The hardest gym exercise and why you should do it.

There I was, in what someone had fashioned out of a basement and dared to call a gym. To any passerby, it's indistinguishable from a medieval torture chamber. But for me and a brotherhood of iron disciples, it's home.

I stood before the most dreaded exercise in my routine – one that transforms legs into steel but extracts its toll in searing pain. Enter Bulgarian Split Squats.

As I positioned myself for the first rep, I paused, gazed down, and drew a deep breath. My mind drifted to the night I discovered the gym's true power...

I'd just ended things with my girl (there's always a girl), and life had lost its color and flavor. All that remained was writing and the gym. That night, I was grinding through a brutal workout – nothing like I'd recommend today.

My body was failing, and what waited next?

Bulgarian Split Squats, of course.

They're always a beast, but this time was different. Everything hurt: the burning muscles, the heartbreak, the weight of my family's financial struggles... I felt it all converge.

In that moment, facing a crossroads: crumble in an empty gym, or push forward.

This isn't your typical "PUSH THROUGH TO BE GREAT" story.

Yes, I pushed through, but not chasing greatness. Sure, I finished that workout strong, but it wasn't about the gains.

It was about proving to myself that I could shoulder it all – if only for a few reps. The hurt, the pain, the stress... everything.

And somehow, when that last rep ended, I stood taller. Stronger.

"Bro, you gonna start or what?" My gymbro's voice yanked me back, as he waited his turn at the bench for Bulgarians. I snapped back to reality, grateful for every self-discovery the gym had gifted me. (Though still quietly cursing these soul-crushing squats.)

Here's what I'm really saying: You'll find your true self in the crucible of what you love. Mine happened to be the gym and jiu-jitsu. Yours might be scaling mountains, cutting through waves, pounding pavement, or diving into paintball warfare. Whatever ignites your soul, embrace it fully – especially the parts that burn.

If you want help finding your “thing”, sticking to it and using it to develop the body you want, and all that comes with it, you might be interested in my Energy Masters program.

I help people dial in their health for the long run by focusing on small habits that improve energy levels massively.

The program is closed at the moment, but stay tuned for when doors open!

Stay strong, and keep that energy crackling.

Tu amigo,

Diego.