Most people know Mehlville senior Jeff McKay as a funny individual and a good friend. Jeff is devoted to his schoolwork and is set to graduate in May. He is enrolling in a community college second semester to work toward his dream of being a firefighter. 

At Mehlville, McKay has been a member of the marching band for all four years playing the big baritone saxophone. In addition to this, McKay will also wrestle for the first time this season.

He said, “Being involved at Mehlville has allowed me to make lots of friends and have fun in school that really wasn’t there in elementary and middle school.”

All of these activities are important to McKay, but it’s the work he puts in the gym outside of school that is his ultimate passion

Since the winter of his junior year, Jeff has spent hours upon hours at Club Fitness. He usually has a rotation each week that allows him to work on all parts of his body. Most of his time outside of school is spent at the gym. People can obviously tell this when they see McKay, because he is by far one of the most built individuals roaming the halls at Mehlville High School.

He is constantly at the gym, whether it’s squatting hundreds of pounds, deadlifting, or working on his cardio. Explaining how working on everything helps him maintain his build, he says, “Working on just one aspect of my body is great, but it doesn’t produce the same results as working on every aspect. The rotation I have allows me to maintain all aspects of my body and helps me look and feel better.”

By going to the gym, McKay allows himself to look and feel better.

Combining his passion for the gym, Jeff even went as far as getting a job at Club Fitness. While working at Club, he was able to further his passion by earning a little money. Although he often worked shifts until 9 or 10 p.m. that would not stop him from working out afterwards.

“Although adding my workout to my shift caused me to get home later, resulting in less sleep, the effects it has had on my body have been worth the tradeoff.”

 McKay’s current personal records at the gym include a bench press of 245 pounds, a squat of 315 pounds, and a deadlift of 365 pounds. “In order to improve without injuring myself, I tend to add small amounts of weight every week, usually 5-10 pounds,” McKay explains.

All in all, McKay loves going to the gym and is constantly looking to improve his personal records.

Jeff McKay balances his schoolwork, extracurricular activities, work, and working out to help him look and feel the best he can be. If it weren’t for his passion for the gym, McKay wouldn’t be wrestling this season.

“It’s become easier to condition and keep weight for wrestling because I already spend so much time at the gym to begin with.”

Jeff McKay’s passion for the gym has allowed him to not just improve physically but also get more involved in school.