Reflecting on Two Years at the Gym
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Today marks the two year anniversary of me deciding to go to my local YMCA - a small community gym a kilometer away. I was 15 at the time and couldn’t go to the closer Anytime Fitness because I was underage, but I was okay at the YMCA.
In retrospect, it was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I think a lot of people go to the gym for the same reason: insecurity with our current body for whatever reason, leading to us being unable to continue not going to the gym.
I was introduced to it by a good friend KS a grade above me in high school, and sent him videos so he could check my form. I used everything - Reddit, Youtube, and miscellaneous forums to learn the ins and outs of lifting.
When I had my one year anniversary at the gym a year ago, I was conscious of it. But this time, I was entirely in the moment, and only halfway through my chest/bicep workout did I realise it was 2 years today - and quickly grabbed my phone from my bag to record a set for the memories.
Here are some of the most important things I’ve learnt from two years at the gym:
1) Delayed gratification will always trump cheap, instant dopamine.
I think one of the best parts of my day is when I’m walking back from the gym after a long, hard workout.
At 10pm at night, when the world is quiet, and it’s just you and the world? Amazing stuff.
I don’t think I’ve ever regretted going to the gym and always feel incredibly energised when I step out of the gym’s door.
2) True growth occurs at the border of your comfort zone.
If you aren’t going close to failure, what are you doing in the gym? (obviously not in every set)
I heard once (and I’m not sure if this is true) that only the last five reps before failure count towards muscle group.
True or not, I’ve learnt that going close to failure and crossing the border of your comfort zone will lead your comfort zone to expand.
It’s what we call progressive overload at the gym - consistently increasing the weight and hence increasing our comfort zones.
“I can never leave the gym knowing that I have 5% left. That last 5% is where champions are made.” - Tom Platz
3) The depletion of stimulus is the key to mental clarity.
Often, life gets hectic.
When I put on my workout clothes and step out of the front door, things make sense during my ten minute walk.
Some of my best learnings and reflections are on the way to the gym and halfway between sets.
I’d estimate 80% of the ideas I’ve posted about were ruminating when I go out to lift.
And whenever I get back from the gym, I just feel this overwhelming sense of peace. I now learn and previously studied with so much more efficacy when I lift.
I endeavour to put my phone in my bag and only occasionally listen to music at the gym now.
Getting rid of stimulation - withdrawing from the world’s calamity. It’s powerful.
4) Doing a little bit is 1000x better than doing nothing - it all adds up and compounds.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently.
I started going to the gym 3-4 times a week initially, and recently I’ve been going every single day. Now, I only go 4 times a week.
I realised that showing up is the absolute toughest part of going to the gym.
It’s all in your mind - as long as you step out of the door and start walking to the gym, you’ve already won 80% of the battle.
It all adds up. And over time, I promise it will compound.
5) Doing something even though you don’t want to do it will make all the difference.
How true is this one?
Going to the gym religiously has taught me that the most important days for growth are when there are voices in your head trying to get you not to go and lift.
Whatever it may be - being lazy, a social event, feeling sore in a body part you’re not training (this obviously excludes injury + burnout, and definitely don’t neglect your social life). Don’t get me wrong - it’s incredibly hard to fit the gym into a packed schedule.
But if it’s a trivial problem or something you can reschedule, going to lift when you don’t want to will build a ton of discipline.
The gym has always been there for me - a good day, a bad day, whatever. I never end the week with nothing - and whatever happens, you can count on me to be at the gym.
6) Build a solid foundation first, and then you can jump into carving your own path.
I think most people who start going to the gym, including me, are quite reserved when they begin.
Once you learn the fundamentals of lifting, you somehow gain this confidence in yourself.
Not only in how your body is shaping up, but also socially.
You realise that no one really cares about you, and learn the confidence to really be your true self in times of struggle at the gym.
And after you gain this confidence in gym mechanics, you can customise and tailor your workout to yourself - doing niche exercises and carving your own pathway.
7) Finding something you’re obsessed about will lead to outlier success.
I think you have to force me to take rest days.
I’m incredibly grateful to have found something that I really, really, really enjoy and is productive for my personal development.
I have by no means reached outlier success, but I’m trying to reach my own version of success.
And yep - I think I’m obsessed with it.
8) There is nothing more important than a healthy body, clear mind, and strong relationships.
I started lifting caring about how I looked, but I realised how amazing going to the gym was for my mental health.
Going to the gym ticked off all the above three things. Funnily enough, they’re the three things you can’t really buy with money (you sorta can buy everything else, though this is debatable).
Working out made me feel more calm when dealing with relationships. It cleared my mind in times of calamity. It’s built me a decently strong body that I’m relatively proud of.
9) Doing things with friends is great, but don’t discount doing things alone.
I love going to the gym with my workout buddies. But I started off working out alone, and oftentimes I prefer it.
People who know me would say that I’m a crazy extrovert - but I absolutely cherish my alone time.
Just sitting there to think - oh man, it is absolutely incredible.
Working out with friends is safer (with spotters) and will lead to more motivation.
But working out alone is absolutely incredible.
10) People don’t care about your struggle, but they’ll notice when you succeed.
It’s funny how the process is discounted and success is celebrated by others - but it’s the other way around for us in the arena.
I don’t care as much about my hypertrophy or strength results from lifting as much as the mental battle of going to the gym every day.
We love the never-ending process, not the result (muscle dysmorphia lmao - very important to have realistic expectations + be grateful for your progress).
Now, a good portion of the people I meet ask if I’ve been working out and my reply has always been the same after I asked someone myself:
“Do you go to the gym?”
“Yeah, a bit. Here and there.”
—
To anyone who’s thinking of starting their journey in the gym - do it.
To anyone who’s in the journey, whether you’ve been lifting for a week, a year, a decade, or a lifetime - keep going if you think it’s right for you.
I know it has been for me, and I can’t thank Yurui from February 12th, 2022 enough for deciding to make the leap.
Onwards, to hopefully a lifetime of working out, a healthy body, and a clear mind.
Yurui
