As you all know, athletes have to be in tip-top shape all year round. They are constantly conditioning and molding their bodies to help them be better at their specific sport.

Most people get lazy in the summer, but the dedicated few make sure to keep a routine.

Justin Brezhnev, a student at Beverly High, participates in wrestling, Sambo (He’s an international champion), and  water polo. He says,”I just do four sports [to stay in shape and that gives me my cardio. Then I lift weights a little bit, but mostly [I do calisthenics.”

Jimmy Temple, a senior at Venice High, is the captain of the water polo team. He’s been staying in shape by going to team practices. He says, “We usually warm-up by swimming a 200m freestyle (heads up), 200m backstroke, then treading water with a 10 pound brick in the deep end. Then some ball handling skills (passing, shooting..etc), and we end in a scrimmage.”

Nick Blair, a 2008 graduate of Venice High, plays baseball. To stay in shape, he now has to keep an agenda of his own. “I usually run about 5 miles, do a short core workout, and sometimes I’ll lift weights, nothing too heavy though,” he says.

Hugh Zhao, a Venice High basketball player, hasn’t started conditioning with his team yet. To stay in shape, he planned his own summer workout. To keep his legs strong, he does a lot of running. “I usually play 2-3 hours of basketball a night, I run uphill and sometimes to Venice Beach and back.”

No matter what sport you play, staying in shape is very important. Make sure to motivate yourself to stay in shape for the remainder of the summer, even if you don’t play a sport.

-Rahel Abebe