It’s 7 a.m. in Francis Parker’s weight room, and while many students are deep in slumber, a group of senior boys is getting in a morning workout to start their day. Parker’s weight room is frequented by a variety of people and is subject to wear and tear through years of heavy use. The weight room has not received a major renovation since its original construction.

Over winter break, Parker renovated its weight room, making several key changes. The most glaring flaw to the prior weight room was how cramped it was and one of the goals of the renovation was to give the space a more open feel. 

A key contributor to the design process of the new weight room was Athletico employee and Francis W. Parker Strength and Conditioning Coach John Senft. He uses the weight room when he runs workouts for Parker’s sports teams. In the renovation, Senft aimed to maximize the space so that it could accommodate as many athletes at a time as possible.

“Spacing was the key thing in our renovation process,” Senft said, “so that the athletes can spread out more, and nobody has to wait around to use the equipment.” To maximize the space in the gym, Senft aimed to optimize the “flow” of the space, as he believes that it is a key factor for a gym to function efficiently. 

“It’s always about the flow,” Senft said. “Previously, the flow of the gym was interrupted by the cluster of cardio machines in the middle, and the new renovation has fixed this by relocating these machines so that open floor space is maximized for additional exercises.”

The renovation saw the removal of machines such as the chest press, but these losses were sacrifices made to provide space for the multi-use cable rack.

“The biggest addition is the multi-use rack,” Senft said. “That was the one thing I always wished we had. I am really excited about the machine because it can do multiple things so that I can have two people doing two different exercises at one time, again going back to spacing.” 

In addition to the relocation of the cardio machines and the addition of a multi-use rack, the ceiling tiles were also removed to reveal an exposed ceiling, which gives the space extra height that provides an even more open feel.

After removing the ceiling tiles, sets of long fluorescent lights were hung from the ceiling, giving the space a new brighter and more modern aesthetic. The cardio machines that were previously clustered in the center of the room have been relocated to the back section of the gym where they are placed against the walls. This freed space in the center of the room opens it up and provides a more spacious feel. Additionally, this space has a designated area for floor exercises that weren’t possible before.  

Senior Alejandro Cuesta is elated about the recent renovations made to his usual workout spot. “Before it felt a lot more confined,” Cuesta said. “With the new renovation, there’s a lot more space, and the experience is a lot nicer now because there are a lot more people you can fit in there. It was long overdue.”

Junior Aviel Acevedo uses the Parker weight room almost every day. “The number of people that are going to the gym on a regular basis has significantly increased as a result of the remodeling,” Acevedo said. “But with the new layout, overcrowding is never an issue and everyone can get a good pump in peace.”