“Drop and give me 20”, my physical education teacher would yell after I’d inevitably mess about in his class. I’d groan at the mere thought of having to do another set of push-ups or a run around the field. Like many of us, I grew up looking at exercise as a form of punishment.
As adults, we know we need to exercise, but most of us don’t get its full benefits. We use exercise as a means to an end and go to the gym with the misguided belief that we’ll be happy once we reach our end goal, usually a certain weight or look. We see our workouts as a penalty for overindulging and enjoying ourselves. Instead of being present during the workout itself, we count down every second until we can end the suffering. This attitude robs us of the joy and beauty that physical exertion can create.
Earnt not Bought
A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought — they must be earned. — Naval Ravikant
Frances King Louis X14 was known as the Sun King. He was one of the richest men in the world during his reign. For his dinner each night, the Sun King chose from forty dishes, served on gold and silver plate. It took a staggering 498 people to prepare each meal. Nowadays, you can walk into your local supermarket and you’ll have access to more options than the sun king could have ever dreamed of.
We live in a time of abundance. We can buy anything and everything we want. And yet, the things that truly make us happy are the things that cannot be bought, they must be earnt. A fit body is one of those things. Sure, you can get surgeries to look a certain way, but strength, mental and physical must be earned by doing rep after rep after rep.
Going to the gym and pushing yourself to lift heavier weights, run faster, and perform better is a test of willpower. It’s not something you can game like most other things these days. It’s a challenge that requires you to put in effort and time and to stay committed to your goals. The process of building strength is not only about getting stronger physically, but it’s also about building a stronger sense of self. It’s about developing discipline, and perseverance. The heavier the weight you lift, the closer you push to your limit, and the stronger you become mentally.
In a world where everything seems to be available at the touch of a button, it’s refreshing to know that there is something that can’t be bought with money. Something that can only be earned through hard work and determination. Building strength is a personal journey that requires discipline, commitment, and effort. It’s a reminder that success is not handed to us on a golden platter like the Sun King’s dinner.
Strength training is not only about looking good, it’s about feeling good. It’s about having the confidence to tackle any challenge that comes your way. It’s about knowing that you have the power to overcome obstacles, be resilient in the face of adversity, and push through tough times. When you build your strength, you build your ability to handle life’s challenges with grace and ease.
Happiness
“Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.” — unknown
Setting goals and striving to improve our bodies is important, but it’s crucial not to attach our happiness to these goals. This applies to the gym, but also to just about everything else in life. Our happiness should not be dependent on reaching a specific weight or appearance but should come from the journey itself.
You may think happiness awaits at the top of the mountain, but in reality, it’s what you find on the way up. Our brains crave the pursuit of something, not the having of it. Your brain doesn’t want to have washboard abs or a three-figure bench press. It wants dopamine! From dopamine’s point of view, it’s not the having that matters; it’s getting something, our brains crave the chase. Once we reach our goal, dopamine levels return to baseline and what we worked so hard for simply becomes normal. This is why it’s important to be happy with what we have while working towards what we want.
Beauty
“It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable” — Socrates
Though it may have felt like push-ups were invented to torture school children, many of our modern exercises are actually ancient. They trace their roots back to Greek and Roman soldiers who used them to prepare for battle. The word “calisthenics” (bodyweight exercises), is derived from the Greek words “kallos,” meaning beauty, and “sthenos,” meaning strength. The ancients saw exercise not only as a way to build strength, but also to bring beauty to the body through physical exertion.
Next time you’re faced with a set of push-ups, sit-ups, or burpees, take a moment to appreciate the history and power behind these movements. You’re not just working out, you’re following in the footsteps of soldiers who built great empires.
In conclusion, the gym is more than just a place to work out. It’s a place where we can build our strength, discipline, and resilience, both physically and mentally. By embracing the beauty and joy in physical exertion, we can transform our workout routine from a chore to a celebration of what our bodies can do.
