Max R.
Max Rothenberg signed up because he had a relay race coming up and he knew the way he'd trained for it in past years wasn't going to work. He'd tried gyms his entire life and the same thing kept happening. He'd lose motivation. He'd stop. His worry walking into Timber & Steel was that he wouldn't be able to do the workouts. "I had really fallen off the horse in the past few years and I wouldn't be able to do the workouts."
His goals were specific. Build muscle. Get more well-rounded as an athlete outside of just running. Develop habits that would hold. The relay race was the deadline. The bigger problem was the pattern.
A few months in, the picture has shifted. He's stronger and faster, and the people around him have noticed before he says anything. "My girlfriend has mentioned that this is the first time she's ever seen me excited about workout classes, and that I'm constantly telling her about any new PRs that I set (and also, of course I complain about some of the classes that kicked my butt)."
The gym has changed what he does the rest of the day too. "Even if it is just taking the dogs for a walk to get more steps in or keeping a closer eye on my food decisions with the nutritional coaching as well, my day-to-day lifestyle has definitely improved."
The two things he says have made it stick are self-confidence and motivation, and the structure handles both. "I'm not the type of person who can follow an app, a virtual trainer, or set a schedule for myself and stick with it. So being able to sign up for classes and hold myself accountable goes a long way toward motivating me to show up. And with that comes more confidence, because I know that I can successfully do whatever I sign up for, even if it means scaling the workouts, going slower, or asking a bunch of questions."
The early worry was form. The coaching handled it. "I was very worried about form specifically when starting out in classes, but any critiques are very helpful and motivating. As for the community, it's been super fun getting to know the regulars in my classes and cheer each other on."
His proudest moment so far is a recent bench press day. On his first set, of five total, his starting weight was already higher than his previous PR. "Being able to see and notate very visible progress was super motivating."
For anyone unsure of themselves who wants to take the next step, Max says this is the place. "It's nothing like any of the intimidating or awkward experiences I've had at big box gyms, and it really is just that friendly. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or looking to improve on something specific, as long as you show up. Even on workout days when it feels like I'm panting 2x louder than anyone else and finishing dead last while lying down on the floor, I don't really mind anymore. Because I'm just happy that I showed up and finished it!"
What's next is the relay race, better trained than before, and the years after that. "The sky's the limit."
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