As busy high school students, it is crucial to make time for yourself and move your body in ways that best suit you. From stretching to cardio, students are finding the workouts that fit them perfectly.
Reformer Pilates
This form of exercise works for absolutely anyone, however, having great balance is highly recommended. “It’s a full body workout so you are always engaging your core, [as well as] abs, arms, legs, and glutes,” Rock Salt Pilates instructor Hannah Sohrabi said. Reformer pilates works through strength, flexibility, and control with a guided machine called a reformer. The machine consists of a variety of elements, including straps for leg and arm exercises, and a footbar to support core and glute exercises.
Reformer pilates also gives high schoolers an opportunity to disconnect from the stress and distractions of the outside world. “You don’t have to worry about whatever is happening on your phone or responsibilities, you can just be present for the full hour,” she said. The music also plays a major role in this exercise, encouraging high energy and motivation throughout the session. “The music gets you through it [because] it’s songs that everyone knows,” Sohrabi said.
The inside of a reformer pilates studio.
At-Home Workouts
For the ones with less free time on their hands, at-home workouts are the way to go. Popular methods of at-home exercise include YouTube workout videos or routines recommended by trainers or coaches. “I’m on a climbing team, and one of my coaches gave me a list of 15-minute core exercises that I do every week at home,” sophomore Yuwa Ishida said. Part of the reason this type of exercise is so well-liked is because of its cost. While a workout guided by a professional instructor costs a pretty penny, these at-home workouts are completely free and often don’t require exercise equipment.
At-home workout options on YouTube.
Indoor Cycling
While an outdoor bike ride is the perfect activity for a sunny day, indoor cycling offers a vigorous, controlled workout with an energetic playlist. Indoor cycling classes, held by companies like SoulCycle, guide participants through intervals, climbs, and sprints, mainly targeting lower body muscles like the quadriceps and hamstrings. “There is a lot of resistance work, and you are pushing through heavy weights,” SoulCycle employee and senior Millo Skhiri said. In the class, up to 56 bicycles are set up in rows, all in close proximity to each other. “You ride off the energy of the person next to you,” Skhiri said.
Indoor cycling classes.
Gym
A trip to the gym is the best bet for those looking for a more structured workout. Normally, when taking a trip to the gym, people already have their routine in mind. The gym also provides access to much more exercise equipment, like treadmills, free weights, and machines, allowing you to target different muscle groups and improve strength and endurance. The best part of the gym experience is building consistency. If you follow a routine and track your progress, you can be kept accountable for your gym habits. “If you want something that you can do on your own and you don’t need to think about a coach, the gym is better for that,” senior Gaelen Booth said.
A typical gym layout.
