Many students and teachers at WHS are committed to improving their fitness and health; whether they are involved in sports or not, working out improves their lives in a range of ways.
For some, regular workouts benefit their bodies in ways other than fitness.
“After [a workout], I feel good about myself and it completes my day,” sophomore Bianca Bilis said. “It keeps me in a healthy routine.”
In order to stay fit, Bilis engages in a variety of workouts in her home gym.
“I run on the treadmill and I work out with weights,” Bilis said. “[My favorite workouts are] doing ab workouts, and running a mile.”
Some students may feel too overwhelmed, however, to even start working out and staying fit. Besides working with a fitness coach or going to a gym, there is plenty of research that can assist people in achieving a healthy fitness level. Affordable Colleges (affordablecollegesonline.org), offers advice for young adults about how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, such as avoiding unhealthy meals and falling into bad fitness habits. Their exercise advice focuses on three main components to a balanced workout routine: aerobic/cardio exercise, resistance and/or strength training, and stretching. Physical education experts at WHS also encourage incorporating these three components when exercising.
“For overall wellness, you should have a day where you’re focusing on cardio, a day on strength, a day on flexibility as well as [adding] days of rest,” physical education and health teacher Danielle Cooper said.
Cardio is an aerobic exercise that involves repeated movement to increase heart rate such as running, swimming, dancing, or cycling. Many students at WHS include cardio in their workouts to increase their stamina and overall health.
“I tend to go for runs on my own,” junior Colin Duggan, said. “Sometimes I like to run to landmarks in Weston like the library or track.”
Students also regularly participate in routines that include strength training to increase muscle mass and physical endurance by using weight machines, resistance band exercises, push ups, lunges, and planks.
“When I’m not in a sports season, I’ll go do pull ups or a core workout,” junior Gabriela Friel said. “[This is in order] to maintain my fitness [level] when I’m not working out every day with my team.”
Similar to Friel, junior Sammy Regelman also participates in strength training to increase muscle mass and focus the mind.
“Usually I do a few repetitions of push ups, for example, 15 to 20,” Regelman said. “I [also] like curls; those are my favorite.”
Most students who work out are athletes, and decreasing risk for injuries is an important aspect of their exercise routines. Stretching not only helps with that goal but also increases flexibility. Stretching typically takes two forms: static stretching stretches a muscle to its farthest point, holding in that position for a short period of time; dynamic stretching involves controlled movements in the body to improve speed and reach.
Studies have shown that working out not only improves one’s fitness and strength, but can also improve mental health. UCLA Health (uclahealth.org), states that “On average, a person has 3.4 poor mental health days per month,” but “Among those who exercise, the number of poor mental health days dropped by more than 40 percent.”
Many find exercising also beneficial for sleep and rest after doing cardio or strength training.
“I’ve always had trouble sleeping,” Duggan said. “I’ve noticed that when I’m active constantly, it helps me fall asleep easier.”
Staying fit can be hard for students as workout routines soon become boring and dull. By making sure to diversify workouts and being able to step outside their comfort zones, students can continue their fitness routines and open the door to many more opportunities for health and fitness.
“If you do the same thing day in and day out, you tend to fatigue [and] become complacent,” Cooper said. “Pushing yourself to try something that’s outside your comfort zone is where the learning comes in, the thrill of accomplishing something you didn’t know you could do.”