Community to Continuity
By vishwa on Uncategorized
December 8, 2019
This is Srikanth. He is a young man—just 18 years old. I like it when teenagers join the gym. I doubly like it when they continue to embrace the fitness journey. In these formative years they can easily be swayed by harmful habits: drugs, alcohol abuse, etc. However, when they invest their time and energy on building fitness, it can be a boon for them. When people begin training at a young age they tend to blossom well. They channel their energy in positive ways rather than being ruled by their vices. When you possess a healthy body and mind, you can more easily pursue dreams.
Srikanth has also found great support from his family members. A few of his cousins also frequent the gym and are pursuing their own fitness journey. Community support is essential for one to thrive. When you are surrounded by healthy individuals who are leading a fitness lifestyle, it provides an impetus for you to tread the same path. On the contrary, imagine that you are surrounded by obese individuals who aren’t bothered with physical activity and all they think and dream about is gluttony. The chances of you being the odd man out are not good. Within a short time, you will likely end up being a fat man or woman. However, Srikanth is lucky to be in the right environment at a time when one, ironically, is being bombarded by endless varieties of junk foods. Walk a few meters in your street, and you will find hotels, bakeries, ice cream shops, etc. You are literally being swamped by eateries. Unfortunately, these eateries can only temporarily appease your taste buds and make you fat.
Srikanth continues to come to the gym. He enjoys living the dream, for he never thought that he could gain lean body mass. He now weighs a whopping 70 kilos having gained 20 kilos of lean body weight. I very well know how confident you feel when you gain the right kind of weight. I too was used to be skinny weighing a mere 60 kilos but went on to gain 20 kilos of bulk. It positively influenced me when I was in my mid 20’s.
Projecting the gym as a fitness pursuing community spot is essential. A feeling of community is required for one to continue the journey, for the benefits are derived for a lifetime. The onus of creating and sustaining this feeling lies on the gym trainers.
PS: I speak about possessing a healthy mind which can be achieved through the practice of meditation. Heartfulness meditation, which is one of the most effective forms of meditation there is, is now being taught for free at Ironcult.