While the rest of North High snoozes through alarms or frantically finishes their homework they forgot about (we’ve all been there), a small group of students has already started their school day.
The AM Fitness program was originally designed for student-athletes who wanted to get their strength training done during the school day so that their evenings could be reserved for sports practice. The idea was simple: lift weights in the morning, build strength for your sport and save yourself a trip to the gym. This also mimicked the schedule of a college level athlete. Over time, less athletes took advantage of the program. Today it is an option for any student interested in fitness starting their sophomore year, whether they participate in sports or not.
“The class makes me feel so productive by getting something done so early in the morning. It gets me in a good mood for the rest of the day,” said junior Ashley Engoron.
North High gym teacher Coach Mahler runs the AM fitness program, and is passionate about fitness and its long-term benefits. She’ll even help customize your workouts to your sport or personal fitness goals, and is extremely knowledgeable about lifting weights and proper form.
“I enjoy AM Fitness because with Coach Mahler’s help, I am able to tailor my workouts to my specific needs in order to become stronger for softball season,” said senior Alexandra Schweber.
While gym class covers the basics of playing sports, AM Fitness dives deeper into fitness. You’ll learn how to lift weights in the weight room, create effective workout regimens and understand the benefits of exercise.
“Movement is so important, but we need to learn more about how to exercise and lift properly,” Mahler said.
Despite its perks of a free period during your scheduled gym class during the day, AM Fitness only has eleven students this year. Maybe it’s the early start time, or maybe people just don’t know enough about it, but either way, Coach Mahler thinks more students should have the opportunity to take a class like it during high school.
“I think it should be a regularly scheduled class during the day,” Mahler said. “In fact, I think all ninth and tenth graders should be required to take some sort of physical fitness class.”
She’s quick to point out that this would be in addition to gym—not a replacement. Her vision includes electives like weight training, dance and lifetime sports to meet students’ evolving needs as they move through high school.
Many students go to gyms to workout, but are at a higher risk of performing exercises wrong because they have never learned proper technique. In a world where most people graduate high school knowing how to vaguely dribble a basketball but not how to do a proper dead-lift, AM Fitness is a win for students who are willing to wake up and get to school earlier.
The core of AM Fitness is a program called Beat the Computer. Each week, students input the weight they last used for their lifts into the system. The program then generates workouts for the week, progressively increasing the weight to challenge them and help build strength. Students aim to beat the weight they lifted the week before for their individualized routine, ensuring steady improvement over time. The program covers key exercises like squats, bench press and dead-lifts, but it’s not limited to traditional strength training and can be modified depending on the individual and their goals.
Personally, as a cross country and track athlete, joining AM fitness in my junior year helped me learn more about lifting weights and supplemented my running. Before starting, I had little experience with lifting weights, but I quickly learned new exercises and discovered a new way to train. I not only learned the exercises themselves, but also how to structure an effective workout, which made me more comfortable with going to the gym. Without AM fitness, I would not have known where to start on my own.
AM Fitness offers something practical, and is a great alternative for those who don’t particularly enjoy their regularly scheduled gym class. The class might not be for everyone, but for those who are willing to get up a little bit earlier, it’s where we learn about the gym, and get on schedule with our fitness goals. So, if you’re tired of aimlessly wandering the gym or just want to mix up your fitness routine, consider joining AM Fitness!
