Coaches Corner: 14 Workout Motivation Tips That Actually Work
This Coaches Corner is brought to you by Ann Edwards of Elite Sports. Ann Edwards is a fully qualified personal trainer. She has been helping people in the field of bodybuilding and fitness for more than a decade using her nutrition and physical therapy background. Learn 14 workout motivation tips that actually work in this article!
You probably already know how good exercise is for you. Doing it regularly is another thing. Sticking with the exercise routine can be hard at times, no matter how enthusiastic or motivated you are, a little voice in your head can pop up saying, “you will do it tomorrow” you must fight it.
Coming up with excuses for avoiding something is way easier than following through with your workout. Finding ways to get yourself motivated is key. Here are a few great workout motivation quotes to get you started. Or you can remind yourself of the reasons why you decided to start working out in the first place.
Why Workout?
Being active & participating in workouts regularly is not only good for your body and mind as well. But the internal dialogue of skipping the workout or grabbing takeout & working a few hours takes over us. This can make following through with the workout plan hard. Motivation follows the action. In this article, we will give you a few workout motivation tips that will help in finding the incentive for stepping up your game.
Workout Motivation Tips
You don't need all 14 of these workout motivation tips to get you started. Try 1 or 2 and see what works for you:
Set goals
One of the motivational ways of getting started with your workout is setting goals. You can set both short-term and long-term goals. Day-to-day targets help with everyday motivation while synchronizing with your ultimate goal. But make sure your goals are realistic & achievable. Getting frustrated is easier if your goals are too big and ambiguous.
Put the workout clothes on
Most people take this step lightly and even skip it. We would suggest not to skip it ever. Changing into your running clothes isn’t just getting dressed – it’s one of the best ways of getting motivated to work out. It won’t just help with getting up from the couch but will also help with getting all of the benefits of the session.
Make it fun
Achieving your fitness goals by doing some sports activity is always fun and keeps you excited. It is way more interesting than following ambiguous workout routines. You can try them along with your fitness routine for jazzing up. It can be playing volleyball, swimming, martial art classes, or taking ballroom dancing classes. If you like working out at home, you can try online yoga, HIIT, or kickboxing.
Changing your perspective for better workout motivation
You must shift your thinking from a couch potato to an athlete mentality. It might sound like a big challenge, but it’s not that hard. You must not use your daily routine as an excuse for not exercising. Taking time out of the routine would actually be a bigger motivation for working on it more.
Physical activity should be a part of your daily routine
Finding time to exercise would get easier if you infused it with some other daily activity. Then you can slip in the physical activity throughout your day. For example, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, parking further away at the grocery store. Take a walk during the break hours.
Walking your dog, pedaling a stationary bike, doing strength training exercises while you watch TV or during the lunch break. Research states that sitting for longer durations negatively impacts your health. If you have a desk job, make sure you take walking breaks in between.
Get competitive
Researchers state that seeing others’ working performance is beneficial for boosting one’s desire to perform better. Sports watch brands such as Fitbit and Apple Watch allow you to challenge your friends and compete for a set period of time. Two benefits of competing via a fitness tracker are that you can do so remotely, and you and your friend(s) don't need to exercise at the same time. Adding a competitive element could be beneficial for boosting your performance.
Rewarding yourself
Gaining washboard abs, fitting into the old clothes, and growing stronger are all rewards in themselves. But these can be impossible to achieve if you can not commit to working out. You can reward yourself in the form of cheat days or new workout clothes you will love. Anything that will make you feel good and help in reaping the rewards of your workout session.
Lower your minimum time
We all have high and low motivational days. If you are not able to meet the daily minimum run or workout target, instead of skipping it completely, try lowering it. It’s 0kay to give yourself leverage on some days. Doing half is better than missing an entire day.
Feel that endorphin energy
You know how working out makes you feel good because your brain releases a “feel good hormone” into your bloodstream. The high is real. You experience positivity or even euphoria, as working out regularly improves the mood & releases endorphins.
A friend who will not let you go off track
There are people who prefer solo workouts, but some people need a little push. It helps them in the motivation department, scheduling daily workouts with your buddy can make a real difference. Surrounding yourself with people who have similar interests helps a lot in reaching your goals. Finding a friend who has a similar routine can help you in getting off the couch.
Your workout shouldn’t be about how you look
The moment you stop working out for your physical appearance, you will start seeing becoming more motivated. When you make it entirely about your looks, you will start falling short of expectations, and you might end up giving up. Rather than big goals, you can start with little ones. Smaller victories help with daily motivation. In no time, you will start feeling amazing about your achievement.
Let the music help you in moving
Research shows that music actually helps with running motivation. Take out a little time and create a playlist for your favorite tunes. Make sure you select the upbeat songs that will put you in the mood & inspire you to get moving.
Connect to nature
Breathing in the fresh air while surrounding yourself with nature can help you to focus on training. The natural beauty of lakes, trees & hills is mentally refreshing. Also, being outdoors is a great mood booster. If getting out of the city is hard, visit a local park once a week.
Be flexible to maximize workout motivation
If you are having busy days or not feeling up to it, it's okay to take a day or two off. You must go easy on yourself and give yourself a little break. The most important thing you should get back on track as soon as you possibly can. After regaining your enthusiasm, start getting moving again!
Conclusion
These 14 workout motivation tips are sure to get you moving and keep you moving. Remember, it's okay to take a break... but don't let it become a permanent break! Our bodies are designed to move, and if you move, you will feel better and live longer.