This year at West Anchorage High School, a new trend has seemed to be sweeping many teenagers like a wildfire. You may think the new trend might be some sort of clothing, or maybe even something to do with new music; but believe it or not, the new trend is bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is generally regarded as a sport for older men and women who have been training for years, but at West High, many teens in all grades are working out at local gyms everyday in hopes to achieve the perfect physique.

The question of why teens at West want to start bodybuilding is not a simple one to answer, but most who were interviewed say that they wanted to start working out for either their personal goals, or even simply to enter bodybuilding competitions such as Mr./Ms. West which occurs in April. To get the inside scoop of why students at West High are participating in bodybuilding, some students were interviewed about this trend and they shared some interesting information that may shed light on the subject.

Sydney Steele is a West High junior who is a passionate bodybuilder, and exclusively works out at The Alaska Club West. In an interview, Sydney mentioned the fact that most teen bodybuilders at West High go to this particular gym due the close proximity of the school. Sure enough, other West students were there working out just as Syd was. During this time at the gym, a quick interview was conducted with Syd, “I think most people workout simply because they want to be fit and improve themselves along with their body at the same time,” said Syd.  “To start bodybuilding or just working out, you have to be consistent and stay motivated…Once you see the results of working out on your body, it really starts to become something that you can be passionate about.”

After the interview with Syd, West High senior Jejomar Briones who also works out at Alaska Club West opened up about his bodybuilding life. Jejomar addressed his views on the conflicts between bodybuilding and academics. “I treat bodybuilding like any other after-school sport,” said Jejomar. “For me, bodybuilding after school is a way for me to unwind and focus, and then homework becomes a lot easier for me after I work out.” Jejomar hopes to win Mr. West this year, and everyday goes to the gym in hopes of getting closer to his goal.

Although the vast majority of student bodybuilders at West are guys, there are a few girls involved with the sport including West High junior Rylee Towell. “Bodybuilding is something new I wanted to do, so I decided to try it out,” said Rylee. “My parents are really supportive of me, and my mom does it, so it’s kind of like a family thing.” Rylee says the support of her friends and family are really what keeps her motivated to work out.

Students at West High school who are bodybuilding are not only trying to improve their bodies, but improve themselves. For students who are planning to enter bodybuilding competitions, the prior training is time demanding and tough. But for most students who are dedicated and persistent, the hard training is well worth it. For student bodybuilders at West, bodybuilding is an art form. It is a way for them to express themselves, and simply a way of life.