Summer of Soreness: My South London Gym Journey
It was in south London, either 2012 or 2013, during the long summer break transitioning from secondary school to sixth form.
Up until then, my experience with exercise was pretty casual. Sure, I’d easily hit over 10,000 steps most days, and football with friends at the park, power league, or school was a regular activity—but that was about the extent.
I had never really engaged in conscious exercise, nor was I particularly drawn to it.
Growing up, I sometimes felt self-conscious about my body, having been on the heavier side during various phases of my life. The problem was I had no clue how to change that.
Then, one day, chilling on my grandad’s favourite chair in our South London home, something clicked.
As I watched football on SportTV (those familiar with Portuguese cable channels will know), I spotted an old 5kg dumbbell lying around, gathering dust for years.
On a whim, I decided to give it a go, performing the only exercise I knew: bicep curls.
Positioned right in front of the TV, I mindlessly curled that dumbbell, doing well over a hundred reps per arm—possibly even double or triple that. It was my first-ever attempt at weight training, and I went at it without any notion of structure, rest, good form, or variety.
The following day brought a shock.
My arms were in such intense, unfamiliar soreness that even basic movements felt impossible.
I remember standing helplessly in Tesco with my dad, unable to extend my arm to grab orange juice off the top shelf when he asked me to.
Yet, even then, I hadn’t quite learned my lesson.
Fast forward a couple of months, and there I was, signing up for a gym in Mitcham.
Equally naive about fitness, my school friend Steve led us through a leg day inspired by a Mike Cheng Six Pack Shortcuts YouTube video, sprinkled on with a few exercises of our own.
The aftermath?
A week of crippling leg soreness that made everyday activities, like sitting or walking at a normal pace, feel like an enormous task.
I recall a day on the 109 bus with my good friend Akim, heading to Dunraven Sixth Form. He suggested we sit upstairs, but my legs were in such agony that I just couldn’t.
The disappointment on his face was evident, but he had no idea of the pain I was in. I found it amusing, yet I also remember wishing there was a way I could get him to realise.
These two experiences taught me a vital lesson that I pass on as a 1-2-1 online fitness coach today: don’t overdo it when starting at the gym.
The initial weeks should be about laying a foundation—getting comfortable with the gym environment, learning basic movement patterns like deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses, and understanding your body’s capabilities.
Going all out when starting leads to excessive soreness, lowering your chances of exercising consistently and slowing down progress.
It’s also essential to understand the power of protein for recovery and muscle soreness.
So, if you’re looking for the best and most efficient protein sources to boost your progress, check out my free ‘Protein Cheat Sheet’ by clicking here.
Speak soon,
Leo
P.S. Even though I don’t have any pictures from the specific months mentioned (back then, phones weren’t as impressive and were more of an afterthought), I have attached photos below from those years.
