Nick Garcia was a standout player for the Chapman Panthers baseball team for the past three years. Garcia started out as an infielder his freshman season at Chapman before moving to pitcher as a sophomore. In his sophomore season at Chapman, Garcia appeared in 30 games as a reliever and had an impressive record of 9-0 to go along with 12 saves. Garcia had an astounding 0.64 ERA his sophomore season leading Chapman to a Division Three National Championship.
In the 2020 covid-19 shortened season, Garcia became a starting pitcher for the Panthers and finished with a 4-1 record and an ERA of 2.00.
Nick Garcia
Garcia shines as a pitcher with his 6-4, 215-pound frame. He stands out with his great delivery and extension to go along with his rhythm and late hard slider. Scouts have compared Nick Garcia to half of fame pitcher John Smoltz and have labeled him the best division three prospect since Jordan Zimmermann.
The buzz around the league is that the Pirates got a first-round talent in the third round. If it wasn’t for him playing at the division three level, Garcia would’ve been a no brainer first-round pick.
The future looks bright for former Chapman baseball standout Nick Garcia. He will report to the organization in the 2020 season where he looks to be a vital part of the Pirates big league roster for years to come.
It was showtime at Woods Field in Marshall, Texas. The Chapman Panthers baseball team and their opponent East Texas Baptist University had an all-time slugfest Saturday afternoon. The two teams combined for 28 runs on 35 hits in route to a 15-13 Chapman victory.
East Texas Baptist jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second before Chapman answered with five runs in between the 3rd and 4th innings to close the gap to 7-5. It was a back and forth battle the whole rest of the ballgame with both the Chapman and East Texas Baptist University bats exploding.
Chapman Centerfielder Brad Shimabuku
The whole Chapman lineup lit up the ballpark on Saturday after their eleven-point outing on Friday. Aaron Wong led the way for Chapman with four hits while the top of the lineup batters Brad Shimabuku and Drew Littwin had three hits apiece. The middle of the lineup wasn’t too shabby either with the 4-5-6 batters combining for six hits and four RBI’s.
I caught up with Chapman head coach Scott Laverty to discuss the outpour of runs this series. Laverty said, “You know I am very impressed with how our bats are looking thus far this year. It usually takes us some time to get things going at the beginning of the year, but this group is a little different I guess.” Laverty then went on to add, “While I am happy with the production on offense, I would like to see my pitching staff do a little bit better at controlling the game.”
Chapman Baseball After Winning D3 Championship
After winning the Division Three National Championship last season, the Panthers are getting right into the swing of things at the start of this new season. The Panthers are now 7-0 and are looking better than ever. With the emergence of Henry Zeisler, the solid play of Brad Shimabuku and the star power of pitcher Nick Garcia, the Chapman Panthers look ready to gear up for another championship run in 2020.
The Panthers look to get their 8th win of the season on Friday, February 21st against conference opponent La Verne.
The Chapman Panthers baseball team won the second game of a double header against East Texas Baptist University. This was their second victory in two games against East Texas Baptist and their sixth victory overall this year. The final score was 11-1.
On the mound for the Panthers in the double header was starting pitcher Riley Glenn. Glenn pitched 6.2 solid innings allowing one earned run on three hits. Glenn struck out eight batters in the process while giving up five walks to East Texas Baptist. Relievers Austin Merrill and Wyatt Thompson closed the game for the Panthers baseball team allowing zero runs.
Chapman Pitcher Riley Glenn
Panthers head coach, Scott Laverty, spoke on the importance of the pitching staff after the game. “I love the pitching staff we have this year. Our assistant coaches Dave Edwards and Cameron McMullen did a great job of recruiting and developing our pitchers so that they can be ready for any situation,” Laverty described. “We are obviously led by our star Nick Garcia but guys like Riley Glenn and our relievers are also very vital to our success this year. I like how we started the season thus far and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do for the rest of the year.”
To go along with the pitching staff, the Panthers bats were in full effect today at Woods Field. Chapman’s lineup put up eleven runs on ten hits against the East Texas Baptist pitching unit. They were led by designated hitter Cooper Foard and left-field sensation Henry Zeisler. Both batters had three hits, two RBI’s, and one homerun apiece. This is the second straight game that Zeisler has homered, bringing his total to three in the series against East Texas Baptist.
Junior Sensation Henry Zeisler
“I am not surprised at all with the things I am seeing out of Henry. This is his third year with the team, and we all know how talented he is. He came into this year with the team knowing he had to step up from last year’s production and he’s done that this year,” coach Scott Laverty said about junior Henry Zeisler. “He’s always been one of the hardest workers on the team and that is paying off for him right now. I hope he can continue this success throughout the year,” coach Laverty added.
The Chapman Panthers baseball team has picked up right where they left off after last season with a record of 6-0. This was their second game of the three-game series versus East Texas Baptist University. The Panthers are set to finish the series with East Texas Baptist tomorrow at 2:30pm at Woods Field in Marshall, Texas.
On the mound today for the Panthers was star pitcher Nick Garcia, who pitched six solid innings of baseball allowing zero earned runs in the process. Garcia improved to 2-0 on the year after striking out a spectacular twelve batters.
Chapman Pitcher Nick Garcia
“I felt good out there today, all my stuff was working. My fastball had a little extra zing to it and my off-speed stuff was moving,” said Garcia, when asked about how he felt on the mound today. “When I get on the mound I just try and put my team in the best position to win the ball game. I know I’m the ace of the team, so it is my job to go out there and try to win every single one of my outings. I know if I do my job on the mound, my teammates will drive in those runs.”
Garcia, in fact, got all the help he needed in this ball game with the marvelous performance by left-fielder, Henry Zeisler. Zeisler had a break-out performance for the Panthers in this ball game going 2-4 on the day with two grand slams and eight RBI. Zeisler drove in all the runs for the Chapman Panthers baseball team in this game with back to back grand slams in the 4th and 5th inning.
Henry Zeisler
I caught up with Zeisler after the ball game and he explained how this was probably the best game he has ever played in his life. “I have never felt better after a game in my whole baseball career. Those homers are just a testament to the long hours in the summer hitting pen and all the hitting drills my dad put me through as a youngster. I don’t think I have ever had a better game in my career, but I’m glad it happened today,” Zeisler explained after the victory. “I hope this gives me momentum into the next couple games and hopefully I can pull off another game like this in the next coming days.”
To go along with the stellar performances by Garcia and Zeisler, center fielder Brad Shimabuku, designated hitter Kevin Gregersen, and second baseman Aaron Wong, all chipped in with two hits apiece. Reliever Mitchell Briggs brought it home in the 9th with a one inning save.
Chapman improves to an impressive 5-0 record on the year. They will play again later today in the 2nd game of a double header and finish up the series on Saturday with their opponent, East Texas Baptist University.
Hawaii has been home for me for the past 20 years of my life. It is a place that is very special to me and a place that I hold near and dear to my heart. It is a state that shaped me into who I have become today and a state that I want to spend the rest of my life. From early morning dawn patrol session with the boys at Sandy Beach, to the late-night barbeques with my friends and family, Hawaii is a place that has given me the most special and rewarding memories. I couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere else in the world besides the islands.
When I heard you had an episode on Hawaii for your series, “Parts Unknown”, I initially had mixed emotions. I was concerned about how you would depict Hawaii and what aspects of the state you would display on the show. On the other hand, I know the great work you do and I was interested to see what you had planned for this particular episode.
As I began watching the episode, I initially thought of all the other travel channels that were stereotyping Hawaii. With being greeted with leis at the hotel to going to pick out an Aloha Shirt right away. This just seemed like every other ordinary travel channel show on Hawaii. As I got more and more into the episode, my thoughts took a dramatic change. I noticed that you emphasized the rich Asian culture that was prevalent in Hawaii and the authentic Hawaiian food that Hawaii had to offer. I also couldn’t help but notice all the locals who were apparent on the episode. A lot of people with strong Hawaii ties and who knew everything about the food and culture of Hawaii. I started enjoying the episode after a while and I even learned some stuff about Hawaii that I didn’t even know myself. You took your audience around the island to authentic foods joints, famous beaches and other monumental spots in Hawaii. But, you also exhibited the simple things of Hawaii like the locals love of spam and the family barbecue in the backyard. Many things that I don’t see in normal travel channel shows.
I really appreciated how you used multimodal elements in the episode. There were great transitions in the episode that displayed exceptional visuals of the beach and sunset in Hawaii as well as the island music playing in the background. Furthermore, the hula dancers and your descriptions about the film displayed in the background really made the episode easier to follow along with. The use of these multimodal elements made me feel like I was back on the island and comforted me. These elements also really made the episode come together and represented Hawaii in a positive sense.
The way you showed many different aspects of Hawaii that tourists don’t usually see is something that I really like in your episode. For example, no other series would show them going to Kailhi for a family barbecue in the backyard. Usually, they show a stereotypical luau with thousands of people in Aloha Shirts. The family barbecue is something that all local Hawaiian residents can relate to and what should be shown instead of a touristy luau. A family barbecue in the backyard is where all the uncle’s share their stories from back in there day and where aunty and uncle cook up the most ono food. That is more special than any Waikiki luau and what should be represented in every travel channel show like yours.
To conclude my letter, I just want to thank you for showing the real Hawaii that locals live every single day. From eating spam and eggs in the morning, to catching waves at Sunset Beach, to enjoying some Side Street Inn pork chops at night with family and friends. You represented Hawaii how most of the locals live their life. It isn’t always as easy going for everyone as it may seem in the video, but a travel show isn’t supposed to display the bad parts of a city. You did the best with what you could and that is all we could ask for. Thank you, Anthony Bourdain!
Body image and weight have been a major struggle for me throughout my life. Ever since I was young, I was known as the “skinny guy” and “slender man”. My friends, uncles, aunties, and even parents used to call me that, but deservingly so. I was always taller than my friends, but I would be the same weight or even weighed less than my friends that were four to five inches shorter than I was. I looked awkward and I knew I always wanted to gain weight, but I couldn’t for many different reasons. This always bothered me and was something that was my biggest insecurity. I also hated being the center of attention because I could feel everyone judging me and making fun of me from a distance.
High School
It wasn’t until senior year in high school that I really focused on my weight and made it one of my top priorities. After finishing my senior year basketball season in late spring, I weighed in at 150 pounds soaking wet. At 6’4 this weight is very unhealthy, and something needed to change. It was hard for me to go to school and be seen because I struggled with my confidence and didn’t want anyone to see me. Any chance that I could to be at home, I would take. Being skinny really took a toll on me and I let it ruin my high school experience. So, I looked myself in the mirror and knew I wanted to make an extreme transformation for myself. A week after my high school sports career ended, I stepped into the gym and started strength training. This is where my journey started.
Current Day
Fast forward to current day, I am currently 205 pounds but more importantly I have found that strength training has helped me grow as a person immensely. Throughout my first couple years of college I have been strength training and eating right on a day to day basis. Lifting weights has so many great benefits to it and I am so glad I found it when I did. The main things that strength training have helped me with is my confidence, my health, and my mind. It does so many wonders and I am feeling so much better because of it. Strength training has allowed me to be the person I always wanted to be and has really helped me come out of my shell.
Lopes Gym
This spring break, I got the chance to lift weights at a gym that I was unaccustomed to. It was a home gym where people from all over Hawaii come to lift weights at. This particular gym had different types of people, some big and some small. But, after talking to some people at the gym, one common denominator for them is there passion and commitment to strength training. For them at that gym, lifting weights is their sanctuary and what takes their mind of all the tough problems that they have. So, stepping into this new space felt comfortable and easy. They all had the same mindset and passion for lifting as I did, and it made me feel at home. Talking to many of the guys at the gym even inspired me to learn more about what weight training does for a person and definitely made me more invested in this lifestyle.
One of the biggest benefits of strength training is losing body fat. If you are overweight and looking for a routine that can help you diminish body fat, then strength training is a good way to help with that. According to a shape.com article on the benefits of lifting weights, the combination of a low-calorie diet and weight training resulted in greater fat loss than a combination of a low-calorie diet and walking workouts. The article also adds that strength training is better at helping people lose body fat compared with cardio because while aerobic exercise burns both fat and muscle, weightlifting burns almost exclusively fat. To simplify this, an article by Carmen Chai explains that weightlifting helps with the building of muscles, and having more muscle causes you to burn more calories, thus causes a person to lose more fat. In my own body I have realized that my stomach became leaner and more defined from strength training, losing a lot of the fat I had before strength training.
Another positive benefit of strength training is building and creating stronger bones. One might think that lifting can only help you gain muscle, but no it can also help with keeping your bones strong and healthy. In a health.com article written by Jacqueline Andriakos, she points out that weight training is essential because it can help prevent bone loss, potentially build bone, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures down the line. Furthermore, research done by Gina Shaw solidified that lifting heavy weights over a period of time not only maintains bone mass but can even build new bone. The combination of strength training with a healthy diet can result in strong and healthy bones for a long period of time. I have even noticed immense progress in my own bones, feeling stronger and healthier than I ever did before.
Along with the health benefits that strength training result in, it can also help with a healthy and open mind. According to a HuffPost article written by Sarah Klein, strength training can do wonders for your mental health. Strength training has been linked with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms as well as improved self-esteem. A study by Brett Gordon and others found that in a meta-analysis of 33 clinical trials including 1877 participants, strength training was associated with a significant reduction of depressant symptoms. From personal experience I can attest to these findings because I have found that strength training has helped free my mind. One to two hours in the gym daily can really help my mental state by taking my mind off of anything else and also strengthen my mind by pushing myself thru pain and adversity.
Far Left: Spencer Lopes Far Right: Deston Watanabe
Throughout the week at the home gym or my “new space” I was lucky enough to have great conversations with some of the guys regarding what strength training did for them. My first interviewee, Deston Watanabe, touched on the meaning of weight training and what the Lopes gym did for him.
Cole: “How many years have you been training at the Lopes gym in Hawaii Kai?”
Deston: “I’ve been training in that gym for about 4 years now.”
Cole: “How has your experience in the gym been thus far?”
Deston: “It’s been good so far, I go on my own time when no one else goes so I can get in and get out without worrying about someone getting in my way.”
Cole: “How has weight training benefited your mind, body, health and just you as a person?”
Deston: “Well, lifting weights has changed my life, really. Before, I would stay in the house all day and play videogames, but now I feel more active and better overall.”
Another member from the gym I interviewed was Spencer Lopes, the owner of the gym. He too talked about the meaning of weight training in his life.
Cole: “How many years have you been training at the Lopes gym in Hawaii Kai?”
Spencer: “I’ve been training in my gym for about 8 years now.”
Cole: “How has your experience in the gym been thus far?”
Spencer: “Um, it’s been great, it gives me a place to meet all my friends, they all come over to the house and train. It’s just a great activity to do.”
Cole: “How has weight training benefited your mind, body, health and just you as a person?”
Spencer: “Um, it’s helped me be a lot more confident. I’d say strength training has giving me confidence throughout the years. It has allowed me to cope with my anxiety and stress well and it has giving me the ability to play collegiate sports.”
There are many different things that a person can do for a healthier mind and body. For me, that is weight training and eating healthy. There are a lot of factors and sacrifices that a person needs to make to get their most ideal results from weight training. It might be losing an hour or two of sleep in order to go the gym before work, cutting out a certain food that they like, or even missing out on some fun things with their friends or family. Weight training isn’t easy and definitely isn’t for most people. But, if you are willing to work hard and make sacrifices for yourself than weight training can do wonders for you, it definitely did for me.
At the beginning of this semester I was lost and confused. I didn’t know what to expect out of this class. I remember walking into the classroom on the first day of class that Monday morning in February. I felt out of place and anxious because I was only one of two boys in the whole class. To go along with that, I didn’t even realize what I signed up for. All I knew was that I was taking an English class for a general education credit. I had no idea which one I picked. Furthermore, I knew this class would be a struggle for me because I didn’t really like discussion-based classes and I was a really poor writer to begin with. English was always something that I struggled with throughout high school. I could only hope for the best.
I was a little skeptical at first about what we were supposed to learn in the class and get out of it. I wasn’t sure what rhetoric meant and I felt lost with a lot of the concepts we were learning at first. For example, I had no idea what orientalism was; I barely even knew that word existed. But, I think the part that was really the breaking point for me in the class was when I set up a meeting with Savy at Starbucks. Originally, this meeting was only supposed to be about my student led discussion, but I took a lot more out of it then she thought. This meeting made me feel a lot more comfortable with the class and was sort of a turning point for me in the semester. I understood what she expected out of me and I felt a boost of confidence. Throughout the semester I grew more and more comfortable in the class and after a while I started to enjoy the assignments we did. I started to realize a real difference in my writing and I had fun with some of the concepts we learned throughout.
The part of the class that really helped me develop as a writer was the discussion and blog posts we did every night for homework. These discussion questions acted as great opportunity to share my own thoughts on different concepts and topics we learned in the class. I was able to reflect on the readings and this repetition of the discussions made me into a more well-rounded writer. I became more descriptive and thoughtful in my writing. I also took more time and went in depth with my discussion and blog posts without rambling on. These short assignments proved more beneficial to me then longer assignment in the class. This is because I wasn’t forcing more words out of my writing to meet a certain word count. I thoroughly enjoyed writing discussion posts and sharing my opinion on many concepts and topics.
As I said in the beginning of this post, I had no idea of what rhetoric meant. It sounded fancy and foreign to me. Having so much practice with rhetoric, I learned that it is any language that is meant to have a persuasive effect on its audience. In simpler terms, rhetoric is any form of persuasive text. Throughout the semester I liked to think I showed rhetoric in many of my small and big writing assignments. Rhetoric is very important in good writing.
I think the most challenging part of this class was speaking up during class discussions. For me, it was hard because I am more on the shy side, so I don’t like to be the center of attention. I also didn’t know if my opinion on something was wrong or stupid. There were many times throughout the class where I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure if it would make sense. I also think that class online didn’t help with that because I was behind a screen and really didn’t have any motivation to speak. I would’ve felt more obligated to speak up if we were physically in class.
I think it is important to read, write and think rhetorically in today’s world because it makes you smarter and think more. Society today is on their phone 24/7 scrolling through social media and having opinions on there. It is not making us any smarter doing that. Reading and writing is a lost art to me, and it is very important for the world to start realizing that.
The sense of bettering yourself and making your mind and body stronger is a feeling that I have learned to love. I can only get this feeling from going to the gym. Specifically, The Lopes gym in Hawaii Kai, Hawaii. This gym was brand new to me when I came back from college this March. All college students across the nation were sent home from coronavirus earlier this year and because of coronavirus all the gyms in my state were closed for safety reasons. Now, for me, lifting weights is something I love to do because it helps ease my anxiety and boost my confidence. But I didn’t have a place to go to lift, so, I asked my friend from high school if I could lift at his house and he said yes. This is where my new space journey began.
The gym was very well put together. Multiple racks to do heavy lifts, medicine balls, free weights, bands, dumbbells, benches, everything you need and more. It was like a 24-hour fitness but only smaller. The gym was painted all black and was about the size of a normal sized bedroom. It smelt like sweat, rust and hard work in there, just like how any other gym would smell. But the gym was very open, so it had a nice breeze to it that would hit you while working out. It was very well put together if you asked me.
My first day driving over to the house, I was kind of nervous not knowing what to expect. Who was going to be there? Am I going to fit in? What if they are all bigger then me? These were all questions that flowed in my mind. When I got to the house, there were three guys: my friend from high school and two of his cousins. All of them looked like they came straight out of a body building magazine. So, as anyone would be, I was intimidated at first. But they all greeted me and welcomed me to their gym with kindness. Throughout my workout each one of them helped me with my technique and gave me tips on how to lift correctly. I felt comfortable being there and the gym was filled with positive energy. The other guys working out made me feel like I was a part of their group and it felt easy to be there. I was looking forward to coming back.
From the day I came back from college to present day, I have been to that gym. The gym is composed of many different people from different ethnicities and genders. One thing we have in common is the love for the gym and that brings us closer together. There are about 15 people who work out at The Lopes gym and I have made a connection with each one of them in some way. I am really glad that the people there accepted me into the new space, and I am excited and passionate to call that place my gym.
Honolulu, Hawaii. A place near and dear to my heart. The place that birthed me, raised me and shaped me into the young man I am today. A place of great weather, incredible beaches and delicious food. But, more importantly, a place that is home to some of the best people on the planet.
I was born on October 1st, 1999 and ever since that date Hawaii has been home to me. Home for more than 20 years and by far my favorite place on this planet. I have visited many places and traveled to different countries. Every state and country have many great places in their own right, but none that can compare to the richness and flavor of Hawaii. I still have never found a place like Hawaii, there is truly nothing like it in the whole world. I can go five minutes down the street and pick up an ono poke bowl and then walk another two minutes to one of the prettiest beaches in the world. Where can you find that other than Hawaii? I’ll answer that, nowhere! There are many great qualities that make Hawaii my favorite, but none other than its world class beaches.
Waimanalo Beach
While Hawaii as a whole is my favorite place in the world, Waimanalo beach is my favorite spot on this island. By far the most relaxing and beautiful beach in the world, especially when there is no one there. A twenty-minute drive from my house, Waimanalo beach park is a quick and majestic beach that I love to go to and relax with my friends. Whenever we have time, me and about five of my friends will hop in my Toyota Tacoma and take a quick drive to our favorite beach to body board, relax and talk story. The perfect size of the waves and silky soft sand make this beach the best place to have fun and get away. I have had some of my most memorable memories at this beach with all of my friends and this will forever be my favorite spot in the world.
Friends and Family
What makes Hawaii even more special are the people that live on this island. From my family, friends, uncle, aunties, cashiers, mailmen and everyone in between. Everyone who is from here knows how much aloha people show. You can’t experience this type of bond and love that people show each other anywhere else in the world. This above all, makes Hawaii my favorite place in the world.
Body image and weight have been a major struggle for me throughout my life. Ever since I was young, I was known as the “skinny guy” and “slender man”. My friends, uncles, aunties, and even parents used to call me that, but deservingly so. I was always taller than my friends, but I would be the same weight or even weighed less than my friends that were four to five inches shorter than I was. I looked awkward and I knew I always wanted to gain weight, but I couldn’t for many different reasons. This always bothered me and was something that was my biggest insecurity. I also hated being the center of attention because I could feel everyone judging me and making fun of me from a distance.
Pictures of me growing up
It wasn’t until senior year in high school that I really focused on my weight and made it one of my top priorities. After finishing my senior year basketball season in late spring, I weighed in at 150 pounds soaking wet. At 6’4 this weight is very unhealthy, and something needed to change. It was hard for me to go to school and be seen because I struggled with my confidence and didn’t want anyone to see me. Any chance that I could to be at home, I would take. Being skinny really took a toll on me and I let it ruin my high school experience. So, I looked myself in the mirror and knew I wanted to make an extreme transformation for myself. A week after my high school sports career ended, I stepped into the gym and started strength training. This is where my journey started.
Pictures of me in my senior year of High School at 150 pounds
The first few weeks in the weight room were tough for me because I was ashamed and embarrassed to be in the weight room with all the buff football players and other athletes. I could feel people’s eyes wonder and look at me if I were a guy in the women’s bathroom. But I knew that the only way I could fix that is if I continue to work hard and stay in the gym. My daily schedule of strength training and eating more resulted in me 10 pounds heavier. I gained a little bit of confidence, but I knew I had a long way to go to feel proud of my body. By the end of the summer of 2018 I gained more confidence and felt good about my progress. I was about 170 pounds, which is still light for being 6’4, but I felt good about myself regardless.
Pictures of me at the end of summer 2018 at 170 pounds
Throughout my first couple years of college I have been strength training and eating healthy on a day to day basis. I am currently 205 pounds but more importantly I have found that strength training has helped me grow as a person immensely. Lifting weights has so many great benefits to it and I am so glad I found it when I did. The main things that strength training have helped me with is my confidence, my health, and my mind. It does so many wonders and I am feeling so much better because of it. Strength training has allowed me to be the person I always wanted to be and has really helped me come out of my shell.
Pictures of me today at 205 pounds
This spring break, I got the chance to lift weights at a gym that I was unaccustomed to. It was a home gym where people from all over Hawaii come to lift weights at. This particular gym had different types of people, some big and some small. But, after talking to some people at the gym, one common denominator for them is there passion and commitment to strength training. For them at that gym, lifting weights is their sanctuary and what takes their mind of all the tough problems that they have. So, stepping into this new space felt comfortable and easy. They all had the same mindset and passion for lifting as I did, and it made me feel at home. Talking to many of the guys at the gym even inspired me to learn more about what weight training does for a person and definitely made me more invested in this lifestyle.
Picture from the New Space
Strength training can change a person’s life for the better, it did mine. Cardiovascular training, yoga, pilates and other forms of fitness are all beneficial to the body, but I believe that strength training is the most beneficial form of fitness for the body. It can be light weights or heavy weights, regardless of which it is, strength training can help a person lose fat, gain confidence, and feel on top of the world.
One of the biggest benefits of strength training is losing body fat. If you are overweight and looking for a routine that can help you diminish body fat, then strength training is a good way to help with that. According to a shape.com article on the benefits of lifting weights, the combination of a low-calorie diet and weight training resulted in greater fat loss than a combination of a low-calorie diet and walking workouts. The article also adds that strength training is better at helping people lose body fat compared with cardio because while aerobic exercise burns both fat and muscle, weightlifting burns almost exclusively fat. To simplify this, an article by Carmen Chai explains that weightlifting helps with the building of muscles, and having more muscle causes you to burn more calories, thus causes a person to lose more fat. In my own body I have realized that my stomach became leaner and more defined from strength training, losing a lot of the fat I had before strength training.
Another positive benefit of strength training is building and creating stronger bones. One might think that lifting can only help you gain muscle, but no it can also help with keeping your bones strong and healthy. In a health.com article written by Jacqueline Andriakos, she points out that weight training is essential because it can help prevent bone loss, potentially build bone, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures down the line. Furthermore, research done by Gina Shaw solidified that lifting heavy weights over a period of time not only maintains bone mass but can even build new bone. The combination of strength training with a healthy diet can result in strong and healthy bones for a long period of time. I have even noticed immense progress in my own bones, feeling stronger and healthier than I ever did before.
Along with the health benefits that strength training result in, it can also help with a healthy and open mind. According to a HuffPost article written by Sarah Klein, strength training can do wonders for your mental health. Strength training has been linked with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms as well as improved self-esteem. A study by Brett Gordon and others found that in a meta-analysis of 33 clinical trials including 1877 participants, strength training was associated with a significant reduction of depressant symptoms. From personal experience I can attest to these findings because I have found that strength training has helped free my mind. One to two hours in the gym daily can really help my mental state by taking my mind off of anything else and also strengthen my mind by pushing myself thru pain and adversity.
Throughout the week at the home gym or my “new space” I was lucky enough to have great conversations with some of the guys regarding what strength training did for them. Deston Watanabe, who has been strength training at this gym for four years now told me, “Lifting weights has changed my life, really. Before I got in here, I would play video games and eat junk food all day. But ever since I started strength training my junior year of high school, it has really turned things around for me. I have started watching what I eat and lost 50 pounds from where I was at.” Spencer Lopes, the owner of the new space gym told me in an interview that, “Strength training has given me confidence throughout the years. It has allowed me to cope with my anxiety and stress well and has also has given me the ability to compete in collegiate sports and live a overall healthy lifestyle.” He then went on to explain that he wants to be a fitness trainer when he grows up and is excited to transform other people to get the body and mind that they want and desire.
Interviews on Zoom with Spencer Lopes and Deston Watanabe
There are many different things that a person can do for a healthier mind and body. For me, that is weight training and eating healthy. There are a lot of factors and sacrifices that a person needs to make to get their most ideal results from weight training. It might be losing an hour or two of sleep in order to go the gym before work, cutting out a certain food that they like, or even missing out on some fun things with their friends or family. Weight training isn’t easy and definitely isn’t for most people. But, if you are willing to work hard and make sacrifices for yourself than weight training can do wonders for you, it definitely did for me.
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