BYUH student says bodybuilding helped him to rediscover his purpose and joy in life
Bodybuilder Youngkwang Kwon said being disciplined and consistent in his workout allows him to see progress, embrace love and be compassionate towards others and himself.
“Once you start seeing progress with your own eyes, I don’t think you can stop,” said Kwon, a junior from South Korea majoring in English and education. When he started working out, he said he knew he was on the right path, both physically and mentally. “I know whoever I am today I’ll become a better person next month or so on. As long as I keep on working out, I know there’s going to be progress,” he shared.
Kwon said his love and dedication to weightlifting and bodybuilding was a response to one of his hardest times in life. Triggered by a breakup and unemployment, Kwon said he developed feelings of insecurity and a helplessness in life that made him want to give up on everything.
During that time, he said he was depressed and lost weight. “I didn’t know what to do with life,” he explained. Encouraged by his brother, Kwon said he started exercising and considered it as the last hope in life. “If I make no progress, then I can’t really do any- thing with my life,” said Kwon.
Kwon shared he had to work harder than others since he began exercising from a lower starting point. He said he wasn’t just working out for fun, but he was trying to become the best version of himself.
Learning to love
“Working out has made me love myself and respect myself a lot more. I know what my body is capable of,” said Kwon. He added, “I know I have to feed my body good food and good vitamins.”
Tanner Rawlings, a junior from Sacra- mento, California, studying economics, said when he was roommates with Kwon, he was inspired by Kwon’s persistency and confidence in believing that all things are possible. “His persistency is a big thing. He cannot live without missing a day in the gym, like something [feels] off for him. Monday through Saturdays, whenever the gym opens, he is always there for two hours.
“His goal was to become the best version of himself physically as possible,” said Rawlings. He shared Kwon encouraged him to wake up at 5 a.m. and exercise for two hours together when they were roommates. He said going to gym everyday with Kwon helped him developing self-love and confidence, which came from the desire to take care of himself and realization of physical and mental capacity to go further. “I’m inspired by his persistency. I’m trying to workout to realize that oh, I can do it too,” Rawlings added.
Kwon said bodybuilders have to be men- tally disciplined and show consistency by sticking to diets and workouts. “You have to force yourself to go to the gym every day [regardless of] the weather or circumstance you’re in,” said Kwon. He explained he became a successful bodybuilder by being focused and commit- ted to bodybuilding lifestyles. He said he was able to apply this mental aspect to other area of life, including striving for higher education.
Kwon said he had been strengthened by Christ’s atonement. Thinking of his Savior’s sacrifice motivates him, he said, through his own personal pain and challenges. He said everyone is created in the image of God and has the potential to become like God.
Showing compassion
Kwon said exercise has changed his perspective in life, especially the way he sees himself and others. “I become a lot more com- passionate about other[s] and also for myself,” he added.
Hiu Ching Wan, a senior from Hong Kong studying TESOL education, said she was inspired by Kwon’s example and hard work. She shared Kwon taught her how to exercise at the gym and helped her realize who she can become.
She recalled Kwon once told her to never judge or compare herself with others at the gym. “When we go to the gym, we never judge. And that’s something I’ve learned, and I try to apply it in every aspect of my life,” said Wan. She said the love Kwon has for himself and others motivates her to love herself, her husband and people in the community.
Rawlings said, “[Kwon] does love himself. He knows God loves him. He loves himself to where he wants to be the most physically capable version of himself. I think that [also] spreads to other area of his life, socially and spiritually.”