The Fitness and Bodybuilding Club is starting to go over their basic workout plans, discussing proper form and technique every Monday during lunch.
The club aims to teach students proper nutrition, exercise form, ways to get active and body positivity. They also want to teach members about how to avoid injuries, as those can become a major setback to one’s fitness goals. Their main goal is to the increase health and fitness of students in and out of school, providing an opportunity to get exercise at school, especially for those who don’t have access to the equipment. This is in addition to the weightlifting class that is already offered by the school, with this being a way for students to work out without teacher instruction. They can also go more in-depth than the weightlifting class and create their own schedules.
The Fitness and Bodybuilding Club is sponsored by PE teacher James Long and run by sophomore Noah Pettit. This is the first weightlifting club at school, which provides students with an opportunity outside of school instruction. The club is run by Pettit who engages in bodybuilding as a hobby. “There was no bodybuilding club and I like bodybuilding…I want to share my passion with others,” Pettit said.
There is no strict schedule during the meetings, so students can follow their own workout plans and routines while being with friends. This is also another opportunity for those who have busy schedules, but still want to be able to get their fitness in each day. Sophomore Alex Akli said that his favorite part of the club is “having time to work out after school.”
Pettit’s goals are to attract and create new people with passions for bodybuilding. This is the main reason why he decided to create this club with the members of the club having their own unique fitness goals. It can serve as an extension to one’s own workout regimen. This is an opportunity for the students who don’t have access to a gym or workout equipment. Akli said that his goal is to obtain a “225 bench…315 deadlift.”
Body positivity is also a major reason for this club’s existence. The bodybuilding club provides students with a safe space filled with like-minded people all trying to obtain similar goals of staying healthy. The gym community is a supportive group and will never look down on those who are just starting, no matter how big or small. “[Fitness] is one of my core values…being physically capable,” Akli said.
Promoting healthy lifestyles like eating properly and getting daily exercise is the main goal of this club and its student members. The Fitness and Bodybuilding Club is a start to this, as well as joining an after-school sport or joining a gym.
