t predict
rallying the troops
To encourage people to take action
Questions
Had you heard of Joe Wicks before? Have you done any of his workouts?
Why do you think his sessions became so popular?
Did you do any exercise during the lockdown (s)? If so, what did you do?
What did you do to keep your spirits up during the lockdown?
Online workouts are becoming increasingly popular. Do you think they are as good as workouts in person? Are there any drawbacks?
Why do you think that P.E sessions are being reduced in British schools? Is it the same in your country?