Working out is a type of self-inflicted suffering I put myself through everyday, to strengthen not only my body, but also my mind. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and I start off my workday knowing that I’ve already done more than most people have at that point in the day.
I think my obsession with working out and sports is rooted in my desire to always be the best that I can be. I am constantly in competition with myself, and always pushing myself to work harder. This mentality has served me well during the enhanced quarantine, which started in March.
Working out and sports have been an integral part of my life for a long time. I’ve played sports ever since I can remember. Growing up in Hawaii, I would play pickup basketball, soccer, and football games. From middle through high school, I played for the JV and varsity basketball and soccer teams. In college, I played for my school’s club rugby team and currently play for a local men’s club team in my city. I was relocated across continents for work, and the gym is the one place that I felt very familiar with in a new environment, so it made the transition easier.
Before the quarantine, I would workout every morning on weekdays--even Saturdays if there were no rugby matches nor training. Lately I’ve been doing mostly weight lifting and high intensity interval training for cardio. The gym, which I often call the ‘Iron Paradise,’ helps me to prepare mentally for my work day and gives me a sense of accomplishment every morning before the real desk job starts. When the lockdown started, I knew I had to adjust and make use of what I have around the house.
I believe as humans we are made to experience certain levels of suffering, and to experience the feeling of victory in overcoming that suffering. There are studies out there that prove this and show that new neural pathways are created in your brain after such. Overcoming challenges everyday will make you mentally stronger.
Working out is a type of self-inflicted suffering I put myself through everyday, to strengthen not only my body, but also my mind. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and I start off my workday knowing that I’ve already done more than most people have at that point in the day.
Doing this at home has kept my mind anchored during the quarantine. One of the challenges of staying indoors is the feeling of monotony.
Weight training gives me a sense of control. There is so much out of my hands with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic but when I am working out--everything is in my control.
The amount of work I put in will decide the benefits I eventually gain. There are days I wake up and don’t feel like doing it, but I force myself to because I know after I finish I will be in a better mental state. Doing this at home has kept my mind anchored during the quarantine. One of the challenges of staying indoors is the feeling of monotony. Everyday can feel like the same day--but because I start everyday with a sense of accomplishment, I look forward to the next day to see what else I am capable of.
Weight training gives me a sense of control. There is so much out of my hands with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic but when I am working out--everything is in my control.
This quarantine has also made me realize that what I call the Iron Paradise is not a physical gym, it is a mindset. It is where I go when the world around me is literally shutting down, and uncertainty is the new norm. No pandemic can ever shut down the Iron Paradise.
It is where I go when the world around me is literally shutting down, and uncertainty is the new norm. No pandemic can ever shut down the Iron Paradise.
Story of Malcolm Mostoles