When the winter months come around bringing cold, it is very hard to keep up a regular exercise routine outside.

Luckily, many students at CHS have found ways to continue to exercise despite the weather conditions. The Center of Clayton is a popular place for students to go work out and not have to worry about the cold.

Junior Sophie Newman started working out in the center last summer.

“I like running at the center even more than around my block because you get to see your friends and interact with them while you’re working out,” Newman said.  “It’s also fun to look around the Center and see what other people are doing and what activities they’re participating in.”

Newman is not alone.  Senior Emily Rosen also utilizes the Center to work out during the winter.

“I sort of stopped exercising when it started getting really cold out,” Rosen said.  “But then one of my friends asked me if I wanted to work out one day after school, and I decided to go along with it.  It’s really convenient to just be able to go right next door and run around the track.  Now I try to work out there three times a week.”

Running in the Center isn’t the only way students are staying fit in the winter.  Different fitness centers that offer specific exercise programs such as pilates and spinning classes have also attracted students.  Spinning is a cycling program that is led by a fitness instructor, and pilates is a program that combines stretching and other exercise routines to improve health and flexibility.

Senior Eve Root started taking a spinning class a couple months ago, and is really seeing it pay off.

“I thought it would be fun to try something new,” Root said.  “After the first class, I thought I was going to die.  My legs hurt so [badly].  But I decided to stick with it, and it has really benefited me.”

Junior Melissa Milbrandt was also intrigued about the idea of doing a specific type of fitness program.  She started taking a pilates class a year ago, and is taking classes in different block sessions.

“I kept hearing different people talking about pilates, and I decided to check it out for myself,” Milbrandt said.  “It has really helped me stay in shape, and has also really helped my flexibility.”

Working out in the center of Clayton and doing specific exercise programs have obviously been very beneficial to many CHS students.

The winter months are always the busiest for the Center, and most of the spinning and pilates classes fill up faster during the winter. Working out and staying healthy is very important for teenagers, and every student should try to find some method of exercising when it gets cold out.