Staying in shape is arguably both the most important and hardest part of being an athlete. Some ways to stay in shape are more effective than others. Here are the top three.
Our first suggestion for athletes who want to stay in shape is to use a gym. Gyms offer a variety of equipment for athletes to use, emphasizing different workouts, along with options for professional help. If you live close to JHRS and would like to go to the gym, a gym we recommend is OneLife Fitness, which is on Wisconsin Ave close to Sidwell. Many JHRS faculty, staff and students work out at OneLife and are a supportive community for fellow JHRS friends. On the other hand, some athletes cannot afford the gym or may not be able to access one in their area. Gyms can also be crowded, and there are sometimes lines for machines.
Another way athletes stay in shape is participating in a different sport in the off season. Playing a different sport, such as ice hockey or skiing, is a fun and different way to stay fit over the winter. Both sports are full body work outs, and are good for staying in shape, though both can also be expensive. If you would like to try either, roof top hockey is a way to play hockey at a recreational level, and Liberty Mountain or Whitetail Mountain are close places to ski.
An easily accessible and inexpensive way athletes can stay in shape is home based workouts. Home workouts such as using dumbbells or body weights are a great ways to stay in shape. There are also lots of ways to work out where you don’t even need any equipment, such as pushups, planks, sit ups, or squats or other calisthenics. Home workouts are cost effective and minimize having to travel to workout. One downside to home workouts is the limited equipment compared to a gym where multiple machines provide many exercise options. Home workouts can also be demotivating, it is easy to procrastinate working out if you do not have to go anywhere to workout. If you are interested in working out at home, watching YouTube videos on how to work out and recommending equipment at amazon are great ways to get started.
In conclusion there are multiple ways to stay in shape for the spring, all with different advantages and disadvantages. While some might provide fun opportunities to enjoy a new sport or work out with friends, they might not be cost efficient. Though it may not be as fun as other options home workouts provide a cost-effective method to stay in shape. •
