Hate going to gym¹, but need to pass it to graduate²? Need to find a way around this requirement? If your school is run as "efficiently" as this Researcher's was then this should be no problem. Of course this may not be immediately apparent.The first thing that you need to remember is that the gym teacher(s)³ is your enemy. In order to defeat an enemy you need to study it. Ideally this should begin during your freshman year⁴.

Before you plan your escape you should determine why you wish to do so. Different reasons have different possible courses of action. Perhaps you simply hate gym and would rather be in a different class. Or maybe you need some "free" time during your school day but don't want to cut⁵ an academic class.

We'll begin with the former. Locate your guidance counselor⁶ and inform him that you would like to take another course. Throw around phrases like, "I want to widen my academic horizons." Guidance counselors love this kind of talk. Whatever you do though, do not even hint that you simply want to avoid gym. For some reason, this will work for one student, but not another. Success often depends on which guidance counselor you speak to. It is also best to have an alternative class in mind when making the request.

Another option is to acquire a sick note. This will be very useful in escaping a particular class, but will not get you out forever. This excuse is mainly for students in the UK. American students should only try this if their school accepts notes from parents, and does not make any follow-up phone calls. Many American schools require these notes to be written by a doctor and delivered by the student to the main office. The secretary will most likely telephone the doctor to confirm the authenticity of the note.

A third option is to volunteer for something. Many schools have community service programs that you may be able to participate in during gym. If not, you may be able to do odd jobs for the teacher, such as painting or cleaning. This will allow you to attend class during the units that you are good at, and being excused from those that you aren't. Furthermore, your your gym teacher will remember you as being helpfull and a great athlete at the end of the grading period, ensuring an easy A.

If the previous three techniques failed, or you just wanted some "free time", then you need to develop a new plan. This is where studying the gym teacher(s) is really key. Determine if the teacher actually knows that you exist. Does he know your name when he looks at you⁷ ? The best way to make sure sure that the answer is no is to avoid unneccesary contact. Stay out of trouble and only speak to him when spoken to. You will also need to know how it is determined who will pass and who will fail. Most likely you will be required to take the Presidential Fitness Test⁸ in order to pass. If this is the case, make sure you do so. Don't worry though, its usually only one or two classes long. What's better, a few chin-ups, sit-ups, and a shuttle run, or repeating the year? Since you couldn't get excused from gym its a good idea to go occasionally anyways. Just often enough to look good. If you have gym two-three times a week, go once a week. If you have it
four-five times a week, go twice a week. Remember that your goal is to have enough checks next to your name and a score in the fitness test so that it will appear that you attend class regularly⁹. You will also need to have a predetermined location to go to during gym. Make sure that you can easily get there without raising suspicion.

Please keep in mind that this plan was made based on this Researcher's experiences in an American High School. Success varies greatly, many students are eventually caught. If you choose to undertake this endeavor, feel free to alter this plan where neccesary.