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Chau Viet Son (center) transformed himself through gym workouts and shared his passion with others through a free "class" at Go Vap Flower Village. |
In the early morning, the Go Vap Flower Village Park (Thong Tay Hoi Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) resounds with the rhythmic counting of weights, the clacking of dumbbells, and arms gripping the horizontal bar. Amidst this scene, Chau Viet Son walks back and forth, carefully adjusting the posture of some and reminding others of their breathing rhythm, just as he has done for the past 10 years.
A "transformation" thanks to the gym.
Before achieving the muscular physique of a professional trainer he has today, Chau Viet Son (37 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) used to have a declining physical condition due to the demands of his job.
He used to work as a restaurant manager, his life revolving around long shifts of 8-10 hours a day. His sedentary lifestyle combined with work pressure meant that although he is 1.74 m tall, he only weighs 52-53 kg.
"Actually, nobody around me teased me much back then. But every now and then I'd look in the mirror and see how thin I looked, how skinny and lifeless I appeared, so I decided to start exercising," Sơn shared with Tri Thức - Znews.
Instead of going to the gym, Son chose street calisthenics as the first step in his physical transformation journey. After about two months of training on his own with his younger brother, he decided to train at the Go Vap Flower Village Park.
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From a skinny 52 kg boy, Son has a muscular physique thanks to his persistent pursuit of calisthenics. |
According to Son, in 2016, street gymnastics was still unfamiliar in Vietnam, with virtually no Vietnamese-language materials available other than a few scattered articles on internet forums. Son practiced and learned the basic movements from push-ups to pull-ups on his own.
When he saw anyone in the park looking at him curiously, he called them over and invited them to join him in exercising.
"I don't dare to teach anyone; I simply invite anyone who wants to train with me," Sơn shared.
Gradually, the group grew from two brothers to five, then from five to ten. Without any announcements, registrations, or organization, the group simply grew, eventually creating a Facebook fan page and forming a true community.
At each stage, Mr. Son improved himself by attending personal trainer (PT) courses, learning more about mentoring skills, and applying them to guide people more effectively.
As his body began to change and he became more muscular after the first few months of perseverance, Son admitted that he also felt a desire to show off and take pictures of his achievements.
But what resonated more deeply wasn't his physique, but the realization that he was doing something meaningful for those around him. And that feeling is what kept him connected to Go Vap Flower Village Park for a decade.
The community has persevered for 10 years.
While lacking modern equipment like a gym, the training gear at Sơn's group's "headquarters" is far from rudimentary. Over the years, the members have pooled their money to purchase dumbbells, horizontal bars, and barbells that can be fitted with weight plates… enough to train systematically.
There is no leader, no hierarchy, no list of trainees; everyone who comes here is warmly welcomed. The community operates on an unwritten rule: experienced members guide newcomers; and those who have practiced for a long time become experienced members, in turn guiding the next group of newcomers.
That's why, during the years when Mr. Son worked as a restaurant manager, even if he was absent for 3 or 6 months, the park never felt deserted.
"Everyone would have trained normally even without me," he said.
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Over the past 10 years, Sơn's training community has grown steadily. |
Son's daily schedule is quite regular: he wakes up at 6:30 AM, starts training at the park at 7:30 AM until 9:00 AM, then goes to his private gym to hold classes from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Sundays are his days off.
In the last two years, he opened his own gym, but he hasn't missed a single day of working out at the park.
The motivation behind Mr. Son's persistent efforts to "keep the flame alive" at the park corner for the past decade is very practical. He admits that he maintains this work for three reasons: it helps him improve his health, he finds joy in witnessing the progress of those exercising, and this community indirectly builds his personal brand and provides him with a stable income.
"I'm not rich, but I earn enough to cover my daily expenses and still help my parents. For me, that's more than enough," he confided.
People come to Mr. Son's community for various reasons. Ms. Tinh Lai (41 years old), an introvert who is shy in crowded places, declined Mr. Son's invitations many times before agreeing to try one session.
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Mr. Son has owned his own gym for two years now, but he hasn't missed a single day of working out at the park. |
What she found in the park was not only resistance training that she had never tried before, but also the early morning sunlight and fresh air, things she felt the gym couldn't offer.
"To have good health, you need to connect more with nature; the gym doesn't offer that," Ms. Lai shared.
Mr. Thanh Quang (51 years old) sought out the group after suffering from herniated discs twice. On his first pull-up session, he had to use three support ropes just to get himself on the bar.
After receiving guidance from Mr. Son, he was able to do five pull-ups in a row without a rope. Since then, he has been eating and sleeping better, and looks younger.
Speaking of Mr. Son, Mr. Quang said affectionately, as if he were family: "Son talks a lot, but in an enthusiastic way. He's a very observant person and gives thorough guidance to those who are diligent in their training."
The improvement in physical health of people like Mr. Quang is proof that the human body doesn't possess magic, only the "sweet fruits" of disciplined exercise.
That's also why, looking back on his long journey, Son concluded: "Ultimately, you only have two choices: exercise when doctors require it in your hospital bed, or exercise while you're still able to be proactive."
Source: https://znews.vn/thay-gym-10-nam-day-mien-phi-o-cong-vien-tphcm-post1653503.html
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