Weight Training

I've always wanted to weight train. And for years, it got pushed back with the same line: I'll start tomorrow. It's the usual gibberish we tell ourselves.

So I stopped waiting for motivation and changed my environment instead. I bought a €50 set of weights from Amazon and set them up in my living room, where I'd see them every single day.

Walking past them

For a while, nothing changed. Every day I'd walk past the weights and feel tempted to lift, and most of the time I just kept walking.

Then one day I said enough is enough, picked them up, and started lifting. I haven't stopped since.

What my routine looks like

It's simple, and it fits into my day:

• Morning: a 15 minute session when I get back from my 3km jog.
• Evening: another 15 minute session around 9pm, after I finish on the computer.

That evening session matters. After a day at the computer my head is in a spin, and lifting is how I clear it out.

What it has given me

Weight training has helped me build muscle, lose weight and build strength. It has also given me a healthy way to release aggression, so I'm not carrying the day's tension around with me.

My endurance and consistency have improved immensely too. That's the part I didn't expect. Lifting doesn't just make me stronger, it makes me more reliable in everything else I do.

The hardest part was starting

Starting was the hardest part, and it's why I spent the money and put the weights where I couldn't ignore them. Spending the €50 made it real, and seeing them every day kept the decision in front of me.

Once I started, I found a feeling I don't want to lose. That feeling is what keeps me coming back.

If you've been putting it off

You don't need a gym membership or a perfect plan. You need a starting point you can't avoid.

• Get a basic set of weights.
• Put them somewhere you'll see them every day.
• Start with 15 minutes.

Tomorrow never comes on its own. Start today.