There is nothing lax about about girls lax. As of Jan. 25, a group of returning varsity and JV athletes has been participating in the Body Blast program, led by athletic trainer Gaetana “G” DiLeo, from 6- 7 a.m., twice a week in the Staples fitness center and weight room.

According to team captain Ali Crofts ’12, the morning workouts are not mandated, but strongly encouraged by team coach Cathy Schager.

“Schager suggested doing body blast before school because she can’t train us after school,” Crofts said. “We wanted to improve strength, agility and speed, and decided this would be a great challenge for the team to take on.”

Jessie Ambrose ’12 describes the workouts as intensive and exhausting, but highlights the benefits of exercising early morning before school.

“It’s nice to get up early and start your day knowing you already worked out. I think it will be beneficial because we put a lot of effort into it,” Ambrose said.

While several teammates agreed with Ambrose, all explained the difficulties and adjustments that an morning body blast entails. Adele Mackey ’12 emphasizes the importance of a good night’s sleep prior to hitting the gym.

“We’ve only had one so far, but I plan to get to bed early on the nights I know I will be getting up for workouts. It is tiring and definitely will increase in intensity every session,” Mackey said.

Crofts prepares for the a.m. workout similarly, by getting a solid eight hours sleep the night before and having a light, healthy breakfast. Crofts’ morning routine proved effective in the team’s first workout, as she recounts being energized and willing to push herself.

Mackey also stressed the importance of focusing on fitness in the preseason.

“If we get ourselves into shape now then we can focus more on playing later instead of making up for lost time,” Mackey said.

“This will be really beneficial for this upcoming season,” Crofts said. “It definitely is a great challenge.”