The other day I was sitting with my guitar, quietly picking through We’re Going to Be Friends by The White Stripes.

It’s a simple tune. Just a few chords. Fingerpicking of course since that’s my ‘newest’ thing. 
It’s not flashy. It’s not even that hard (though I probably make it sound H-A-R-D.)
But if you don’t play it with feeling – because it IS a simply tune – it ends up sounding empty.

And as I sat there — that familiar rhythm flowing out — it got me thinking.
About showing up. About doing the ordinary stuff.
And about community.

That song isn’t about music. Not really.
It’s about two kids walking to school together. Side by side.
Doing the same things, day after day — and in that rhythm, something real forms.
Not just routine. Not just friendship.
Belonging.

And weirdly, I didn’t think about music.
I thought about Wednesday. 1PM.
A session that’s been on my calendar for over a decade.

The “what” has changed. The “who” hasn’t.

Twelve years ago, Wednesday at 1PM was Weight Vest Wednesday in the boxing gym. The session was brutal — burpees with a vest, ab wheels with a vest, rowing with a vest. We complained non-stop, but wore it like a badge of honour. It was tough, raw, and a bit ridiculous. And we kept turning up.

Then it shifted. 1pm boxing stopped running with the advent of the strength gym…our session just moved through the hole in the wall.  Weight Vest Wednesday was no more – but the 1pm date remained – Now it was Functional Fitness. More structure. Strength blocks. Clean technique. Timed AMRAPs. Slightly fewer groans (but only just).

Now? The timetable has changed again and 1pm Wednesday has become a HYROX class.  We haven’t missed a beat.  Same time – same day…NEW CHALLENGE.  Sleds, running, rowing, wall balls. A different format — but the same spirit. The same energy.

And again…the SAME CREW remains!

That’s the part that hasn’t changed.
Different exercises. Same people.
Still grinding. Still laughing. Still making each other better.

But what if you’re new?

This is where it gets tricky, right?

Because if you walk into that 1PM session cold, it can feel like everyone already knows the warm-up, the jokes, the pecking order, the playlist. Like you’ve just crashed someone else’s birthday dinner.

But here’s the thing: community doesn’t come in a welcome pack.

It’s not handed to you at the door — it’s built. One session at a time.

• First week, you’re the new face.

• Week two, someone nods and says, “Back again?”

• Week three, you’re in. You’ve got a spot on the floor, a rhythm in the warm-up, and someone knows your name.

It’s not magic. It’s just consistency.

Show up. Join in. Stay long enough to matter — and suddenly you do.  MATTER that is.  And FIT IN!

The real driver behind consistency

We talk a lot in fitness about macros, reps, sleep, hydration, and discipline. All of that stuff matters. But most of it crumbles without one thing: accountability through connection.

It’s easy to skip a workout when no one notices.
It’s harder when someone’s expecting you.
Even harder when you want to see them.

The best programs in the world don’t mean much if you don’t enjoy turning up.

Find your 1PM

This post isn’t really about Wednesday. Or 1PM. Or even HYROX.

It’s about finding your people. The ones who make the training better.
The ones who pull you forward when you’re tired.
The ones who notice when you’re gone.

It takes a little time.
But not that much.

Three sessions. That’s the secret. Show up three times and suddenly, you’re not just training — you’re part of something.

And if you haven’t found that feeling yet?

We’ve got space. And vests. And sleds.  And Barbells.  And – well, we’ve got all the gear that’s for sure!!
Just bring yourself — and give it a few weeks.

See you in the gym sometime.  Probably.  But if you’re there at 1pm Wednesday I’ll 100% be there!