#MRFJ (My real fitness journey)

 Welcome to #MRFJ, as requested by Hana. Strap in, this is going to be a LONG one. 

The Beginning: Circa 2013

(*note: I can't remember if the Scats Summer Gymnastics Camp was before my tryout at AGA or not but it was around this era)

It all began about thirteen years ago when I was supposedly too monkey-ish in the household and was sent to a tryout at American Gymnastics Academy (thx bailey). I remember doing a tripod successfully and then deciding I hated the vibe and sitting back down with Mom. She unfortunately forced me to join them again while they did a hanging off the beam contest, and I decided to participate so I could win. 

At some point I also had my ninth birthday at Scats, and then became heavily locked into the AGA lifestyle for a few years. Bata would drive me to practices, I would see Bailey practicing, and I was under some insane Italian coaching. It got to tryout season again, in which the level I was trying out for was called "Supershots" (ROFL). The Italian head coach yelled at me in front of a silent gym for getting off the beam before I was directly instructed to, and the young lady told me to never sit with my knees out if I knew what was good for me. 

A few months later, Bailey donated me multiple boxes of AGA merch, which got me an award at banquet. That merch has since been discarded except for one white zip-up. 

Eventually, Bailey got kicked out for being late too many times and talking back, so we dropped out and followed her to Gym-Max. This is when things got serious.

before Supershots tryout

Time Tack, Booked, and Busy (+ side quests) [2015-2019]

Gym-Max Gymnastics era took over my life. I was booked and busy, in the gym 25 hours a week while carpooling with the Yamaguchi's and Codilla's. I treated this like either the military or a full-time high-stakes job. The Liang's did not play around, and you did not want to be like Makena or Sela crying during line-up at the end of practice (when we stood in height order, hands behind our back, and bowed at the end: classic!). 

This was probably my peak fitness. We were conditioning nonstop, and the only fan was some industrial one dragged outside the warehouse that we could stand in front of during our breaks. It was also my peak obedience. I was the ultimate yes man during these years, so incredibly docile and compliant to the Liang's it was lowkey crazy. #Mindset

Most important things during this time: my Daiso grip bag, new GK leotard drops, whatever corrections I had to make, the UCLA gymnastics camp, what Kyla Ross was up to, and who Howie was mad at.

This era might genuinely still be going on now if it weren't for Disneyland 2019. The whole team went to Disneyland for Malia's birthday, and the day after I was so tired but didn't want to ask to "sit out" (Very bad look for ur PR). Instead I continued to tumble, so The Great Fracture, Nerve Failure, and Multiple Surgeries took place and ended that little career. I briefly joined Zoom workouts in 2020 and considered a comeback but the illusion of that place had broke by then #Nah. 

Hanes T-shirt and Amazon Shorts [2020-mid 2021]

Quarantine was the ultimate online era in every meaning of the sense. This was the Great Youtube Workout Epidemic, in which I briefly flitted between Chloe Ting, Madfit, Pamela Reif, and Fiton. Pamela Reif was the only one that stuck (and is still sticking for one of our readers...), and certain family members went so far as to get the premium version of her app. A beautiful German fever dream. #DennisZip #Reifstrong #Werbung 

I think Pamela Reif's influence also set the groundwork for many lyrics in Minute songs. She had a grip on us. 

Dark Corner of Cerritos [Fall of 2021]

Fall of 2021 the online era came to a halt. Whitney resumed, and thanks to Bailey (AGAIN) I was now trying out at the place she dived. This is when I was introduced to the dark corner of Cerritos (the industrial district), where the PDA warehouse was located. Overall a pretty bizarre setup: "dryland" for two hours, then a break, then "wetland" at the CPE pool from 7-9pm. 

Quick rating:

- Trampolines: nice

- Acrobatic development: mid

- Coaches: off their rocker, even held some crazy meeting where half the coaches quit in front of everyone and some other dude was yelling about how he built the gym with his bare hands, then half the people quit

**Coach Lisa STILL my personal opp. Cornered Eric down at meets to talk about me and would stank eye me at invitationals. (She's probably in her fifties). 

Round the Country, Damaged Hair [2022-mid 2023]

This was peak diving era, in which I was constantly at Cypress College and spending more time with Eric Lesser than Mana. In the summers there were double practices, in which we did a pool workout from 9-11am, then Eric locks up the pool and leaves to go somewhere for an hour and half while we lie next to the pool. Then he came back and we would do another two hour afternoon session. I also went to UCLA to practice tower diving, and was traveling to obscure places to compete since Eric liked certain regions better. Hair: extremely damaged. 

Overall an interesting experience. I wasn't that passionate about the actual diving, but it was lowkey a little crazy. Lots of drama, parents, coaches, etc. Pretty decent entertainment value. Wasn't actually as physical as previous experiences, but took about 70% of my daily mental energy. Sent me to Texas (once was more than enough) and Riverside (so many times). 

This was also what I would call a fever dream. Things that would happen:

1. Children cried in hot tubs to not do their dive while their mom yelled at them (Steven ahh)

2. It's AAU Nationals at Riverside, and Eric has you, Ava, and Lucy get into the pool at 6am to beat the 7am warmup rush. Then he gets in trouble.

3. Keurig Karen:

4. Elle having to have interventions with Eric over his coaching

I can't even remember the rest but some of the stuff was wild. 

Dark Days & Nerve Collapse Part 2 [End of 2023] --> Silence [Khalid] (January 2024-May 2024)

Then we move into injured era #2, in which the nerves in my right hand stopped working and I had so many doctor appointments. Quit diving and had no physical activity for about five months until I was allowed to join cross country.

Fun Run [Summer 2024-February 2025] --> Running a strict program [March 2025-July 2025]

June 2024-July 2025 was my nonstop high school runner era, in which I did cross country and distance track, and then a half marathon. Not much to say here, it was a great time. No notes. #highlightofsenioryear #Haterssaidicouldn'trun

Hawaiian Gardens Planet Fitness Free High School Pass [Summer 2025]

Post-half marathon I took a running break and had first ever "gym" era. I plan on cheating the summer pass system every year with a new name and email until they catch me. This was quite nice, I really like the Hawaiian Garden Planet Fitness. I wasn't that serious about it but I like going to the gym so maybe this will be a summer thing from now on. 

No time like the present 

Currently I am training for another half marathon with Harshita, in which we are trying to run in under two hours. Coordinating a running plan while at different colleges has been slightly challenging but we are in week three and haven't given up yet. Only time will tell.... Running in Santa Barbara is way more fun than in C-town, so I have definitely gotten back into it. I've also been enjoying the downstairs gym a few times a week (except once a guy tried to attack me in the gym so #stayvigilant).

My other main fitness activity is biking, which I now do constantly (not by choice). I have a personal issue where I bike really fast and try to beat people, and I get annoyed at people who enjoy a leisurely pace. But when I have morning and evening classes, I am biking about 12 miles a day unfortunately. If I want to go to the stores I also bike, or if I want to go to the beach or Rec Center or IV or anywhere. It's a bike life. Locking and unlocking the bike + rolling the pants are just my lifestyle now. 

Environmentally friendly I guess.

Hope you enjoyed.. Drop ur fitness journeys below