By Desiree Velazquez

Up and down go the arms of Mike Gumenyuk, pushing until he can not lift the weights any longer. It is Monday afternoon, which means it is chest and biceps day for Gumenyuk.
While most students work out at Lane for a sports team, some work out on their own.
Gumenyuk, Div. 459, started to seriously work out his freshman year after realizing he was overweight for his age. Gumenyuk always played around in the weight room in grammar school, but he never really knew what he was doing. The beginning of Gumenyuk’s freshman year he was asked by a good friend of his to join him and his dad at the gym.
“When we went to the gym, his dad showed us the ropes, and from there I was hooked,” Gumenyuk said.
Gumenyuk was taught the basics and learned the rest himself. He started dedicating his afternoons to working out in the weight room here at Lane.
Gumenyuk works out everyday during the school week from between 45 minutes to two hours. Everyday is a different part of his body. Monday is chest and biceps, Wednesday is legs and shoulders, and Friday is back and triceps. Tuesdays and Thursdays are dedicated to cardio, like running, biking, and swimming.
“I train for myself. I love seeing results, and knowing I’m getting fit makes me feel good,” Gumenyuk said.
Gumenyuk’s freshman year, he weighed in at 195 pounds, but dropped down to 160 after becoming active in the gym. Now Gumenyuk is 200 pounds, but the weight comes from muscle instead of fat.
Gumenyuk has set high goals for himself. By the time he gets to college. He plans to be able to bench twice his body weight and squat that as well. Now he can bench about 200 pounds and squat 300 pound.
Gumenyuk rarely has off days, but when he does it feels a little odd to him.
“If I don’t work out I don’t feel like myself and it is almost like an addiction to keep lifting weights just to feel good,” Gumenyuk said.
Gumenyuk admits that although it is odd when he is not in the gym, he knows that he need to let his body rest.
Some people might not understand why Gumenyuk works out so much. Others completely understand the rush of endorphins that come after a hard workout.
Phil Reimer, Div. 472, also started working out with Gumenyuk their freshman year and the two ocasionally find themselves together in the gym.
“It is always good to have someone pushing you,” Reimer said. “I mean we basically taught ourselves because we had no idea what we were doing.”
Anthony Tran, Div. 461, has a similar story to Gumenyuk. Tran started working out in eighth grade when he found out he was overweight. Tran started working out and quickly lost 60 pounds. He stopped working out as seriously his sophomore year and gained 45 pounds back.
“My half brother told me I needed to start working out again before I got fat, and that hit me a little hard,” Tran said.
About a year and a half ago Tran and his brother joined Charter fitness and started hitting the gym hard. Tran has gym buddies he trains with and who understand his desire to be at the gym.
“It is nice knowing I have friends that understand and support my workout habits, and not think I’m obsessed or something,” Tran said.
Tran takes one day off every two weeks to give his mind and body some rest.
“I like taking days off because then I can run errands and do homework I normally do not have time for,” Tran said.
Tran admits that spending most of his time in the gym does affect his school and social life. Spending roughly three hours at the gym everyday after school, Tran finds himself turning in homework late and having to make extra efforts to hang out with friends.
“I try to balance the two out. The weights will always be there but you never know with people,” Tran said.
Gumenyuk and Tran both plan to continue working out and getting stronger.
“Just because you reach your goals doesn’t mean you should stop striving for something better,” Tran said.
Tran plans to major in physical therapy or kinesiology in college.
“I not only want to achieve my goals, but help others achieve theirs as well,” Tran said.
Gumenyuk agrees that knowing what you are doing in the weight room is important for achieving effective results.
“Working out takes dedication and training smart, meaning you pay attention to what you are doing. Too many people just give up because they don’t know what they are doing,” Gumenyuk said.