15 years of the gym

I realised the other day that I have been going to the gym for over 15 years.

It all started when my dad started encouraging me to join the gym he was going to.  I was a shy, quiet, overweight Eighteen year old.  I knew if I didn’t take action I was going to get fatter.

So I joined that day.  I never knew doing that would change my life forever.

 

My dad mostly did the cardio and the machine weights.  He was very fit and healthy for his age, but very soon I would end up surpassing him and turning my health and fitness into an obsession.  I certainly never envisioned that I would take the time to write about it!

An end to my sedentary lifestyle watching TV and being on the computer in all my spare time.

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One thing you might be wondering is “15 years of going to the gym?  Don’t you get bored?”

In a way – yes I have had periods where I got bored.  Usually I had a short break, started feeling unfit and so found my motivation again.

The big thing that surprises me is despite all that time I do keep getting personal bests.  You would think you got to a point where you can’t go any further but it happens.

The other week I was on the bench press.  I had managed a few reps at 85kg.  An impressive personal best in itself because I had only ever achieved a 1-rep max at this weight.

Because I felt good I picked up the very pee-wee 1.25kg weight and added it to the left side of the bar.  It is a laughably pathetic looking weight, but when you lift heavy it makes all the difference!

This now made my bar 86.25kg.  I give a strained 1 rep, but kept my form.  Thus was the heaviest I ever lifted!

So there you go, 15 years in the gym and I still have new achievements and new personal bests!  It can happen to anyone, all you have to do is join the gym and keep persisting.