When I first waddled into the ActiveSG Gym @ Serangoon Central, I wasn’t quite sure if I had entered a fitness centre or an adult-sized torture chamber. The machines looked more like spaceships, and I was still trying to figure out if I could trust my own legs—let alone squat or cycle.
But here I am, weeks later, and guess what? I’m actually enjoying it. Who knew sweating could feel this good?
At first, the one-hour sessions felt like a test of willpower and survival. I’d glance at the clock every five minutes, wondering if I had accidentally signed up for a boot camp. But now? That same hour vanishes faster than my motivation when someone says “burpees.” I leave each session tired… but in a “that-was-a-good-kind-of-pain” way. Tired but feeling great.
My weekly workout menu includes leg curls, leg extensions, lat pulls, ab work, adduction, abduction (still sounds like aliens are involved), chest press, cycling—and yes, the beast known as the Push Up / Pull Down machine. That one was my nemesis in the beginning. But now? I grip it like I’m about to save the world.
Here are some of the machines that try to break me—but end up building me:
- Lat Pull: “Pulling myself together—one rep at a time.”
- Power Press Push-Up: “I push. I sweat. I collapse with style.”
- Chest Press: “Pushing through life... and this ridiculously heavy bar.”
- Adduction/Abduction: “Bringing my legs closer like two gossiping aunties.”
- Cycling: “Pedaling like I’m late for a buffet.”
- Leg Press: “Pressing on in life—one leg at a time.”
The gym has become more than a space filled with metal contraptions and suspicious grunting noises. It's a place of healing. A place where I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know existed and strength I thought I’d lost.
I may not be the fastest, strongest, or most coordinated person in the room—but every drop of sweat is a reminder that I’m still moving forward.
So here’s to the reps, the rest days, the occasional muscle cramps, and the surprise moments of joy in between.
Not just surviving. I'm thriving—one quirky rep at a time.
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