Some time ago, fate brought me to the gym. How grateful I am!
Sport, in a sense, has been with me at various points in my life. In early childhood, I toughened up with swimming. Then there was boxing, which developed both strength and willpower. School taught me agility on the basketball and volleyball courts.
And along with the hectic youth, shaping came into the picture. A healthy body fostered a relatively healthy mind until work began to take up all my free and non-free time.
Weeks passed and turned into years, but the thought of taking up exercise never left my mind. After reviewing all the available sports options in our city, I decided to buy a gym membership. The instructor introduced me to the rules of etiquette, outlined a beginner's exercise routine, and gave me an introductory course on the equipment.
There's nothing complicated about it—a few sets with a specific number of reps. The huge room, filled with tons of equipment, was impressive and not at all intimidating. People with serious expressions were leisurely “working,” happily examining their reflections in the mirror. (By the way, everyone was well-mannered and friendly: hello—goodbye, help—no problem, help—please…)
After the first workout, for several days I couldn’t sit, walk, lie down, or even laugh. It hurt everywhere where there were muscles, and where, as it seemed to me, they shouldn’t be.
It was only later that I reread a whole bunch of sports literature about rules and prohibitions, drew conclusions, found answers to my ridiculous questions, and corrected my mistakes.
For several months, nothing special happened to my figure. I was simply in a constant good mood and feeling lighthearted. Much later, my muscles began to show through. I learned to distinguish muscles and understand how they respond to certain exercises.
I'm not one of those people who grumbles at their reflection in the mirror. Life has taught me to accept myself as I am. No one is perfect in this world, and everyone has their flaws. Training has given me a different experience, taught me to feel my body, and see how it's changing for the better. Bodybuilding, like any sport, makes you more organized and boosts your self-esteem.
This isn't a sport that thrives on speed; it's not even a sport, but rather an art form. You can approach sculpting your own body creatively, depending on what you want to create. Human thought itself possesses powerful energy. You can subconsciously envision your future body and slowly work toward your desired result. This won't take just one day. There are no slogans in the gym: “Fast!” or “Effortless!” You'll need to invest your own desire and perseverance. Psychologists have long noted this: we become what we imagine ourselves to be.
Sometimes poor health, a bad mood, cloudy weather, or an invitation to a festive banquet interfere with your exercise routine, and you start to talk yourself into it, knowing you have to overcome it. There's “have to,” but there's no “don't want to.” Your body's gratitude doesn't take long to show.
After all, if you have everything, even absolutely everything, except one thing—health—life becomes dull and joyless. And health, alas, is not always a given.
If you have both the desire and the opportunity, why not combine them…
