From Bare Bones to Bench Press: My Fitness Journey
“Bare skin and bones.” That was the first thought that came to mind when I looked in the mirror two years ago. I’ve always been significantly underweight, at least 20 to 30 pounds lighter than my peers of similar height. While I knew that BMI wasn’t the most accurate measure of health, I couldn’t help feeling down when people pointed out that I was underweight. It made me feel inadequate and inferior.
The idea of changing never really crossed my mind until one day during my freshman year, when one of my close friends burst into my house raving about a workout plan he created. The goal of getting ‘jacked’ in just a few weeks seemed unrealistic, but the idea of not being skinny anymore was super appealing. So, we began our journey into the world of weight training and fitness. At first, we followed an at-home five-day workout plan, each day focusing on a different
body part (arms, legs, hips, etc.).
The initial results weren’t very encouraging. I gained a bit of muscle, but it was nowhere near my goals. We were getting fit, but more through cardio exercises than weight training. Upon doing further research, my friend suggested we join a gym during summer break. I was really self-conscious about my appearance and hesitant to go, but I was assured that people usually mind their own business. Reluctantly, I agreed. We started going to the gym almost five days a week.
With access to proper equipment, we began various exercises and pushed ourselves to the limit. Initially, hitting a plateau felt discouraging, but I soon learned that fitness, like most things in life, is an obstacle course. Reaching a limit is expected, and dealing with physical barriers taught me a lot about
persistence. I began to see progress, eating more and following a healthy diet. There wasn’t a secret or shortcut to gaining weight and getting fit—you just have to work out regularly and eat the right kinds of food enough to support muscle growth.
Even when my friend couldn’t make it, I went to the gym diligently five days a week. While it was great to have a workout buddy, my motivation became unwavering. Last summer, I gained forty pounds and hit a personal bench press record of 135 pounds. My weight went from 90 to 130 pounds. More importantly, I enjoyed the journey more than the destination and developed an unrelenting drive to keep going.
I had to take a four-month break from the gym due to a hand injury from tennis this winter, but now that my hand is healing after surgery, I’m looking forward to continuing my journey.
