Jonathan Borba
Motivation is paramount. It’s not enough to merely psych yourself up. There are proven techniques for crank up your workout motivation. From months in advance to when the routine is done, we present the 33 best ways to boost your drive to grow stronger, fitter, and better.
LONG-RANGE WORKOUT MOTIVATION
1. SET CLEAR AND ACHIEVABLE GOALS.
Setting specific, measurable, and attainable fitness goals is a fundamental step in finding motivation to exercise. Research suggests that individuals with clear goals tend to exercise more consistently than those without them [1]. Find a purpose for the next six to 18 months, and set a date for fulfilling that purpose. Maybe it’s an addition of 10 good pounds or a subtraction of 15 bad ones, or maybe it’s to run a marathon or hit a deadlift PR. Whatever it is, write down specific marks to hit along the way to arrive on time at the final destination.
2. DISCOVER YOUR “WHY.”
Identifying your personal reasons for wanting to exercise, your “why,” can be a powerful motivator. Your “why” may be rooted in health improvement, stress reduction, weight loss, or a desire to boost your strength. A study showed that intrinsic motivation (from within you) is a stronger predictor of long-term exercise adherence than extrinsic motivation (external rewards or pressure) [2].
3. OVERCOME OBSTACLES.
In her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, Gabriele Oettingen, PhD, explains that it’s not enough to visualize success. You also have to identify and remove obstacles. These might appear elsewhere on this list but in a negative sense—the wrong workout partner, a stale routine, lax focus, etc. They could also be stress triggers that are harder to pinpoint. Truthfully evaluate your relationships, lifestyle, and frame of mind for anything that might be holding you back. Then, make the necessary changes to eliminate any hindrance.
4. PICK THE RIGHT GYM.
If you have options, choose the workout space that best meets your workout goals, one that is uncrowded, well-equipped, and populated with members simpatico with your goals. Be aware that atmospherics—décor, music, temperature, the behavior of others, and much more—can affect your mindset in ways you may not even be conscious of, so trust your instincts during a tour or trial run. Even if the right gym is twice as far from home and $200 more annually than the wrong gym, it’s probably worth it.
5. KEEP RECORDS.
To get to a destination, you need to first know where you are. And so it is with fitness. You can record sets, reps, and weights in a journal; you can snap progress photos; and you can note your bodyweight and body part measurements at regular intervals. All such accounting will help you better plot a path forward, and, when short-term gains inevitably slow, having a record of long-term progress can reinforce your belief that you’re on the right path.
6. BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
Sharing your fitness goals with friends or family and asking them to help hold you accountable can create a support system that encourages you to stay motivated.
7. LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
From asking out strangers to skydiving, do what makes you uncomfortable. What does this have to do with barbell rows or HIIT cardio? Stretching your personal limits builds confidence by proving to yourself you can do things you couldn’t or wouldn’t even attempt before. In turn, that lesson can, consciously and subliminally, fuel tougher workouts.
MID-RANGE WORKOUT MOTIVATION
8. CREATE A WORKOUT PLAN.
Developing a structured workout plan can give you a sense of direction and progression and can significantly increase your motivation to train consistently.
9. MAKE IT ENJOYABLE.
The training routine you choose should be enjoyable to you. Whether it’s weight-training, hiking, swimming, or playing a sport, doing something you genuinely like can make exercise feel less like a chore. A study found that individuals who engaged in enjoyable physical activities were more likely to stick to their exercise routine [3]. If you have trouble sticking to one kind of exercise, mix in other kinds that you find more pleasurable.
10. SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUTS.
Treat your workouts like appointments by scheduling them in your daily or weekly agenda. This makes exercise a non-negotiable part of your routine and reduces the likelihood of skipping it. A study found that individuals who scheduled exercise were more likely to maintain a consistent routine [4].
11. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS.
Monitoring your progress by keeping a workout journal or using fitness apps can be a motivating tool. Seeing improvements in strength, endurance, or weight loss can provide a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to continue.
12. STAY INFORMED.
Educating yourself about the benefits of exercise and its positive impact on your health can reinforce your motivation. Understanding the science behind exercise can increase your commitment to a regular routine. Continue reading The Barbell regularly.
13. TAKE A BREAK.
Sometimes when your motivation is waning, the best thing to do is nothing—literally. Stay home. Don’t go to the gym. Don’t even think about dumbbells or treadmills for at least a week but no longer than two. Afterwards, you should be physically and emotionally recharged and raring to duck under a squat bar again. People often have their best workouts just after a layoff.
WORKOUT MOTIVATION: THE LAST 24 HOURS
14. FIXATE ON WORKOUT GOALS.
Concentrate repeatedly on what you want to accomplish in your workout. This may be a rep target with a big weight or the drop sets you want to grind out or the pump you want to achieve (or all of the above). If you have a very specific mark, such as 245 for 10 in the bench press, write a note, and post it where you can focus on it again and again.
15. DIRECT YOUR SLEEP.
Lying in bed before falling asleep, focus on the next day’s workout. Visualize as many details as possible—the gym, your clothes, other people who’ll be there then, etc.—but also try to smell, hear, and feel it. The more senses you can involve, the better. If there’s a big lift you want to get, imagine it happening so vividly it seems real. Focus your dreams so your subliminal brain can assist you in turning those dreams into reality.
16. BE INSPIRED.
Maybe it’s watching a Rocky movie or a basketball highlight clip. Maybe it’s reading a comic book or inspirational quotes. Maybe it’s listening to a sermon, shouting along to a favorite rap song, or staying perfectly still and silent while meditating. Do whatever best gets you mentally prepared for the task ahead.
PRE-WORKOUT MOTIVATION
17. HAVE A SOUNDTRACK.
Creating a workout playlist with your favorite songs can provide motivation during your workouts. Research shows that music can enhance exercise performance and enjoyment [5]. Wear earbuds or headphones, and begin your favorite psych-up song just before your toughest set. Additionally, listening to podcasts can make cardio workouts more engaging, and relaxing music can help you calm down for yoga or stretching.
Related: Best Workout Music: The Power of Songs and Top Workout Songs of 2023
18. TEAM UP.
Why depend entirely on self-motivation when others can help you drive through your hardest sets? Whether pairing with a training partner, hiring a trainer, joining a group exercise class, or just enlisting a spotter on occasion, knowing someone is watching should galvanize you, and the right encouragement can switch you into a gear you can’t get to on your own. Research in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine (2018) demonstrates that social support and companionship can enhance motivation and adherence to exercise programs [6].
19. MAKE SMALL CHANGES.
We don’t always thrive on routines. Sometimes, to achieve different results, you need to do something different—if only to remind yourself things won’t be the same. When the Chicago Bulls won six world titles, the team changed their shoes from white to black for their playoff runs. It was a visual reminder: Things are different now. It might be new clothes or a day pass to another gym or hitting the weights two hours earlier than usual. Sometimes a little change can create a big difference in attitude.
20. ENERGIZE.
A pre-workout powder or caffeine pill can elevate your energy and focus so you stay motivated until your last rep or final step.
21. TRACK YOURSELF.
By strapping on a wearable fitness tracker, you can easily monitor your cardio. This, in turn, can provoke you to match or beat your previous marks.
22. PICTURE IT.
During his six-year reign as Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates would picture every set he was going to perform hours before the workout. Visualization is one of your most powerful tools. See it and feel it again and again until actually doing it becomes merely a formality and failing to do it is unimaginable. A study demonstrated that visualization can help reinforce positive outcomes [7].
INTRA-WORKOUT MOTIVATION
23. DO THE HARDEST THING FIRST.
If there’s a body part (say, calves) that’s lagging or an exercise you’re struggling with (say, front squats), do it first when your strength, enthusiasm, and energy are greatest. Make it the most important component of your routine. Conversely, save the easiest or most pleasurable things (say, curls) for last, as a reward to drive you through the workout.
24. COMPETE.
If you’re training with a well-matched partner, you can attempt to top each other’s sets. Usually, though, you’re competing against your old self—if only the person you were last workout. Continuously set up mini-trials—whether a personal best or a new exercise or a reduced rest period—to make every workout a series of competitions.
25. BREAK THE ROUTINE.
Boredom kills motivation. Do something (or everything) differently to recharge your workout enthusiasm. Change exercises, mix-up the order of things, or alter your rep schemes. These are just some of the many workout variables you can alter to keep things fresh and exciting, as recommended by a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research [8].
26. MAKE IT POSITIVE.
We’re more motivated to do things we like, so take steps to make your training more pleasurable. Here’s a few ideas. Make friends in the gym. Wear your favorite shoes only on heavy squat days. And listen to the latest episode of that podcast you love only during HIIT cardio.
Related: The Power of Positive Thinking
27. LOOK AT YOUR PHONE.
We’d rather not encourage you to stare at your screen between sets, but, since you’re probably doing it anyway, never let it distract you from your goals. Instead, via photos, inspirational lines, or a goal checklist, it should help laser your focus onto your next exercise.
28. GET EXTERIOR ENCOURAGEMENT.
If you’re training with someone else, now is the time for them to tell you, “You got this.”
29. GIVE INTERIOR ENCOURAGEMENT.
Do whatever it takes to motivate yourself. Maybe it’s a verse. Maybe it’s an image. Maybe it’s a reminder, again and again, of your rep target. Maybe it’s a positive affirmation of your strength and indomitable will to succeed.
30. GET ANGRY.
Raging against the machine (or barbell) isn’t for everyone, but activating the fight-of-flight instinct is a proven way to boost strength. This is why some powerlifters take a slap before storming to the bar, where, just before the lift, they may roar. A similar strategy or focusing on something sure to raise your blood pressure may help you eke out reps that the comfortable, contented you could never get.
Related: Hysterical Strength: Unleashing Your Superhero Potential
POST-WORKOUT MOTIVATION
31. REWARD YOURSELF.
Creating a reward system for reaching fitness milestones or sticking to your routine can provide an extra boost of motivation. Like dogs, we can form good habits because of positive reinforcement. Charles Duhigg’s best-selling book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, prescribes creating a neurological habit loop wherein we reward ourselves for achieving goals. Like a canine treat, a reward can be small—a favorite food post-workout after hitting all your rep targets or a TV show you only stream on days you do cardio or even just a beloved song you only play just after a new personal best. Your brain associates the small pleasure the “treat” generates with success and a habit loop forms, perpetuating more success.
32. BE ACCOUNTABLE.
If you keep a training journal or post photos, video, or stats to Instagram, you’re generating a record. This, in turn, sets up a standard that you need to meet or beat while moving forward. Additionally, positive reinforcement from real world or social media likes can fuel greater motivation.
33. EVALUATE.
Did you meet your goals? Did you do all you could to initiate the growth of muscle or the loss of body fat? If not, strategize changes for your next workout, from as small as a change of clothes to as big as completely different exercises. Both failure and success are motivators. How do you avoid the former and perpetuate the latter? Every workout should prompt what you do in your next workout.
HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO WORKOUT: CONCLUSION
The preceding 33 techniques provide a blueprint for getting motivated and staying motivated. But ultimately, it’s up to you. Do you want to change your body? Do you want to meet your fitness goals? Get at it and stay at it. It won’t come overnight, but that’s the beauty of a fitness program. Embrace the never-ending journey. Keep doing it and keep reaping the rewards. Develop a lifelong habit of exercise and reap the lifelong rewards.
SOURCES
1. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2014
3. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2015
4. Health Education & Behavior, 2014
6. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2018
