10 Philosophical Reflections on Gym Going
For my entire adult life, I struggled with consistency in getting into the gym. That changed about 3 years ago, and I wanted to share a few things I have learned in that process.
We are not just mobile brains, our embodied experience impacts our total reality. If we are "not yet all that we may be," the change we desire may not begin in the mind, but instead in the body.
Identity is almost more important than frequency. If you are the type of person who goes to gym - you will naturally go
There is power in starting your day with the hardest thing first
Warming up is as much about the mind as the body. Neural recruitment and activation drives the work ahead
While progress comes through pain, the greatest challenge is building the ability to hurt yourself.
Sometimes - hidden weakness is what is holding you back. You can't do the big lifts without a strong core. You can't bench without strong triceps.
There is community in the gym - regularity and frequency of going means you will build relationships with others
You will see 3 types of people there - the sporadic goers, the serious regulars, and the socializers. The socializers are there for different reasons - be careful to avoid their distractions if you are serious about your own progress
Progress is about focus and persistence - 1% better every day really adds up
In an ever more digital world, physical accomplishment is uniquely satisfying