If your intentions are good but your efforts are lacklustre, you’re probably struggling for motivation. Don’t despair: it happens to us all. Follow these workout tips to keep your training fresh and your motivation levels at an all-time high.
Set small, achievable goals
Vowing to run a marathon in 12 months is all well and good, but on a daily basis it’s important to set more modest goals. Aim to squeeze out an extra rep or to run 100 yards further on the treadmill. Consistently achieve these small goals and the bigger ones will fall into place.
Turn up the tunes
Exercising to music can reduce your perceived effort by up to 10%, boosting the number of reps you can complete. Choose a motivational playlist – something upbeat and uptempo – and get to work.
Talk to yourself
Exhort yourself to tackle that workout with everything you’ve got. A quick pep talk will enable you to focus better and exercise for longer. Just don’t let your fellow gym-goers catch you talking to yourself.
Brave a new exercise routine
Download Adrian James Bootcamp. The app’s bodyweight exercises will help build strength and stamina, provide video tutorials and workout tips, and be a welcome change to your regular fitness routine.
Seek support
Whether you’re benching steel, completing crunches or pounding the tarmac, the benefits of having a training partner cannot be overstated. A partner will push you harder and keep you on track when you start flagging. Having someone to talk to and compete with will also make your workouts more enjoyable.
Take a challenge
If you’re serious about getting in shape, you need an incentive. A reason to push yourself harder and to augment your hard work with good diet and nutrition. Try my Adrian James Body Transformation Challenge. Stick to the programme and eight weeks from now you’ll be in the best shape of your life and relishing every workout.
Surround yourself with positive people
You can’t always choose who you work with, but you can certainly choose who you hang with. Negative people will drag you down to their level and cause you to lose sight of your goals. Similarly, if your friends prefer sedentary living to healthy living, you could find yourself skipping workouts to socialise with them. Peer pressure is a powerful thing, so make sure yours have a positive effect on your life.
Record your progress
Because you see yourself in the mirror every day, it’s easy to miss the incremental improvements being made every time you work out. Thankfully the camera doesn’t miss a thing. While it’s possible to snap too many selfies, a weekly photograph (taken in the same spot for consistency) will form an excellent record of your progress. When you look back, you may be pleasantly surprised at how far you’ve come. Dean, Neil and Martin are proof of that!
Listen to inspirational speakers
Before you so much as lace your trainers, you can often tell whether your workout’s going to be killer or filler. It all comes down to your state of mind. To get into a positive mindset, try listening to inspirational speeches. YouTube’s full of motivational fitness compilations that’ll leave you itching to unleash your inner beast. Train your mind and your body will follow suit.
Reward yourself
Succeeded in setting a personal best? Treat yourself. Go on – you’ve earned it. It could be a meal out with friends, a weekend away or a new outfit you’ve been eyeing.
Incorporate these workout tips into your lifestyle and you won’t just hit your fitness goals – you’ll smash them.
