Investing always involves risk, and I understood that when I decided to invest in interactive strength . What I did not expect was how quickly optimism could turn into financial pain and how difficult it would be to accept that I stayed in the trade longer than I should have
I invested in TRNR because I believed it had strong recovery potential. The stock had already fallen significantly from its previous highs, and I saw what looked like an opportunity. In my mind, much of the downside had already happened. I convinced myself that a rebound was likely. Like many investors, I thought buying at a low price would position me well for a turnaround. Instead of recovering, the stock continued to decline
Month after month, I watched the value of my investment shrink. What initially seemed like temporary weakness became a sustained downtrend. Over time, the stock declined roughly 99% from its highs. Experiencing that level of drawdown firsthand changes your perspective. A 99% drop is not just a number on a chart. It represents a near-total destruction of capital.
One of the most discouraging aspects of this journey was the series of reverse stock splits: 1:40, 1:100, and 1:10 within a relatively short period. At first, I tried to stay calm and rational. I understood that reverse splits are structural adjustments. They reduce the number of shares outstanding while increasing the price proportionally. On paper, nothing changes in terms of overall value. Companies often use reverse splits to meet minimum listing requirements.
But what I experienced as an investor felt very different. Each time the reverse split happened, the share count dropped and the price adjusted upward temporarily. However, the relief was short-lived. The stock would continue declining afterward. Watching this cycle repeat was deeply frustrating. It felt like resetting the scoreboard without actually changing the game. The hardest realization for me was that hope kept me holding.
I kept believing that a turnaround was coming. I focused on possibilities rather than probabilities. I paid attention to short-term spikes instead of stepping back to examine the long-term trend. I underestimated how risky micro-cap stocks can be, especially when dilution and repeated reverse splits become part of the pattern
I also learned a painful but important lesson: a stock being “cheap” does not automatically mean it is undervalued. Sometimes a low price reflects ongoing structural weakness. Price alone is not a reason to invest. Looking back, there are several things I wish I had done differently. I should have studied the long-term chart more carefully instead of focusing on potential short-term rebounds. I should have analyzed the company’s capital structure and reverse split history more deeply. I should have reminded myself that stocks can fall 90–99% and never recover
Most importantly, I should have separated emotion from strategy. This is not an accusation of fraud, nor is it an attack on the company. It is simply my personal experience and a reflection on the decisions I made. Investing comes with responsibility, and ultimately the decision was mine.
If sharing this experience encourages even one investor to do deeper research, to question their assumptions, and to manage risk more carefully, then this difficult lesson will not be entirely wasted. Sometimes the most expensive lessons are the ones that teach us the most about discipline, patience, and the difference between hope and strategy.