Training For Your Life

MAXIM fitness guru ALEXA TOWERSEY takes you on a personal journey on how fitness can be beneficial to your mental health…

- Alexa Towersey

When I was 15, two major things happened to me (and neither of them was boobs, much to my dismay). The first was that my Mum being diagnosed with manic depression (aka Bipolar disorder). The second thing was that I was bullied at school for being too skinny — my nickname was Alexa Anorexia. If only the haters could see me flex now! This is where my fitness journey truly began. I went to the gym on a mission for muscles, only to find that this was but a small portion of the gains I would make. The gym, more specifically the weights room, became my sanctuary. My safe space. The place where I felt most in control. The place where I felt empowered. The first place I really began to understand the connection between developing physical strength and the mental fortitude and resilience that came along with it. “When I feel physically strong, I think strong thoughts.”

HEALTH IS WEALTH

Behind every gym junkie is the story of what got them hooked in the first place, and invariably while having an enviable six pack and guns to boot are often the things that get a foot inside the door, the feeling of bad-assery that accompanies finally being able to pick up your girl and throw her over your shoulder without throwing out your back is the thing that keeps you there. But, if there is one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that life is about balance. It’s not just about training hard, it’s about training smart – something I wish my 20-year-old self had learnt. Here are my top tips to train for life.