Renovated Weight Room Provides Motivation to Stay Fit

The recently renovated FLHS weight room has just been open for weight training classes in room 152. This weight class enforces students to work out on different machinery that can be beneficial to one’s body and health. It has also had a huge impact on students this year as they’ve enjoyed the alternative to a regular gym class.

“Weight training in my opinion, is more beneficial than a regular gym class,” junior Andreas Dela Cruz said. “It helps me gain muscles. I recommend people who are athletic to enroll in this course to stay physically fit and active.”

John Hopkins Medicine states how the gym can help you release oxygen out of your blood and decrease your blood pressure which can help you stay out of risk for any heart diseases. 

“The most important form of exercise you can perform is cardio-vascular exercise,” weight training teacher Mr. Mckay said. “We are lucky enough to have terrific spin bikes that help promote heart healthy exercises.  If there was one piece of equipment in our gym that would be the most important to learn, I would say they are the spin bikes due to their positive impact on your cardio-vascular system.” 

Researcher Danijela Crevar states in “How Does Bodybuilding Affect Self-Esteem? Build Your Best Self Now!”, increasing one’s physical strength can help increase one’s self esteem. This shows how activity in the gym can lead to more people becoming healthier as well as more body confident.

“This weight training class helps me to be more active and work harder towards becoming a healthier/stronger individual,” junior Vidhi Naik said. “By training with equipment, I can see several improvements in my strength and build up of my muscles.”

Aside from the physical benefits of joining a weight training class and becoming fit, weight training classes have been proven to be more beneficial to a student’s GPA as well.

“There are numerous health benefits to taking a weight training class in PE,” Mr. Mckay said. “Perhaps the most important benefit the students can gain is learning how weight training can increase your grades. Numerous studies have shown that regular physical activity and weight training programs have led to higher GPAs in high school and college students.”

Researchers, P.E. educators and many more health advocates have encouraged people to attend the gym in order to increase body activity and become healthier. The Mayo Clinic states that gym helps decrease weight gain, as well as help burn any calories you have gained, essentially proving activity in the gym can be beneficial. 

“I would highly recommend that students take a weight training class, even if you are unable to take the class at Francis Lewis,” Mr. Mckay said. “Weight training is one of the most important forms of exercise that human beings can perform.  Weight training programs have been proven to benefit not only physical fitness but mental health, social, and emotional health.”