Yesterday was one of the best gym sessions I’ve had for a long time!
My original personal bests were 250kg (550lbs) deadlift, 200kg (440lbs) squat, 150kg (330lbs) bench press and 100kg (220lbs) clean.
And my current stats, after a years break in training, look absolutely nothing like that!
I finally managed to do a 160kg (352lbs) deadlift. And as happy as I am with that, that still wasn’t what made it a great training session.
It was two comments my girlfriend made during, that made it an awesome session.
“I know I may have said it before, but without a doubt in my mind now, I love training!”
I think one of the greatest accomplishments in life is to be able to teach somebody else a skill. Now to have sparked a genuine passion in that respective skill as well, is a real cherry on the top!
It’s like I taught her how to fish, and she’s taken to it so well she’s bought beer and a boat already!
For about three months of training, the perception has shifted from “I must do cardio only, ‘cos I don’t want muscle” to “Let me try leg press 40kgs (88lbs)” (not bad when you only weigh 55kgs (121lbs)!).
“How come your arms aren’t as defined as most of the other guys?”
Now most boyfriends who trained hard would have tucked tail at that one and slunk off to hug their knees in a corner.
I wasn’t offended at all.
Most guys spend hours to get massive sleeve busting arms. I’d rather spend more time recovering and lifting heavier. I’ve never really enjoyed doing arms as I never saw a secondary exercise going anywhere further than assisting a primary lift. It’s never been about looks for me – it was at first and I don’t have a problem with somebody that trains for that. I think my perception has changed, and I have better direction in what I want to accomplish with my lifting.
What her observation showed me was that she was noticing more around her – she was feeling more comfortable in the gym.
Even if it meant that she was staring at other dudes!
To be able to share a hobby or interest with your partner is one of the most awesome things imaginable in a relationship. And even if its taken two years to get the wheels turning, I’m sure many more great things are to come from it!