The journey wasn\u2019t just about numbers. It was about patience, discipline, and the small victories that built confidence. I remember the first time I pulled 80kg\u2014it felt monumental. Then 90kg, where doubt crept in but determination won.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dji_export_photo_20260305004654887.jpg?resize=576%2C1024&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n“Strength doesn\u2019t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn\u2019t.” <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The barbell stood before me like a silent challenge. Each week, I edged closer\u2014adding plates, feeling the strain, and listening to the quiet voice inside that asked, \u201cCan you go heavier?\u201d\u00a0 The journey wasn\u2019t just about numbers. It was about patience, discipline, and the small victories that built confidence. I remember the first time I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,25,47],"tags":[134],"class_list":["post-713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-body-transformation","category-fitness","category-keeping-rhythm","tag-deadliftjourney-100kgmilestone-strengththroughpersistence-gymgoals-riseandpull"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dji_export_photo_20260305004722970.jpg?fit=1080%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":489,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/20\/the-100kg-threshold-when-my-mind-said-yes-and-my-body-said-wait\/","url_meta":{"origin":713,"position":0},"title":"The 100kg Threshold: When My Mind Said Yes and My Body Said “Wait”","author":"Rey De Bruyn-Walters","date":"20 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The 8th session. 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My trainer, Asad, doesn't do \"easy.\" He does \"incremental evolution.\" Every session is a chess match where he moves the pieces,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A Week at the Gym"","block_context":{"text":"A Week at the Gym","link":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/category\/fitness\/a-week-at-the-gym\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_202602201458148541834366225266058648.png?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_202602201458148541834366225266058648.png?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_202602201458148541834366225266058648.png?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":394,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/forging-strength-my-self-made-full-body-challenge\/","url_meta":{"origin":713,"position":1},"title":"Forging Strength: My Self-Made Full Body Challenge","author":"Rey De Bruyn-Walters","date":"16 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning was meant to be guided by my trainer\u2019s plan, but life had other ideas. 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At 29 degrees, the air shimmered, heavy with promise and challenge. My German Shorthaired Pointer wagged his tail, eyes bright, already scanning for the rivers he knew would be waiting.\u00a0 We set off at a steady\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Trail"","block_context":{"text":"Trail","link":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/category\/trails\/trail-running\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":846,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/holding-the-dream-the-arrival-of-wildflowers-in-winter\/","url_meta":{"origin":713,"position":4},"title":"Holding the Dream: The Arrival of Wildflowers in Winter","author":"Rey De Bruyn-Walters","date":"20 March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"There are moments in life that feel almost surreal\u2014moments where something that once lived only in your mind becomes real, tangible, and undeniable. 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Finally, the day came. 100kg. The weight I had been chasing. Hands chalked, grip tight, heart pounding\u2014I pulled, and the bar rose. Not just steel off the ground, but every ounce of effort, every setback, every moment of resilience.\u00a0
That lift wasn\u2019t just about strength. It was proof that persistence turns \u201csomeday\u201d into today.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dji_export_photo_20260305004722970.jpg?resize=576%2C1024&ssl=1\")
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