From the gym to the classroom: How one professor models healthy habits for a better future
By Roman Gallitz
What does the phrase “invest in your future” bring to mind? Some say higher education, the stock market or retirement funds. Derek Bennett, an assistant professor of exercise and health science at Muskingum University, believes that exercise can be seen as an investment in one’s future, too. He thinks that every workout he does is an investment in his body.
Bennett, who also operates his own mobile physical therapy business, 740 Performance, is a passionate proponent of exercise. He works out five days a week and even goes as far as making morning exercise an “uncontrollable” in his schedule. Waking up around 4:30 a.m. to work out is now just a habit. Day after day, this routine has enabled him to be at his best when teaching classes, helping students, or running his side business.
“We feel good after exercise because we feel a sense of accomplishment, and I think exercise a lot of times is kind of a keystone habit,” Bennett said. “If we start going to the gym… all of a sudden, after we exercise, we want to eat better, we want to sleep better, and our mind is able to focus on other things because we've already taken care of ourselves.”
Assistant professor Derek Bennett sits down with community editor Roman Gallitz to discuss the long-term benefits of exercise
Bennett is keen on taking time for yourself – whether it’s exercise, meditation or breath work. Doing so places you in the proper state of mind to entirely focus on whatever is in front of you. Just like his idea of self-investment, Bennett encourages people to take care of their bodies now so they can enjoy life in the future.
Bennet gave six pieces of advice for a healthier mind:
Physical activity will always be beneficial
Fuel your body with good nutrition
Promote good joint health through movement
Take a step back from screens or anything that causes anxiety
Set aside time to prioritize what’s important in your life
Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it
According to Bennett, exercise is a “keystone habit” in the sense that once you begin your fitness journey, you’ll start wanting to improve other areas of your life as well. If you're hungry for more of Bennett’s fitness insight, check out his podcast, Health and Fitness Unfiltered. There, he takes a deep dive into a wide variety of health and fitness topics, such as structuring workouts, exercising when sick and struggling with lower back pain, to name a few.
For Bennett, working out is the linchpin that holds his life together between teaching, his side business, podcasts and married life. Bennett said that taking care of yourself first allows you to do the most good for both yourself and others.
