For most students, the weight room is just a place to go for gym class or somewhere athletes are required to spend time after school. But for some, the weight room is where discipline is built, stress is released and habits are formed.
Senior Kaleb Krasnow said he lifts in the weight room and at CrossFit Bexley to prepare for upcoming sports seasons. Lifting has become a part of his everyday routine, Krasnow explained.
“Lifting is just a part of who I am at this point,” he said. “If I don’t train, my day feels off.” Krasnow said the gym is not just about getting strong but staying physically and mentally healthy. Playing two sports means his body has to keep up year round, he added.
“Football and lacrosse demand different things, but lifting prepares me for both,” he said.
The intensity at CrossFit Bexley and school lifting sessions is something Krasnow said he enjoys even when it’s exhausting on his body.
“The workouts are intense, but that’s what I like about it,” he said.
“It gets me ready to play physically demanding football and lacrosse games.”
Junior Erica Golden said she plays multiple sports, including golf, swimming and softball, which keeps her active. She said working out helps her stay focused in other areas of her life.
“Discipline itself is the reward,” she explained. “I definitely feel like I get more done when I
go to the gym.”
Krasnow said the work ethic required to train consistently has carried into his schoolwork, mental health and eating habits.
“The hardest part isn’t the weight, it’s showing up every day,” he said. “I also often give up certain foods that will harm my training.”
Krasnow explained persevering through difficult sessions makes aspects of school and life
seem easier.
“Once you learn to push through tough workouts, other challenges like long exams feel easier,” he said.
Weightlifting coach Jesse Padgett said he tries to teach his students to have a strong mindset
and discipline.
Padgett explained training to improve long-term health is as important as performance in games.
“One of the biggest investments you can make is in your own body,” Padgett said. “The more you take care of it now, the better it will treat you in later life.”
Padgett said he thinks the benefits of working out are not just physical.
“Training helps me clear my mind,” he said. “It’s how I start my day, and it sets me up for success the rest of the day.”
Padgett said he emphasizes proper form and safety when help-
ing students learn to lift. He added he believes building good habits early is more important than lifting heavy weights.
“If you learn how to lift the right way, the strength will come,” he explained.
In the offseason, Padgett said he encourages athletes to stay committed even without frequent competition. He said his training focuses on strength, conditioning and preventing injuries so athletes are prepared.
This mindset helps students return to their sports stronger and more confident, he explained.
Golden said her motivation to work out is staying healthy long-term.
“I want to be able to lift the groceries when I’m older and keep playing golf with my co-workers
or go skiing with my kids,” she said.
Golden said she balances her daily athletic practices with going to the gym two to three times each week.
Golden added she tries to motivate her teammates to get involved in as many gym workouts as possible.
“I try to encourage a lot of my friends to go to the weight room at school,” she said. “It is nice to
have someone to train with.”
Golden said the gym is a place to decompress and keep her whole life structured.
“I don’t only go to the gym to get stronger,” she said. “I go because it helps me stay balanced
and feel like my best self.”
Published and digitized April 2026.
