By: Sammy Pierre
Deena Maitre is a resident here at the Lakeview Apartment Complex. She tries to head to the gym a few times a week to workout.
Before she starts her workouts, she likes to start on the treadmill to get warm. A key part of working out is getting your heart rate up to the level it should be.
Her time on the treadmill typically starts with a walk which then turns to a light jog. "I'm not really a big fan of running to begin with, so I like to keep it kind of short," Maitre said.
Deena had taken the last few days off due to some fatigue and being busy. This will likely be her last workout of the week before the weekend and resuming on Monday.
Deena heads over to pick up a few weights for dumbbell curls. She typically wants to keep her weights the same but admits it can be a struggle.
She likes to use her time in the gym as a way to relieve some stress from her day to day life. Along with summer classes, work and her social life she likes to have some time for herself as well.
Working out is also a good way for Deena to feel a little bit better about herself. "I used to avoid the gym like the plague because I was so scared of it," she said.
Here Deena is performing a dumbbell press. Usually this exercise is done on the bench, but she improvised with the bench being in use.
Deena likes to use the medicine balls to work on her core strength. She brings the ball across her body while lifting her leg towards her chest to give an additional effect.
She finishes up her set before putting the ball down for a quick breather. "All these exercises add up quick!" Maitre shouted.
Deena gives a shot at the back row machine. She tries to keep the weight low enough so it's comfortable but high enough to challenge herself.
She tries to focus on her form while working out. "I heard somewhere that it's better to keep form over weight so that's what I try to do," Maitre said.
Deena wanted to focus on her whole body for this workout came over to work on her forearms. This workout was called the straight-arm pulldown.
She admitted that this is one of the more difficult workouts for her. "My arms always start shaking whenever I get to this one I'm not gonna lie," Maitre said.
Deena leans over as she uses the kettlebell to complete an exercise. The kettlebells are good for working on her strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Deena pulls the weight across her body as she works on her sides and back. "This one is underrated and a lot of people don't like it," she said.
Deena focuses on finishing her set while trying to wrap up her workout. She often does three sets of ten.
Deena isn't the biggest fan of the squat machine but attempts to add it into her workout. "Me and this machine have a long history, but I'm determined to get the better of it!" Maitre said.
With her shoulder not at its best, she decided to lower the weight while working out. "I usually like to add up to 15-20 pounds on each side but my shoulder has been acting funny so I kept it lower today," Maitre said.
She often stretches before and after her workout to stay loose and ready. "It's definitely important to stretch whenever you workout so you don't end up getting sore," Maitre said.
