AndoLifts3690

Day 8 and a Full Reflection - 8 Days of Showing up

Saturday 18th Apr Day 8 – Closing the Challenge

Finishing the challenge with a recovery‑focused session brought up a mix of emotions. There was relief that the eight days were complete, but also a real sadness that it was ending — the quiet drop that comes when something meaningful wraps up. Ending on mobility and recovery felt right for my body, but part of me wished the final session had pushed me a little further, just to feel that last extension of effort.

There was a moment of frustration when my pencil broke and I couldn’t record my workout, which highlighted again how much I rely on tracking and how limiting the current AF App is without a “build your own workout” function. Copilot stepping in to capture the session reinforced how important that structure is for me, especially if this challenge becomes an annual thing.

Despite the mixed feelings, I’m looking forward to a rest day tomorrow — although knowing myself, I’ll probably still pop into the gym for some stretching and light cardio. It feels good to finish, and it feels good to know I still want to move.

Eight Days of Showing Up

This challenge wasn’t about perfection or intensity — it was about presence. Eight days of showing up in different states: energised, tired, steady, emotional, focused, distracted, proud, exposed. Each day asked something slightly different of me, and I met it with what I had.

Being the only person at Anytime Fitness Wodonga who signed up became a defining part of the experience. It meant standing out, being visible, and doing something without the safety of numbers. That brought pride and vulnerability in equal measure. It also reinforced something important: I don’t need a crowd to validate my commitment.

The challenge unfolded during a week where other parts of life were turbulent — drama in other areas of my life, emotional noise, shifting dynamics — yet I stayed steady. My coach noticed it before I did: I looked happy. I even rated the week 10/10, which is culturally unusual and personally significant. It wasn’t a perfect week; it was an aligned one.

The hack squat moment, the “sign up” insight, and the invitation to consider a Radical Challenge all sat in the background of these eight days. They shaped the way I approached the workouts — not just as tasks, but as expressions of identity.

What Shifted in Me

Across the eight days, something subtle but important moved inside me.

I learned that consistency is not about motivation — it’s about identity. I showed up because that’s who I am, not because every session felt easy or exciting. I learned that I can hold pride and vulnerability at the same time. I learned that I can be visible without shrinking. I learned that I can stay emotionally steady even when the environment around me is noisy.

I also learned that I like the structure, the tracking, the ritual of logging the work. It grounds me. It gives shape to the effort. It makes the challenge feel real.

And I learned that I’m capable of more than I thought — not just physically, but in how I carry myself through a commitment.

What I Want to Carry Forward

I want to carry forward the discipline of showing up, even on the quieter days.I want to carry forward the identity of someone who signs up — someone who crosses thresholds rather than thinking about them.I want to carry forward the steadiness I found this week, the clarity, the sense of being anchored in myself.I want to carry forward the pride of being the only one who entered, without needing the safety of numbers.I want to carry forward the understanding that recovery is part of strength, not separate from it.

And I want to carry forward the energy of this challenge into whatever Radical Challenge I choose next — something meaningful, aligned, and stretching, something that fits the emotional and identity arc of my 2026 vision.

Closing Line

Eight days of lifting the weight — and eight days of lifting myself. Share

Lift The Weight — Day 8: Recovery and Mobility

Saturday 18th Apr Recovery & Mobility Focus

Day 8 wrapped up the challenge with a recovery‑focused session that matched the rhythm of the week. It wasn’t loud or dramatic — just steady, intentional work. The kind of session that reinforces identity: showing up, moving well, and taking care of the body that’s been carrying the load.

Treadmill Walk (Incline 10%)
20 minutes
Distance: 1.9 km

Squat → Walkout → Push‑Up
3 sets × 8 reps
1 min rest

Lateral Lunge & Reach
3 sets × 8 reps each leg
1 min rest

Cable Crunch
3 sets × 8 reps
Progressive load: 37.5 kg → 45 kg → 45 kg
1 min rest

Glute Bridge
3 sets × 8 reps
1 min rest

Farmer’s Carry
3 sets × 8 steps
Progressive load: 12.5 kg → 15 kg → 15 kg
1 min rest

Seated Cable Row
3 sets × 8 reps
Progressive load: 45 kg → 52.5 kg → 52.5 kg
1 min rest

Mobility Flow
5 minutes
Whole‑body recovery sequence (AF App) Share

Day 7 Reflection - Challenging my own Limits

Friday 17th Apr Share

Lift The Weight — Day 7: Full Body Burn

Friday 17th Apr Lift The Weight — Day 7: Full Body Burn

Mindset & Intention

I walked into the gym today with one clear intention: can I take it up a level.The action behind that intention was deliberate — do the exercise, challenge the assumption about how much resistance I can actually tolerate, and then ask myself honestly at the end of each set: can I go higher, or is this weight exactly where it needs to be.This simple shift changed the entire feel of the session.

Workout Log

Warm Up
AF App — Full Body, 5 minutes

Dumbbell Squat
8 reps × 8kg → 9kg → 9kg Rest: 30 sec
Challenge: I can start at 10kg and go higher.

Shoulder Press Machine
8 reps × 20kg → 25kg → 25kg Rest: 30 sec
Challenge: Start at 25kg and aim for the next plate up in sets 2 and 3.

Chest Press Machine
8 reps × 30kg → 40kg → 40kg Rest: 30 sec 
Challenge: Weight is okay as is.

Dips (Assisted)
82kg assist × 3 sets of 8 reps Rest: 30 sec
Challenge: Okay as is — maintain the 30‑second rest.

Step Up (Single Leg)
8 reps × 9kg (3 sets) Rest: 30 sec
Challenge: Start at 10kg and work up.

Bicep Curl Machine
8 reps × 32kg → 39kg → 39kg Rest: 30 sec
Challenge: Okay as is — aim to start at 39kg in a month.

Stepmill
5 minutes — Level 4 — 50 steps/min 
Challenge: Okay as is; will increase quickly.

Rower
400m Rest: 1 minute
Challenge: Took 2 minutes to complete — I can do more.

Cool Down
AF App — Full Body, 5 minutes Share

Day 6 Reflection — Owning My Space

Thursday 16th Apr

Tonight reminded me of something simple but powerful: don’t let fear stop you.

I walked into parts of the gym I’ve never stepped into before. I used equipment I’ve never touched. I opened the session with an exercise — the Hack Squat — that I had literally never done in my life. And instead of letting that unfamiliarity push me back into old patterns, I coached myself through it. Steady, calm, present.

What surprised me was how good it felt.

Once I got moving, the fear didn’t disappear — it just stopped being in charge. The rest of the exercises were familiar, even if I hadn’t done them for a while, and that familiarity gave me momentum. But the real shift happened in those first few minutes, in that unfamiliar corner of the gym, where I chose to take up space I’ve never allowed myself to occupy.

And the ripple effect is real.

I walked out with more confidence in my tank than I had going in. Not hype, not adrenaline — just a grounded sense that I can do new things, in new spaces, without shrinking or second‑guessing myself. The benefits of this challenge are reaching far beyond the workouts. They’re reshaping how I see myself, how I move, and what I believe I’m capable of.

Tonight wasn’t just about training. It was about expanding the map of where I belong.

Share

Lift the Weight - Day 6

Wednesday 15th Apr Lower Body Volume

Warm‑Up
5 minutes — AF App (Lower Body)

Workout — Lower Body Volume
Set 1: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Leg Press
Set 1: 55 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 65 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 65 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Leg Extension
Set 1: 26 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 26 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 26 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Dumbbell RDL
Set 1: 9 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 9 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 9 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Hip Thrust
Set 1: 20 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 25 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 25 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Seated Leg Curl
Set 1: 40 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 47 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 47 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Calf Raise
Set 1: 55 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: 65 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: 75 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Forward Lunge and Reach (Single‑Leg)
Set 1: Bodyweight × 8 reps (each leg) — 60 sec rest  
Set 2: Bodyweight × 8 reps (each leg) — 60 sec rest  
Set 3: Bodyweight × 8 reps (each leg) — 60 sec rest

Cooldown
5 minutes — AF App (Full Body) Share

Day 5 Reflection — Stepping Into the New Version of Me

Wednesday 15th Apr Share

Lift The Weight — Day 5

Wednesday 15th Apr Share

Day 4 Reflection — What a Sh!t Show

Wednesday 15th Apr My body handled most of the session surprisingly well, even though planks, side planks, and dips still sit firmly in my weaker zone. It actually felt good to bring cable crunches and farmer’s carries back into the mix after such a long break — almost like reconnecting with movements I’d forgotten I enjoyed.  Share

Lift the Weight - Day 4

Wednesday 15th Apr Share

Lift the Weight - Day 3

Monday 13th Apr Share

Day 3 Reflection — I ❤️ Legs Day

Monday 13th Apr Share

Reflections from Day 2

Sunday 12th Apr Share

Lift The Weight – Day 2: Quiet Momentum

Sunday 12th Apr Warm‑Up: 5 minutes light stretching (AF app)
Cooldown: 5 minutes gentle stretching
    Set 1: 26 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 33 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 33 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Single‑Arm Dumbbell Row
(Right + Left, mirrored)
    Set 1: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 6 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 7 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Lat Pulldown (Machine)
    Set 1: 33 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 40 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 40 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Seated Row (Cable)
    Set 1: 45 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 52.5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 52.5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

T‑Bar Row
    Set 1: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 10 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 15 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Dumbbell Bicep Curl (Single‑Arm)
(Right + Left, mirrored)
    Set 1: 5 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 6 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 6 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Biceps Curl Machine
    Set 1: 20 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 25 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 32 kg × 8 reps — 60 sec rest

Pull‑Up (Unassisted)
    Set 1: 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 2: 8 reps — 60 sec rest
    Set 3: 8 reps — 60 sec rest Share

Reflections From Day 1

Saturday 11th Apr

What surprised me most today was how not difficult the session felt once I actually started. Walking in, I had that familiar moment of doubt — the quiet negotiation between fatigue, hesitation, and the part of me that wasn’t sure what my body had left to give. But as my coach often reminds me, “the mind gives up long before the body does.” Today proved that true.

Once I settled into the first few sets, my body responded with more steadiness and strength than I expected. The weights moved well. The form felt clean. The challenge was there, but it wasn’t overwhelming. If anything, the hardest part was simply beginning.

I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I wasn’t performing for anyone. I wasn’t chasing old numbers or old versions of myself. I was just present — in this body, in this moment — and that presence made the work feel lighter.

This challenge isn’t about lifting the heaviest weight. It’s about lifting the emotional weight we all carry, and creating space for conversations that matter. If showing up for myself helps me show up better for others, then every rep counts.

Day 1 is done. Day 2 will come soon enough. For now, I’m grateful for the reminder that my body is capable, my mind is adaptable, and presence is its own kind of strength.

Share

Lift The Weight – Day 1: Mind over Reps

Saturday 11th Apr

Today marked the beginning of my Lift The Weight challenge at Anytime Fitness Wodonga — a commitment to movement, steadiness, and supporting conversations that matter through R U OK?. After a few disrupted weeks, this wasn’t just a workout. It was a return to presence.

I kept things simple: no spectacle, no ego lifts, no chasing numbers. Just showing up, breathing into the moment, and letting the session unfold one set at a time.

Warm‑Up: Arriving in My Body

Five minutes on the treadmill, shoulder mobility, and band pull‑aparts — nothing dramatic, but enough to shift me from the noise of the day into the rhythm of the gym. That transition alone felt like a small win.

Main Session: Push Power (Chest, Shoulders & Triceps)

Today’s focus was chest, shoulders, and triceps — a solid push session to set the tone for the challenge.

Chest Press (Machine)
12 reps @ 25 kg
12 reps @ 33 kg
12 reps @ 33 kg

Shoulder Press (Machine)
12 reps @ 10 kg
12 reps @ 15 kg
12 reps @ 15 kg

Pec Deck / Chest Fly (Machine)
8 reps @ 26 kg (x3)

Cable Chest Fly
8 reps @ 7.5 kg
8 reps @ 15 kg
8 reps @ 15 kg

Dumbbell Lateral Raise
8 reps @ 4 kg
8 reps @ 5 kg
8 reps @ 5 kg

Cable Rope Triceps Pushdown
8 reps @ 30 kg (x3)

Wall Push‑Ups
8 reps (x3)

Nothing heroic — just consistent, controlled work. The kind that reminds you that strength isn’t built in a single moment but in the quiet repetition of showing up.

Cooldown: Letting the Body Settle

A few minutes of stretching — chest doorway, triceps, shoulders, pec minor — and some gentle arm swings to finish. It was the first time in a while I didn’t rush the cooldown. That alone felt like progress.

Share

Starting the Lift The Weight Challenge: Why This One Matters

Saturday 11th Apr

Beginning the Lift The Weight challenge for R U OK? has felt like a quiet reset — the kind that comes from choosing to show up with intention rather than intensity.

I signed up because the cause matters. In regional communities, people carry a lot without always saying much, and R U OK? has always stood out to me for its simple, human reminder to check in with each other.

Doing the challenge through Anytime Fitness Wodonga felt natural. The gym has become one of the most grounding parts of my routine — a place where steadiness returned after a long stretch of disruption. Even if the registration form didn’t list Wodonga, this is where the work happens.

The first week hasn’t been dramatic. It’s been a return to presence: a few solid sessions, a sense of coming home to myself, and the reminder that strength is built through consistency, not spectacle.

What I hope this challenge does is simple:

• spark a few conversations
• support a cause that matters
• strengthen my own routines
• and remind someone they’re not carrying their load alone

Starting Lift The Weight has shown me that sometimes stepping into something meaningful creates the steadiness we were waiting for.

Share