One Month On
Thirty-four days. The amount of time it’s taken to reach a huge milestone. Safely and comfortably. Today, a short story about defying my own limits.
Something that dreams is made of.
This image.
My bodyweight is 62kg.
This was 65kg.
More than bodyweight deadlift.
I say thirty-four days. It’s really sixteen days of training. Eighteen days of rest.
In sixteen appearances to the gym, I’ve gone from not being able to lift the Olympic bar to move it around to this state.
It’s something I’m truly proud of.
It’s something that has been my mission this month.
If I didn’t achieve anything else, it would be keeping up the gym.
No injuries (touchwood) and I’m healthy.
I’ve had 1.5kg weight gain.
Hoping muscle over fat.
There’s a lot of progress to go.
As I’m told my Kevin.
Kevin (@kevfromshit2fit on Insta) has lost over one hundred pounds, he now tries to inspire others to take gym seriously and get some results.
I didn’t need to loose weight.
Quite the opposite but nonetheless Kevin was a huge motivation.
We worked together at my old job.
We’re good friends.
Closer now because of this common interest but his story is truly inspiring and it gave me a new perspective on what gym could do for someone.
He has helped me with diet (useful because he’s a chef by trade).
He has helped me with form.
I went to the gym with him before I started lifting.
I still do the first two exercises he showed me as warm-up.
I’ve been going to the gym on and off since 2012.
I never used to go near the free weights section.
That was for the ‘bullies’, that’s the best way to describe them at the time.
I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.
I stuck to machines. I did leg press and I got to the highest option.
That was my favourite machine.
I loved the gym in Austin and I wanted to continue here.
So I joined, commissioned the help of Kevin and started.
And boy, does it feel good.
Gym has all been about patience for me.
Perfecting the form. Fighting my inner demons to rush.
I needed to ensure the exact form in order to lift correctly.
I didn’t want to hurt myself.
My osteopath says that my upper back is stronger than when I started.
My posture is better.
My health has improved.
My core strength is unbelievably stronger.
I’ve never been good at being patient with things that I see others doing better.
Golf and gym are the main two.
I’m getting better.
Learning more about myself.
I’m thirty-four days in.
I’m 1.5kg heavier.
This was my routine today:
Squat: 5x5 @ 47.5kg
Overhead Press: 5/5/5/5/2 @ 30kg (struggle with this one, dropped down from 32.5kg)
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 20kg (warmup) and 1x5 @ 65kg
I couldn’t care less what people say about these numbers.
I was never supposed to lift weights in the first place.
The small kid who just got wider not stronger.
This is progress.
This is me.