It’s back-to-school season, and children who dread gym class kickball games might be interested to learn about a British researcher who has recommended that schools focus more on individual exercise methods, such as Pilates, hill-walking and stretching, over competitive team games in an effort to foster lifelong healthy habits.

That’s not to say that sports teams don’t need Pilates. A high school football team in Florida added Pilates to its off-season conditioning, and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team is the latest at the collegiate level to take up Pilates. (This story includes a great audio slideshow of a Pilates class on the field. “This is tough, man. Dang,” says one player.)

An article in The New York Times this week tackled the question How Much Exercise Do Children Need? The conclusion? Inconclusive. Experts agree that exercise is certainly important for kids, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had a hard time making clear sense of the available research. Nevertheless, the department is preparing a new set of guidelines.

College students are also getting schooled on Pilates. Online publications from Ithaca College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, both ran articles about how Pilates and other mind-body activities can soothe student stress.

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