Weighty goals, accomplishments in weight room

February 14, 2004
by Michael Goldfarb

Freshman Corey Cines clenches his teeth and wipes away a drop of sweat as he prepares for one last repetition in a set of bicep curls.
He bends his knees, with his back straight as he gathers all his strength to lift the silver free weight one last time.

His face turns red and he slowly lifts his forearm upwards until the final “rep” is finished.

Cines puts the weight back onto the rack and breathes a deep sigh of relief and exhaustion.

Scenes like this are very common these days, as many JDS students venture to the weight room daily for either after-school Physical Education (P.E.) or the opportunity to exercise and relieve tension built up during the school day.

“I would say we have an open-door policy when it comes to the weight room,” said Assistant Athletic Director and Head Athletic Trainer Jeff Rose.

According to Rose, the number of students in the weight room after school on a typical day is around twenty-five to thirty.

These students take advantage of the weight room’s primary equipment: weight machines, stationary bikes, Stairmasters, a bench press and free weights.

There are a wide variety of reasons why students use the weight room and its equipment.

For some, after-school P.E. is an enticing option as it gives students an opportunity to receive P.E. credits without devoting an elective during the day to P.E.

“I want to exercise and get a good workout, but I also want to get my P.E. credits fulfilled as early as possible,” said Cines.

After-school P.E. takes place Monday through Thursday during the school year.

In the fall, some of the time is spent outside doing cardiovascular exercises in addition to working out in the weight room.

During the winter months, Rose and P.E. teacher Jeffrey Mehr teach after-school P.E. indoors.

In addition to teaching the class, Rose and Mehr help and instruct the many students who simply want to work out for exercise and not for P.E. credit.

“We help them establish some goals and find a program that fits their needs,” said Rose.

Some students, such as junior Alexander Tuvin, use the weight room in order to prepare for future athletic seasons.

“I use the weight room to stay in shape and gain some muscle for the upcoming baseball season,” said Tuvin.

Other students simply go to the weight room after school to capitalize on the quality equipment available and the warm atmosphere present in the room, they say.

“During the winter, I go to the weight room because it’s good exercise and is a fun activity to do after a school day,” said junior Isaac Garon, who heads to the weight room roughly twice a week.

“It isn’t intimidating at all, and Mr. Mehr and Mr. Rose show us the right things to do,” he added.

Recently, the weight room has become such a populated part of the school that it has taken on a quasi-culture of its own.

Junior Ron Meyers said, “It’s a definitely a priority that I need to put time in for.”

There are also elements of freedom and teamwork which many students appreciate about the weight room.

“The weight room is a relaxed environment, where I can hang out after school, have fun, and get good exercise,” Garon said.

According to Rose, JDS students are taught how to use the weight room early in their upper school experience.

Eighth-graders take a three-week personal development unit as part of their mandatory P.E. course. Approximately ten classes are devoted to teaching students how to use the machines and what parts of the body each machine exercises, as well as tips on form and technique.

In addition to after-school P.E., students have the opportunity to use the weight room if they take the Personal Development elective, which is offered to all high school students.

For the most part, the large majority of students who use the weight room have seen positive results, both physically and attitudinally.

“I have significantly increased the definition in my arms, biceps and chest since I’ve begun to lift,” he said.

“I also feel better about myself because I have more confidence,” added Cines.

This is typical of students who work out daily, said Rose.

Students in P.E. classes are given a fitness test at the beginning and end of the year or semester, and ninety-five percent of students who use the weight room see improvement across the board when tested.

“Individuals are gaining muscle mass, endurance and self-satisfaction,” said Rose.

“This is very rewarding to me especially since I am the department chair,” he added.

As for the future, Rose is always looking to make improvements to the weight room.

“Every five or seven years we try to do a major upgrade. We like to look for the major new trends, new machines and new weights that are out there on the market in the fitness world,” he said.

Cines, meanwhile, would love to continue using the weight room in the future.

“I have definitely started a good routine by going daily and still getting my homework done afterwards,” he said.

“In the future, I think it would be great if I could continue heading to the weight room after school. It really is a good experience.”