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From "Skill Acquisition" to "Aesthetic Survival": The Paradigm Shift of University Bodybuilding Programs in Life Aesthetic Education

Author(s)

Wei Ning

Affiliation(s)

School of Sports Law, Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai, China

Abstract

As a unique educational approach integrating sports and art, university aerobics has long been confined within the "skill acquisition" paradigm. Its teaching focuses on movement standardization, physical fitness attainment, and competitive performance, overlooking the inherent functions of sports in cultivating bodily aesthetics, life experiences, and personal character development. Drawing on Schiller's philosophy of aesthetic education and Shusterman's body aesthetics, this paper proposes "aesthetic existence" as the core concept of life-based aesthetic education, elucidating its multifaceted implications-including the unity of sensibility and rationality, playfulness, everyday relevance, and self-construction. The study demonstrates that university aerobics possesses inherent potential to serve as a vehicle for life-based aesthetic education. The shift toward an "aesthetic existence" teaching paradigm not only aligns with national aesthetic education reform policies but also addresses the fundamental need for holistic human development. The article outlines the essential pathways for this paradigm shift, covering educational philosophies, teaching objectives, curriculum content, and evaluation frameworks.

Keywords

University Aerobics; Aesthetic Existence; Life Aesthetic Education; Paradigm Shift; Body Aesthetics; Schiller

References

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