Blog: Day One (Part 2)

BLOG: Day One (Part 2) – This Is Why We Lift

By Brian Castillo

After the blog this morning, I pulled into Randy’s. Back to where it started. Barrett was already getting the weights ready. No deep talks at first. Just iron. Just breath. Just movement.

But between sets… you could feel it.

Legacy. Discipline. Laughter. Fire.

We weren’t just lifting. We were living.

You want to know how I’m doing?

Here it is:

I’m coaching—still.

Just not with a whistle anymore.

I’m still building champions.

Only now the gym isn’t filled with elementary lines and music.

It’s the garage, a bench press, and a voice saying:

“You’ve done 40 fake reps. Time to go for real.”

“You want to cheat? Cheat. But that’s not how we roll.”

“Attaboy. Breathe. Now do it again.”

You see, this is why we lift.

To raise our standard.

To hold each other accountable.

To remember that this world doesn’t hand you strength—it reveals it.

Rep by rep. Breath by breath.

Barrett doesn’t know it yet, but these moments matter.

Not just for scholarships or muscle.

But for manhood.

For brotherhood.

For when life gets heavy—and you’ve got to lift anyway.

So yeah, I’m feeling it.

The soreness. The ache. The joy.

Because even when life knocks you down,

you can still choose to rise with iron in your hands

and light in your soul.

This is Day One.

This is why we lift.

And if you’re reading this—you’re part of it.

Let’s go.