The Gym: Does it Give More Than it Takes?
The gym is where we spend our time and energy. But, in the grand scheme of things, is it worth it?
Your body wasn’t made to be sedentary. That’s an issue we face in modern life.
Most of us spend the whole day seated, and some of us never even leave the house. Work from home and order everything to your doorstep.
It’s no surprise then why unhealthiness and unhappiness are on the rise. Here’s how a daily dose of gym can change your life for the better.
1. Discipline
Weight training instills a sense of discipline. Consistently sticking to a workout routine requires self-control, and that spills over into other areas of your life. By training frequently and ticking off fitness-related goals, you’ll naturally notice a willingness to improve your relationships, finances, and daily life.
2. Resilience
The gym is a crossroad of physical and mental challenges, fostering resilience. By pushing through tough workouts, hitting failure, and lifting heavier weights, you’ll build, as David Goggins coined, mental calluses. This quality will help you overcome challenges in any arena.
3. Tranquility
You might think of the gym as loud, with music banging and weights clanging, but it offers tranquillity. The workout is tough, but the release of endorphins makes you feel 10 times better afterward, and your mind is more at peace.
4. Focus
Being dedicated to improving your fitness requires focus. Whether it’s understanding your body's biomechanics in complex lifts or maintaining pacing whilst engaged in cardio, your focus cannot waver. This heightened focus will carry over into daily tasks, increasing productivity.
5. Energy
Going to the gym does take energy, but in the long run, you’ll have more. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health, enhances endurance, and boosts vitality. After a few weeks of exercising, you’ll notice increased energy levels throughout the day, leading to a more active and joyful lifestyle.
1. Dissatisfaction
The feeling of being dissatisfied with life, that emptiness within, is filled by going to the gym. The gym makes you feel accomplished. By giving a workout your all, it’s impossible to leave the gym without being happy about your efforts to improve your life. It takes dissatisfaction by giving purpose and direction.
2. Frustration
We all get wound up in life. Something will always come up at home or at work that annoys you. By sitting at home and doing nothing, however, that feeling will only grow. Going to the gym is a release. You transfer that negative energy into the iron, releasing you from the burden of frustration.
3. Impatience
Nothing happens quickly in life, everything requires slow and consistent work, and the gym is no exception. The physique you want, the weight you want to lift, and the distance you want to run, will all take time. If you’re not patient before going to the gym, in a few weeks, you will be.
4. Boredom
School and work can be dull. You try to entertain yourself by watching TV, playing games, or scrolling on social media. Eventually, though, those quick dopamine sources become boring too. That’s where the gym differs. You can’t get bored of pushing your body to its maximum capabilities. Like when you’re benching, you either lift the weight or get squashed. Lifting is rewarding and fulfilling, a cure for boredom.
5. Energy
Like I said, the gym gives energy and it also takes. The taking of energy isn’t bad though. It’ll put an end to restlessness, making you a calmer person whilst also helping you sleep soundly at night. Pent-up energy can turn sour, even volatile. So you must cycle your energy, gain and release.
The gym is more than the realm of physical fitness.
It teaches lessons, improves skills, and builds character, all whilst bettering your health.
It gives and it takes.
But the gain or loss is always in your favor.