Just like teachers, DHS students have very busy schedules, that include going to school for six hours, coming home and doing a few hours of homework and also partaking in extracurricular activities including sports and clubs. Finding time to work out can be very challenging, however, students that do make the time to exercise find a lot of different benefits no matter what type of exercise regimen they choose.
One way students can get in their workout is by doing it in school by signing up for the class Conditioning and Weight Training. In Conditioning and Weight Training, students do a variety of exercises from free weights such as bench pressing and squatting to cardiovascular exercises such as running. They also have weekly game days where they play a variety of different games including mat ball, snowball tag and air force football.
Senior Kevin Scott, who is currently taking the class, sees the benefits of exercising during the school day.
“I like conditioning and weight training because I can lift weights and get stronger and I don’t have to take the time to do it after school,” Scott said. “Also, I get to work out with my friends, too.”
Another advantage of taking Conditioning and Weights training is the students have the benefit of having physical education teacher and athletic director Bob Wellman there to run the class.
“It’s nice to have Mr. Wellman there because he knows what he is doing and he has us do a variety of different things,” Scott said.
Some students prefer to exercise in the morning before they come to school.
Senior Karina Zanyk Mclean runs for twenty five minutes on the treadmill before school every week day. Zanyk Mclean elects to work out before school because she says she doesn’t have any motivation to do it after school.
“If I don’t run before school than I probably will not run that day,” Zanyk Mclean said. “Also, I have a lot going on after school so it is just easier to run in the morning.”
Other students choose to work out right after they come home from school. Senior Mark Debney exercises anytime from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. four times a week. He does a little bit of everything such as lifting weights, running on the treadmill and outside and doing soccer drills that work on his balance, strength and speed in order to improve on his footwork. Debney also finds benefits in working out after school.
“I like to work out right after school because I can get it right out of the way and I don’t have to do it after I finish my homework because I’m usually too tired to,” Debney said.
According to Debney, working out in the mid-afternoon when he comes home from school allows him to be more focused when he starts his homework.
“It definitely makes me more alert and energized when I do work out after school than when I don’t,” Debney said.
