I hope you enjoy this post. If you want my help to build lean muscle & transform your body using a TRX suspension trainer anywhere – I have a confession that’s a bit embarrassing.
2010-2015.
I was THAT guy in the gym.
The one everyone rolls their eyes at.
You know the type:
Wearing a vest with to show off my “gains.”.
Grunting loudly during lifts.
Constantly checking myself in the mirror.
Yeah. I was him.
The worst part?
I genuinely thought I was impressive.
My entire identity was wrapped up in how I looked in the gym.
Not how I actually looked.
But how I appeared to others while training.
Did I look strong?
Did I look like I knew what I was doing?
Were people watching me?
Were they impressed?
My workouts were performances, not training sessions.
Heavy deadlifts? Great, those look strong.
Bench press with a spotter? Perfect, shows I’m lifting serious weight.
Bicep curls with the big dumbbells? Essential for looking jacked.
But exercises that didn’t look impressive? I’d skip them.
Mobility work? “I’m not some yoga person.”
Proper warm-up? “Don’t need it, I’m young.”
I was building an ego, not a body.
And the comparison was constant.
I’d watch what weights other guys were using.
If someone was squatting more than me, I’d feel inadequate.
If someone had bigger arms, I’d immediately plan to train biceps more.
Someone leaner? Suddenly I’d restrict food and add cardio.
My entire training approach was reactive.
Based on external comparison rather than internal goals.
This meant I had no consistent program.
No real progression.
Just random exercises chasing whatever I thought would make me look more impressive than the guy next to me.
The nutrition was just as bad.
I’d eat whatever “bodybuilders online” said to eat.
Bulking? Eat everything. 6-8 meals per day. Constant protein shakes.
Cutting? Chicken and broccoli. Rice cakes. Restrictive misery.
No understanding of actual nutrition science.
Just copying what fitness accounts and resources posted.
The worst part was how it affected my mental health.
I was constantly stressed about my appearance.
If I felt bloated, my whole day was ruined.
If I missed a gym session, I’d feel guilty and anxious.
If I ate something “off plan,” I’d mentally beat myself up.
The gym was supposed to improve my life.
Instead, it was controlling it.
And the comparisons destroyed my self-esteem.
There was always someone bigger, leaner, stronger.
I’d see them and feel inadequate.
Then I’d train harder, restrict food more, supplement more.
Chasing an impossible standard that kept moving further away.
By 2015, I was burned out.
Physically: Joint pain. Constant tweaks and minor injuries. Exhausted.
Mentally: Anxious. Unhappy with how I looked despite being in “good shape.”
Socially: Isolated. Most of my friends couldn’t relate to my obsessive gym lifestyle.
And my physique?
Pretty much the same as it had been for 3-4 years.
All that effort. All that performance. All that stress.
Something was deeply wrong with my approach.
That’s when I made the decision to leave.
Not just London.
But the entire gym culture.
I couldn’t stay in that ego environment anymore.
It was toxic for me.
So I left. Grabbed a backpack, a TRX and headed to ravel South America.
And for the first time in my adult life, I was forced to train alone.
No mirrors.
No other people.
No one to impress.
No external validation.
No comparison.
Just me and my suspension trainer in whatever space I could find.
The first few weeks felt uncomfortable.
Like I’d lost something important.
Who was I if not the gym bro?
But gradually, something shifted.
Without the external focus, I started focusing internally.
Not “does this look impressive?” but “can I feel this muscle working?”
Not “how much weight?” but “how much tension on the target muscle?”
Not “what will people think?” but “what does my body need?”
For the first time, I was connecting with my body instead of performing for others.
And that’s when real transformation started.
Both physical and mental.
Physically, I got into better shape training alone than I ever did in gyms.
Because I was actually training effectively instead of chasing ego lifts.
Mentally, workouts became meditative. Calming. Centering.
Not stressful performances, but mindful practice.
The gym bro was gone.
And I was better for it.
Looking back, I cringe at who I was.
The vest. The selfies. The grunting. The ego.
But I also understand why I was like that.
The fitness industry creates that culture.
It sells the idea that fitness is about appearance and performance.
About looking impressive to others with external validation and comparison.
So young guys ike I was, even older ones now a days, fall into that trap.
We think that’s what fitness is supposed to be.
It’s not.
Real fitness is about:
- Connection with your body
- Sustainable health
- Functional strength
- Mental well-being
- Internal progress, not external validation
You shouldn’t need a crowd to validate your training.
You shouldn’t need mirrors to feel good about your workout.
You shouldn’t need to post it on social media to make it “count.”
The best training happens when no one is watching.
When you’re fully present with your body.
Focusing on technique, not appearance.
Feeling muscles work, not impressing others.
Progressive overload based on your own baseline, not comparison to someone else.
This is what I teach now.
The exact opposite of gym bro culture.
Training that’s internal, mindful, sustainable.
That builds genuine strength and health.
Not just an Instagram-ready appearance that hides dysfunction underneath.
Fitness Freedom Athletes is all about…
Training in your own space. At your own pace.
No performance. No comparison. No ego.
Just muscle-centric technique that connects you with your body.
And builds real, functional strength that serves your life.
Bottom line:
You don’t need to be a gym bro to build a great body.
In fact, you’ll probably build a better one when you stop trying to be.
Here’s to your Fitness Freedom!
Coach Adam
Founder, Fitness Freedom Athletes
P.S
If you’re currently caught in gym bro culture and it’s making you miserable, you can leave. You don’t need permission. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Train for yourself, by yourself. It’s so much better.
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