10 weeks ago, I embarked on a fitness journey, not a clue what was ahead of me. Before then, I wanted to work out to not only build physical strength, but mental strength as well. However, for about a year, I made countless excuses as to why I couldn’t hit the weights consistently. I never had enough time, I didn’t have the right equipment, and I didn’t want to be sore for my high school sports. But, as we started our blog assignments 10 weeks ago, I saw the perfect opportunity to dispel all those excuses and finally make a firm commitment to the gym. I now live just a short walk from the IM building which has all the gym equipment I could ever need, and the blogs would help keep me accountable during this 10-week journey. Furthermore, I felt like my position as a novice would allow me to share a unique perspective to my readers, and possibly encourage others to start their own fitness journeys. Thus, the purpose of this blog was twofold: To push me to stay on a consistent gym routine and to provide insight to my readers on the experience of a new gym goer. 

Over the past 10 weeks, I’ve attempted to pack all of my experiences into this blog. Reading back on some of my previous entries, I realize how much I’ve learned throughout this journey. Back at week one, I attempted to figure out all of weightlifting in one week. I set a workout split, devised a workout schedule, and recruited a workout partner. Little did I realize that nothing would ever go to plan. Schoolwork and exams constantly interfered with my planning, my sleep hygiene and food intake were lackluster, and I really didn’t know what I was doing in the weightroom. Yet, as with starting anything new, there are going to be challenges and struggles. What matters most is how you respond to them. I believe discovering the ability to adapt, improve, and persist is the biggest takeaway from this blog, and hopefully my readers would agree.

Looking back, not only did I learn many valuable lessons, but I also feel like I’ve progressed in terms of both physical and mental strength. Although progress in the gym is slow and my physique hasn’t noticeably improved visually, I’ve definitely gotten much stronger. Furthermore, I can’t help but think that my mental fortitude has improved as well. I’ve become more motivated to go to the gym each day, but also more motivated to study, be productive, and pursue long-term goals.

So, what does the future hold for my Gym Odyssey? I view the end of these blogs as a new beginning. Although I know there are still challenges ahead, I now enter the world of weightlifting with transformed knowledge and experience to aid my pursuits. I plan to carry on with my same gym routine and seek progress. As for my readers, thank you for following along. I hope my entries provided insight into the world of a new gym goer. For anyone who is looking to embark on a Gym Odyssey themselves, I hope this blog provided helpful insight. 

 

Thanks,

Richard Black

My first 9 weeks of weightlifting at Penn State have been chaotic to say the least, a reflection of the overall first two months at college so far. When I first started working out, I had an ideal image of my weightlifting journey. I would go to the gym six days a week, at the same time each day, and always with the same gym partner. Progress would come quickly, and in a few months, I would put on significant muscle weight. Of course, nothing goes to plan, especially when you’re living away from home for the first time and have to make adjustments in every aspect of your life. This is why for a long time, I struggled finding a consistent routine in the weight room, and at Penn State in general.

The initial weeks were marked by trial and error. Attempting to align schedules with my gym partner was a nightmare, and as we joined extracurricular activities it became a near impossibility. The vision of a perfect gym routine began to fade away and was replaced with the chaotic reality of college life. On many days, it was difficult for me to make it to the gym at all, let alone with my gym partner. Frustration and doubt crept in as I attempted to establish consistency over these first couple weeks.

But, as with everything in this new college life, I made adjustments. After joining the club basketball team, I learned that on Mondays I have to get my schoolwork done as quickly as possible so I can eat dinner, workout, then go straight to basketball at 8 pm. On Thursdays, I get home from class earlier than usual, so I found it’s best to get my workout out of the way before I get started on my schoolwork. While my rest day was initially planned for Saturday, I often workout on Saturday if I missed another day during the week. I won’t bore you with the details of all the little schedule adjustments I’ve had to make, but there were many. As the adjustments started to pile up, and my workout routine became more and more refined, I noticed big differences in my weightlifting journey. My efficiency in my daily life improved dramatically, which opened up more time for not only schoolwork, but also fun. Thus, my overall attitude towards working out improved, making my time in the gym more enjoyable and rewarding.

The takeaway from this week’s blog is the importance of establishing a dependable routine, while also being adaptable. Once I was finally able to settle into my routine, I noticed benefits in my weightlifting, schoolwork, and life in general. So, to my readers, I suggest writing out your schedule for each day of the week. Although it will often change based on the unique circumstances of the week, hopefully it will allow you to establish a consistent routine and help you in all aspects of your life.

Richard Black

I’ve mentioned in this blog that weightlifting progress does not happen overnight. Instead, development only occurs after consistent, dedicated effort over a long period of time. Two weeks ago, I explained this was the reasoning behind me avoiding stepping on a scale every day and taking progress pictures too often; expecting progress to happen too quickly could have negative psychological implications. This being said, I’ve realized that it is important to celebrate the little successes when they do occur. Recognizing these small victories could help me enjoy the gym, stay motivated, and achieve better results overall. So, I’d like to dedicate this blog to some of the little successes I’ve had over the past week.

First and foremost, I realized at the beginning of this fitness journey that staying consistent would be my biggest challenge. Making adjustments to college life hasn’t always been easy, and at times I haven’t made room in my schedule to make it to the gym. However, recently I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my ability to overcome this obstacle and establish a more consistent gym regimen. As I’ve grown accustomed to college and become more efficient in my daily routines, my schedule almost always has an opening for the gym. Even if I can only lift for 30 minutes to an hour, I know that something is better than nothing, and every minute I spend in the gym is progress toward my journey. Recognizing that consistency is the foundation of my progress makes going to the gym each day rewarding and something to take pride in.

Another small success I’d like to celebrate this week was tying a personal best by bench pressing 135 lbs. While this may just seem like any other number, what makes 135 lbs special is that it consists of a 45 lb weight on each side of the 45 lb bar, and 45 lb is the heaviest barbell weight produced. This makes 135 lbs a milestone of sorts in weightlifting. The last time I bench pressed 135 lbs was before last basketball season, which was almost a year ago at this point. Back then, I was working out multiple times a week in preparation for the season. That time was probably my peak physical shape to this point, so the fact that I am approaching my strength from that point is an encouraging sign, and something worth celebrating.

One more area that I’ve progressed in recently is my calorie intake. One of my main goals is to put on as much weight as I can—in the form of muscle hopefully. In order to gain weight, I need to eat as much as possible. While at the beginning of my weightlifting journey I sometimes neglected this aspect of my fitness, recently I’ve been doing much better. On most days, I manage to fit in 3–4 meals, and I’ve also stumbled upon a newfound favorite spot—Fresco at Findlay Commons.

So, while overall progress may still seem slow, I figure that it’s still worthwhile to sit back and appreciate the small successes that I have had. Hopefully there is much more success to come in the future!

Richard Black

This marks the 6th week in my weightlifting journey, and I can’t believe how far I’ve come. When I made the commitment to start working out at Penn State, there were a lot of uncertainties. The limited weightlifting experience I did have prior to college was mostly supervised by my high school basketball coach. Thus, I had never developed my own workout plan and held myself accountable to that plan. But, like many other things in college, only I can hold myself accountable to achieve my goals. So, I attacked this new weightlifting challenge head on, and got right to work. 

As a beginner in any area does, I’ve made countless mistakes already. However, I don’t let this discourage me; each time I recognize a mistake, I try my best to fix it. When I realized that my lack of time management was keeping me out of the gym, I worked to make my daily endeavors more efficient. When I realized my flawed lifting form in various exercises was limiting my progress, I focused on improving my form. When I realized that my eating and sleeping habits were spilling negative effects on my workout routine, I did my best to correct them. I believe this continual search for improvement is the reason I’ve made significant progress so far. This mindset has allowed me to overcome my inevitable mistakes and continually progress inside and outside of the weight room.

Aside from the mistakes I’ve made, I’ve also just encountered a lot of unforeseen obstacles. As this is my first semester in college, I never realized how big of a time commitment midterm exams would be. A packed week full of exams kept me almost entirely out of the gym. While discouraging at the time, I’ve come to realize that sometimes circumstances like these are unavoidable, and the best you can do is move on from it.

The culmination of these trials and tribulations has resulted in a very successful week of weightlifting. I’ve made it to the gym on every scheduled day, and I’ve been tracking my progress using the methods I described in last week’s blog. I’m feeling stronger and healthier, and my time inside the gym has become more and more enjoyable. I also can’t help but feel that the mindset I approach the gym with has positively transferred to all aspects of my life, including my schoolwork. I feel motivated to study every day and am satisfied with my time spent studying because I know that just like the gym, it will be rewarding in the long run. So, at this point in my Gym Odyssey, all I have to do is stay the course.

Richard Black

At last…an exam free week. Last week was a long, stressful journey, and it involved more books than weights, but I made it through. My school workload was significantly less over the last couple of days, which allowed me to make it to the gym on every scheduled day. I’m starting to feel progress in my strength, and I’m starting to enjoy my time in the gym. Although I feel like I’m making good progress in the weightroom, I realized that I haven’t put a system in place to track my progress. Thus, this blog will be dedicated to some ideas for how I will monitor my development.

Stepping on a Scale:

When I worked out in the past, my goal was always to put on muscle mass. My thought process was that if I could just put on 10-20 lbs of muscle I would dominate on the basketball court and the pitching mound. Therefore, I would hop on a scale every week or so to see if I had made any progress. However, this method was a little discouraging as the natural fluctuations in my weight made it difficult to tell if I was actually making progress or not. Some weeks I thought I put on a couple pounds of muscle, and then the next week I would be discouraged if the scale read anything less. In reality, the differences were likely largely due to natural fluctuations in body weight. Although this method may work for some people, based on my experiences in the past, I don’t think this method will work for me on a weekly basis. It may be good to step on the scale about every month, but certainly not something I will base my entire results off of.

Progress Pictures:

Some people love taking regular progress pictures to track their advancements in the gym. While this is something that works for a lot of people, this method feels too subjective for me to base my progress on it. The lighting, angle, clothing, and other factors can greatly affect how good a picture looks. I would prefer a method that gives me qualitative measures in order for me to objectively track my development. Thus, similar to stepping on a scale, I don’t think I will be taking daily or even weekly progress photos. Instead, along with monthly weigh-ins, I will also take monthly progress photos to see my development over the long run.

Fitness Journal:

Another great way to track fitness progression is keeping track of the weight, sets, and reps you’ve completed in a fitness journal. This method would allow me to quantitatively track my strength progression, which is what I’m looking for. Furthermore, it would help me plan my workouts by helping me recall what I lifted in my previous session and what level of difficulty it was. Although it will require some extra effort in the gym to record the weight, sets, and reps I complete, I think it might be a worthwhile practice to implement into my routine.

In conclusion, I think I will take a mixed method approach to tracking my workout development. While I will periodically weigh myself and take progress pictures, my primary method of tracking my progress will be a daily fitness journal. This being said, it is not all about the results, but also about the journey along the way. In addition to building strength and making progress in terms of weightlifting, I also want to enjoy my time in the gym. 

Richard Black

My fourth week weightlifting at Penn State was not ideal. Last week I explained how I wanted to not only prioritize working out, but also improve my eating and sleeping habits. Unfortunately, I took my first set of college exams this week, and each of the three aspects I wanted to focus on were suddenly pushed to the side to prioritize preparing for these midterms.

After my scheduled rest day on Saturday, I woke up Sunday realizing the monster of a week that stood before me. A speech on Tuesday, math exam Wednesday, and physics exam on Thursday immediately took precedence over any plans I had for working out. Therefore, instead of hitting the weightroom on Sunday, I hit the books. On Monday, I spent my time preparing for my speech the next day. On Tuesday, I spent my time preparing for my math exam the next day. And you guessed it … on Wednesday, I spent my time preparing for my physics exam the next day. The days passed in a blur, and by the time I finished my physics exam on Thursday night, I realized I didn’t make it to the gym once yet this week. Thankfully, I had some time to unwind today (Friday) and finally make it to the weightroom again. So, throughout the week, academics took priority over my weightlifting journey, but I look forward to getting back to my weightlifting routine next week.

As I explained, I don’t want to solely focus on weightlifting anymore. Instead, I want to take a holistic approach in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle in terms of working out, eating, and sleeping. So even though I wasn’t able to work out much this week, surely I was able to keep up healthy eating and sleeping habits? Right? Well … sometimes. On Monday and Tuesday, I stayed up a little too late in preparation for my schoolwork the next day, but other than that, I was able to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. In terms of eating, I still haven’t been waking up early enough in time for breakfast, but I like to think I am making up for it with my late-night Flips runs. And, taking the advice of one faithful commenter on this blog, I’ve been packing in calories with the delicious dining hall chocolate milk. So, while my weightlifting came to a screeching halt this week, I’m happy to say that my eating and sleeping habits weren’t as bad.

This being said, I look forward to improving in all three of these aspects in the exam-free near future. Overall, my first semester in college has been filled with adjustments, and this week was no different. My first wave of exams caused some choppy waters, but I weathered the storm, and hopefully next week provides some smoother sailing.

Richard Black

This marks my third week in my weightlifting journey. Last week I described the challenges I faced in making it to the gym on my scheduled days. Schoolwork, clubs, and of course Thursday Night Football all proved to be obstacles to my time spent in the weight room. However, I am happy to report that I’ve worked out on every scheduled day since my last blog entry, and I’m still enjoying my time in the weightroom. That being said, my “Gym Odyssey” has not been smooth sailing yet.

I’ve noticed that although other components in my life are no longer keeping me out of the gym, I think they’re hurting my efficiency in the gym in other ways. So, instead of focusing solely on my training in terms of working out, I’ve broken down my fitness journey into three main factors: weightlifting, eating, and sleeping.

Weightlifting

This factor is the most obvious and pretty self-explanatory. If my goal is to build muscle, I need to target those specific muscles in the gym by lifting weights. Over time, as I train those muscles, they will naturally get bigger and stronger. Through the first two weeks of my weight training, this was the only factor I focused on. Yet, I quickly realized that there is more to building muscle than just lifting weights.

Eating

Back home, I ate a lot. If you put a pizza pie in front of me, I’d eat the whole thing. However, at school, things aren’t as easy. I often miss out on breakfast because I don’t wake up early enough for my 9:00 a.m. math class. Furthermore, when I do eat, it may not be as balanced and nutritious as my meals at home would have been. These factors, coupled with my weightlifting causing a need for increased caloric intake, means I often find myself hungry throughout the day. This is particularly harmful for a skinny kid, such as me, trying to put on muscle. I need a massive number of calories, especially in the form of protein, in order to give my body the nutrients it needs to build up the muscles I’m working in the gym. Moving forward, I am going to make a conscious effort to eat as many meals as I can in order to give my body enough calories and nutrients to promote muscle growth.

Sleeping

I believe practicing healthy sleep hygiene is often overlooked, and it’s an aspect of health that I often neglect myself. Muscles don’t grow as you’re working out; instead, they grow when you rest and sleep. Therefore, on nights that I do homework into the late hours of the night, I am hurting my muscle growth by not allowing my body enough time to recover during my sleep. In order to correct my unhealthy sleep habits, I am setting a goal to go to bed before midnight every day (I might take a few cheat days on Friday and Saturday). This would allow me to get 8 hours of sleep when I wake up at 8:00 a.m. for my 9:00 a.m. math class. Hopefully this correction will help me not only build muscle, but also feel more awake and energetic during the day.

I believe that focusing on all three of those aspects, instead of just weightlifting, will greatly benefit not only my weightlifting, but also my overall health. In the meantime, I will be working out as previously scheduled, and I look forward to updating you on my progress next week!

Richard Black

Last week I detailed some of the adjustments I needed to make for my first week of weightlifting. I successfully determined my workout split and found a workout partner, however, there are still various aspects that I am struggling with as a beginner weightlifter.

Firstly, as I touched on in my last blog, I’ve struggled making it to the gym on every scheduled day. With the workload from classes picking up, I find myself prioritizing schoolwork over working out. Well … maybe it’s not just schoolwork that’s keeping me away from the gym. I admittedly watched my hometown Philadelphia Eagles beat up on the Vikings yesterday in a Thursday Night Football matchup rather than go to the gym. That being said, I know I can make more time in my schedule to workout. Every morning I have been outlining my schedule in a planner courtesy of Penn State Nutritional Sciences. This planner is very convenient because not only does it allow me to track my schedule for the day, but also helps me plan my meals and record my water intake, both of which are key components to building muscle. Next week, I hope to use this planner to help me get to the gym each of my 6 scheduled days.

When I do manage to make it to the gym, another challenge I’ve stumbled upon is maintaining proper lifting form. As a beginner, I am unfamiliar with many of the exercises I’ve been performing. Therefore, many of the lifts feel awkward and unnatural. Specifically, I have trouble hitting the proper muscles on back exercises. However, I’ve been asking my lifting partner to critique my form, so with some practice, I’ve been getting better. My progress feels very gradual, but I know that each session I take an important step forward in refining my form. I can already tell that proper technique can make a substantial impact on targeting the right muscle groups. Although I’m not perfect yet, I know I will improve in this aspect over time.

Aside from these struggles, I’ve genuinely enjoyed my time at the gym. Self-improvement is something I’ve consciously practiced over the past couple of years, and I feel like weightlifting is the next step in improving myself. I haven’t noticed dramatic improvements in my strength yet, but that’s why I’m committed to the long haul. As I continue this journey, I look forward to benefits not only with my strength, but also other facets of my life such as my psychological health, work ethic, and more.

In conclusion, embarking on this weightlifting journey has been both challenging and rewarding. Overcoming scheduling conflicts, refining my lifting form, and managing my time are hurdles I’m actively working on. Nonetheless, I look forward to updating you on my progress next week and continue evolving on this fitness odyssey!

Richard B.

For years I have given myself countless excuses to not work out. I don’t have enough time, I don’t have the right equipment, and I can’t be sore for my sports teams. One week ago, I ran out of excuses. So, with a state-of-the-art IM weightlifting out facility a short walk from my dorm, I am committing to a 6-day per week workout routine. This blog will detail my journey as I begin my weightlifting journey as a novice.

There was more thinking than I anticipated before even walking into the gym. Which muscle groups would I work out on each day? Who would I work out with? What time of the day would I go to the gym? Here is how I answered those questions:

With the help of the Internet and some mentor friends, I decided to follow a push, pull, and leg work out split. This method will help me to target specific muscle groups on certain days and allow ample time for them to rest. Push days group together exercises that involve pushing, which specifically trains the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull days involve pulling exercises that target the back, traps, and bicep muscle groups. Lastly, leg days are designated for lower body exercises that work the hamstrings, quads, and calves. This three-day cycle allows me to train each set of muscle groups two times per week and have one day of rest. Thus, my schedule looks like this:
Sunday: Push
Monday: Pull
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Push
Thursday: Pull
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Rest

Who I will work out with is an easy question. My best friend from high school also goes to Penn State, and we have decided to weight lift together. I feel that it is important to have a partner so that we keep each other accountable and motivated.

When I will work out is a tricky question. My class schedule is different every day, and trying to coordinate with my partner’s schedule makes it very difficult to find a time to work out every day. Furthermore, the times are likely to shift each week due to various events, club meetings, and more. Therefore, I haven’t completely figured out a schedule for when I will work out; it seems like I will have to figure this out based on each unique day.

So, when I finally had all of these questions answered, it was time to hit the gym. Well … it was almost time to hit the gym. One of the biggest issues I struggled with working out in high school was that I didn’t follow through with a consistent schedule. I would weight lift for a week or so and then proceed to miss a few days, until I eventually stopped going all together. One week into weightlifting in college, I already struggled with the same problem. On Wednesday, I was too busy with homework, so I missed my push day. While my schoolwork will take priority over working out, in the future I will have to try my hardest to find time in my busy schedule to get to the gym each day.

I hope to get to the gym consistently each day, and I look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with all of you in the coming weeks!

Richard Black

A Gym Odyssey

There are countless fitness blogs on the Internet. But, how many fitness blogs are written by someone who is just starting their fitness journey? I have yet to find one. While I have worked out at various points in my life, I have never been able to keep a consistent routine for an extended period of time. As I enter my new college life with a state-of-the-art IM workout facility just a couple blocks away from my dorm, I have run out of excuses to not workout, and I have a great opportunity to make a positive change in my life. Thus, I am making a commitment to a 6 day per week weightlifting routine.

Being a novice in the realm of working out puts me in a unique position to share my firsthand experience with anyone who would also like to start working out themselves. Therefore, I am proposing a passion blog focused on my experience as a new gym goer, which will provide unique insight, analysis, and tips for anyone who would also like to newly commit to a weightlifting program. So, join me on this exciting journey, as we navigate the challenges and victories of the fitness world together.

 

A Study Spot Saga

Stepping into the world of college as a first-year student at a massive state university, we’re forced into countless adjustments and challenges, many of which we have never previously experienced. Learning to navigate dorm life, finding the quickest routes to all of our classes, picking the best dining options, and of course mastering the art of laundry are all obstacles first year students face in their new college life. However, one challenge often goes unnoticed, but can significantly impact a student’s academic success: finding the perfect study spot. A dorm might be too distracting, outdoor spaces may have uncomfortable weather, and the library is often overflowing with fellow students.

That is why I am excited to pitch a blog that is dedicated to finding the ideal study space for any situation across our vast Penn State campus. From cozy cafes to the bustling HUB-Robeson Center, I will review a multitude of study spots to help you find the best ones. So, whether you are a fellow first-year student grappling with the chaos of college life or an older student simply looking for a productivity boost, this blog will be of aid to you. So, join me on this journey, and together, we’ll uncover the hidden gems of Penn State study spaces, making your academic pursuits more successful and enjoyable.