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"I´m just not a gym person"
Yen´s story of how fitness became a fundamental part of her life
Many of us tried to avoid PE at school.
And even more of us never joined a sports team.
You probably walked into a gym before and immediately felt like everyone else belonged there except you.
When something is new, that you don´t know a lot about and others seem to be very good at it, it´s easy to shrug it off like its ´not for you.´
For some of us, it can feel as though there are simply "gym people" and people that aren't.
Yen used to think the same.
Yet today, strength training isn't something she forces herself to do.
She´s been training consistently for 4 years now.
And even stuck to it when she went travelling in Asia for a year.
Training is now part of her life.
But that wasn't always the case.
"I had never really done sport"
When Yen first started training, she simply wanted to build a strong, healthy body that would allow her to enjoy life for many years to come.
Her goals were simple. To become stronger and build a body that would allow her to keep travelling, hiking, exploring new places and enjoying everyday life as she got older.
But what had stopped her from starting previously was this:
"I started as someone who had never done any sports or intense physical activity when I was younger. So in the beginning I was super shy and insecure and had no idea where to begin."
Sadly, that's enough to stop many people from ever beginning.
The biggest barrier wasn't fitness
What stopped her originally was not knowing what to do.
Now, she describes one of the biggest reasons she stayed consistent all this time is because there hasn´t actually been any mental load.
She didn't have to design workouts or second-guess herself.
She´s had a program to follow, a coach beside her to guide her, and all she had to do was show up and give it her best.
Sometimes the information is just too much. We need someone to make the first steps feel manageable.
And it´s no longer a chore!
Yen didn´t get strong overnight. And neither did her love for training.
She simply kept showing up. Week after week.
Then one day, she realised something had changed.
"Somewhere down the line, working out evolved from something I had to force myself to do, to something I actually enjoy and look forward to."
Four years later, she's still training twice every week.
And turns heads for such mighty strength coming from such a small body.
More than physical strength
When we asked Yen what had changed the most since joining ATTIKA, she didn't only talk about strength.
She spoke about becoming more aware of every part of her health.
The food she eats, the quality of her sleep, moving more, the people she spends time with, even the content she consumes.
As she puts it:
"Anything that contributes to a more enjoyable life? Big YES! Anything that doesn't? No, thanks!"
From her coach´s perspective
When Teo first met Yen, she was quiet and unsure of herself.
During sessions, she'd often stay tucked away in the corner, focusing only on getting through the workout.
Today, she's almost unrecognisable.
She chats with everyone.
She laughs with the coaches.
She takes on every challenge with enthusiasm.
And most importantly, she's often the first person to welcome someone new into the gym, making them feel as comfortable as she once needed to feel herself.
That transformation says far more than any number on a barbell ever could.
Fitness became part of Yen´s life
One of the clearest signs of how much Yen has changed came when she spent a year travelling around Asia.
Before she left, her coach continued writing her programmes so she could train wherever she was.
She made sure every hotel had a gym, and even convinced her boyfriend to join her for workouts!
And when she returned to Barcelona, one of the very first things she did was come back to ATTIKA.
Not because she felt guilty. But because training had become part of her life.
Yen's advice:
If Yen could speak to someone who believes they're "just not a gym person," she'd say this:
"Everyone has to start somewhere. Take your time to find a gym and/or trainer that you feel comfortable with. Start with small steps and build from there. Most importantly: believe in yourself, keep going (even when you don't always feel motivated), and you'll see that strength training is actually really fun!"
The takeaway
Yen's story reminds us that rather than ´gym people´and ´non-gym people´, perhaps there are simply people who haven't yet found a way of moving that makes them feel capable.
Yen knows this now, because she gave herself permission to start before she felt like one.
And along the way, strength training stopped being something she had to do.
It became something she genuinely loves.
Many of us tried to avoid PE at school.
And even more of us never joined a sports team.
You probably walked into a gym before and immediately felt like everyone else belonged there except you.
When something is new, that you don´t know a lot about and others seem to be very good at it, it´s easy to shrug it off like its ´not for you.´
For some of us, it can feel as though there are simply "gym people" and people that aren't.
Yen used to think the same.
Yet today, strength training isn't something she forces herself to do.
She´s been training consistently for 4 years now.
And even stuck to it when she went travelling in Asia for a year.
Training is now part of her life.
But that wasn't always the case.
"I had never really done sport"
When Yen first started training, she simply wanted to build a strong, healthy body that would allow her to enjoy life for many years to come.
Her goals were simple. To become stronger and build a body that would allow her to keep travelling, hiking, exploring new places and enjoying everyday life as she got older.
But what had stopped her from starting previously was this:
"I started as someone who had never done any sports or intense physical activity when I was younger. So in the beginning I was super shy and insecure and had no idea where to begin."
Sadly, that's enough to stop many people from ever beginning.
The biggest barrier wasn't fitness
What stopped her originally was not knowing what to do.
Now, she describes one of the biggest reasons she stayed consistent all this time is because there hasn´t actually been any mental load.
She didn't have to design workouts or second-guess herself.
She´s had a program to follow, a coach beside her to guide her, and all she had to do was show up and give it her best.
Sometimes the information is just too much. We need someone to make the first steps feel manageable.
And it´s no longer a chore!
Yen didn´t get strong overnight. And neither did her love for training.
She simply kept showing up. Week after week.
Then one day, she realised something had changed.
"Somewhere down the line, working out evolved from something I had to force myself to do, to something I actually enjoy and look forward to."
Four years later, she's still training twice every week.
And turns heads for such mighty strength coming from such a small body.
More than physical strength
When we asked Yen what had changed the most since joining ATTIKA, she didn't only talk about strength.
She spoke about becoming more aware of every part of her health.
The food she eats, the quality of her sleep, moving more, the people she spends time with, even the content she consumes.
As she puts it:
"Anything that contributes to a more enjoyable life? Big YES! Anything that doesn't? No, thanks!"
From her coach´s perspective
When Teo first met Yen, she was quiet and unsure of herself.
During sessions, she'd often stay tucked away in the corner, focusing only on getting through the workout.
Today, she's almost unrecognisable.
She chats with everyone.
She laughs with the coaches.
She takes on every challenge with enthusiasm.
And most importantly, she's often the first person to welcome someone new into the gym, making them feel as comfortable as she once needed to feel herself.
That transformation says far more than any number on a barbell ever could.
Fitness became part of Yen´s life
One of the clearest signs of how much Yen has changed came when she spent a year travelling around Asia.
Before she left, her coach continued writing her programmes so she could train wherever she was.
She made sure every hotel had a gym, and even convinced her boyfriend to join her for workouts!
And when she returned to Barcelona, one of the very first things she did was come back to ATTIKA.
Not because she felt guilty. But because training had become part of her life.
Yen's advice:
If Yen could speak to someone who believes they're "just not a gym person," she'd say this:
"Everyone has to start somewhere. Take your time to find a gym and/or trainer that you feel comfortable with. Start with small steps and build from there. Most importantly: believe in yourself, keep going (even when you don't always feel motivated), and you'll see that strength training is actually really fun!"
The takeaway
Yen's story reminds us that rather than ´gym people´and ´non-gym people´, perhaps there are simply people who haven't yet found a way of moving that makes them feel capable.
Yen knows this now, because she gave herself permission to start before she felt like one.
And along the way, strength training stopped being something she had to do.
It became something she genuinely loves.
