First set foot in the gym as a weedy 15-year old,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of school sport, at that point never lifted before, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Travelled by bus with fellow signees and a couple of\nteachers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can\u2019t forget first impressions when we made it to our final destination,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seemed like a jungle of steel parts designed to pump one\ninto jacked-ness,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Posters on the walls of honey-glazed folks, looking ripped\nand yoked, hard work does pay off,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heaved and lifted what I could, no structure, it was all\nexperimental,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Worked the mirror muscles, mainly, but in the end felt\nindestructible, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Was a chubby kid previously before graduating to skinny\nteen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Little did I know that day life\u2019s path was laid before me,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Years later still at it, can\u2019t believe it\u2019s been almost a\nquarter century,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still no expert, though, forever a student, learned plenty\nalong the way, the decline in gym etiquette included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ain\u2019t trained in a public space for years and years now,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bedroom, two dumbbells and a punching bag\u2019s sufficient anyhow,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The body can work wonders when the mind is determined, sets,\ntempo and reps manipulated, if jailbirds can get swole sans fancy equipment\nthen surely a homebody is more than capable,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Home\u2019s where the heart is, so they say, when it comes to\ngrinding sure seems that way,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Got very little say in a public space where rules are\nscrapped day by day,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fools be leaving benches unwiped, nasty sweat patches\nglistening under gym lights,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Failing to re-rack what they\u2019d been using, in their wake\npotential tripping hazards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Others hogging equipment like they own \u2018em, oblivious to the\nqueue forming around them, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not far from them, in front of the mirror, egotists glued to\ntheir phones when they really should be hustling,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not just taking pictures or recording sessions, talking\n\u2018bout full on scrolling and possible cyber chatting, priorities out of order\nbut that\u2019s how they\u2019re rolling,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gone are the days of heads down and popping, nothing but\nblood, sweat and tears,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you ain\u2019t here for business then what the hell are you\ndoing here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there are the rats side-eyeing and engaged in some\nnot-so-subtle sightseeing,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shit is predatory and a violation, but another special group\nmust be mentioned,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those calling out bad behaviour but not always for reasons\nlegit, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hurling accusations of perving upon unsuspecting strangers\njust going about their business,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spreading that shit online, hoping that their targets be\nnamed and shamed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty serious labelling there, you see why many opt to live\nlike hermits? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On top of sharing space with the inconsiderate, high chance\nnow of baseless finger-pointing,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I stay put in here, my own sanctuary, sure beats blowing\nmoney on those hectic fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can\u2019t stress this enough, no one\u2019s lumping them under the\nsame umbrella,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The majority still in it for the right reasons, striving for\nself-improvement and lending a hand where it\u2019s needed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Respect, overall, still rules above all, camaraderie built\nwithin these walls, countless friendships and relationships are born,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sadly there exists the foolish few ruining it for all, is it\nreally too much to pick your shit up off the floor?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To get rid of distractions until after the session, surely\nyour health is more important, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s no internet caf\u00e9, club or social space, shut up and run\nyou some miles and lift you some weights, gotta lock in and stay on course,\nyou\u2019ve barely worked up a lather, ain\u2019t wobbly like a newborn colt,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Might as well rock up with blinders on in case those eyes\nstray towards the forbidden,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Folks from both genders flaunting their assets but get offended\nwhen others be checking \u2018em,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talk about simultaneously self-promoting like they\u2019re hoping\nto be spotted then crying victim when that secret objective is completed, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A glance ain\u2019t always intentional, and if you\u2019d put in the\nwork they\u2019re sure to be inspired by ya,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re hawking your junk all over social media so what\u2019s the\ndifference if they notice ya?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if those eyes linger for too long and they\u2019re sending\nnot-so-subtle-signals, could be a sign of some nasty intentions in which case\nthey deserve to be reported,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The long and short of it, the gym\u2019s a shared space and there\nare rules in place,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Disrespecting where you\u2019re visiting, fuck outta here with\nyour self-righteousness and sense of entitlement, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go hard or go home, it\u2019s a time honoured rule around here,\nleave your ego out of it, hard work trumps clout-chasing, stay in your lane and\nmake you those gains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First set foot in the gym as a weedy 15-year old, Part of school sport, at that point never lifted before, Travelled by bus with fellow signees and a couple of teachers, Can\u2019t forget first impressions when we made it to our final destination, Seemed like a jungle of steel parts designed to pump one … <\/p>\n