I can't wait to workout today because ...

[Jim USA]

We all have long term goals to be bigger and buffer. But I find day-to-day motivations to be the best method of getting me excited about one more visit to the gym. Here are a couple that I?ve used lately: ?I can?t wait to workout today because ?

- it?s time to increase the weight on incline bench presses.?
- I?m gonna try doing tri-sets for biceps.?
- this new shirt makes me look great.?
- that cute girl (or guy) might be there.?
- I wanna see if this new supplement has any effect on my workout.?

What?s your motivation to workout today?

[claygrant]

Originally Posted by Jim USA

- that cute girl (or guy) might be there.?

What?s your motivation to workout today?

Jim, great post. I also love the day-to-day progress. It's funny what you said above... because I'm sure when you go to the gym, YOU are that cute, buff guy for someone else. My motivation today? I'm a little closer to seeing the veins on my biceps pop out. Oh yeah, and seeing all the buff guys doesn't hurt either!

[glammaman2000]

&train HARD!but there's something meditative about even the roughest workout.after a very stressful work week,i finally got into the gym;&i could feel the tension drop off about half-way through the workout!AAAAAHHH!!!

[brent]

This is such a great thread for me right now, because I'm pretty much taking a week off of training, for my move to Las Vegas. I will go to the gym today, to get rid off some of the stress of the move, but I haven't been able to get there much, and it I miss the great feeling of working out. I find it very meditative, like Glamma just said.

[muscl32]

...good thread for me as well. I'm experiencing winter for the first time in the northeast, having moved here from Florida, and sometimes I just don't want to leave the house because it's so gross outside. So I log onto this sight for motivation and inspiration, mostly. I know what I need/want to do in terms of my workout, but I find myself searching for reasons why I shouldn't go as well:
1) today should be a cardio day
2) perhaps I should start with another body part, so I stay stuck in the indecisive mode as to what I should be doing
3) I should rest and start the workout week another day when I'm more motivated
Once I get started with my rountine for the week, however, I find that I'm eager to continue it to completion. My real difficulty seems to lie in starting the weekly routine, after resting for two days, especially when I had planned to do more cardio on at least one of those two days and I didn't accomplish that goal...all I know is that sometimes my own mind is my greatest enemy because I "think" too much.

[Buffling]

In order to get to the gym today I had to walk for 25 minutes in the rain, with no umbrella and with the temperature sitting at 5 degrees C (40 degrees F?). (Does this sound like one of those uphill-both-ways-on-broken-glass dealies, or what?)

When I got to the gym I was soaked to the bone, my gym clothes were wet, AND I had forgotten my membership card. After the staff finished mocking me and let me in, I changed into my wet gym shorts and my wet gym shirt and trudged into the weight room. When I started to lift I was dog-tired and tempted to slack off... but I didn't, and by the end of it all I felt amazing: poundages went up for several exercises; I had a nice big pump, and I had that "I am Superman" feeling that I only get after I've pushed past every reason NOT to workout, and did it anyway. It was worth it, and tomorrow will be just as good.

[glammaman2000]

somebody with the right idea!often,you get your best workouts on the days you"didn't feel like it".waiting for inspiration is a HUGE mistake!waytago,buffling!

[brent]

Originally Posted by Buffling

Is there a prize?
...

Yes there is a prize, a big, buff, studly you, plus the euphoria you feel after your workout. I can empathize with you as I often walked through the rain, to the gym in Portland. Thankfully, I now live in the desert!


This is a good thread, and I don't want it to die.

[brent]

My accident, and my alpine slide accident last year taught me that you need to go to the gym while you can. You never know when something will come along to delay your progress, so don't delay it voluntarily. Appreciate every day you are healthy, and workout for those of us that currently are not.

Any more thoughts?

-Zipper Head.

[ethernet_jock]

I can't wait to go to the gym tomorrow because... I've been in Orlando for the last 1.5 weeks and haven't worked out at all and I'm VERY MUCH FEELING THE WITHDRAWL!!!

aarrrrrggghhhh.... neeeeeed fleeeeeeexxxx....

[Buffling]

I can't wait to work out today because I'm starting a new routine, after 12 weeks of same-old, same-old. Giving this Max-OT thing a try. I expect the first week will be a little rough as I try out a bunch of new exercises and figure out how much weight to lift... but then I should enjoy at least six weeks of fun before I have to change it up again. W00t.

[Jim USA]

I had a list of things to do today other than workout, but then remembered that I started this thread. So to get me in the gym, I decided to ignore my regular routine and just go pump. No cardio, just weights and abs with little or no rest between sets. What fun! I ended by alternating biceps and triceps until I was so pumped I could hardly bend my elbow. Is this a fun sport or what? Must have been pretty effective too because as I was leaving, I said "hi" to a guy just walking in and his eyes went directly to my arms. Sometimes I can't believe it when I read posts from guys saying they can't get motivated to workout. Are they nuts?!

[brent]

Originally Posted by Jim USA

...
Sometimes I can't believe it when I read posts from guys saying they can't get motivated to workout. Are they nuts?!

Yes they are nuts. I understand it's hard to motivate yourself to go, but once you get there, it's easy. Once you get going, you feed off of the energy there. So you nutty guys just sitting around the house, surfing and playing video games: go to the gym now! Just pack a bag, and go!

[greeneear88]

My excuse for going to the gym is....

1: I will be able to exceed my limitations
2: It's the only place where i know there's a full-length mirror.
3: The guy doing preacher curls is looking at me!
4: Every time i go, i feel myself ripping through my clothes

^_~ Leave that to your imagination!

[loopyrhino2001]

I feel kinda bad when I read posts like this, or hear from friends who are all psyched about their latest workout... because I have been such a gym slacker lately and it's like "ok, so what's wrong with ME that I haven't been able to get my butt into the gym more than once a week in the past month?" I mean, I do work full-time, and I'm in grad school (which is kicking my butt this quarter since I'm taking two classes)... but I'm certain people busier than me are also finding the time to work out. I suppose when I finally have a moment where I'm not working or doing homework, sometimes I just want to *sit* and surf or watch tv or whatever

That said, when I do get to the gym, it feels great, even though I'm not progressing much/at all strength- or size-wise. For whatever reason, I'm just not willing/able to invest the time and energy right now to changing my diet and reprioritizing my time to devote more of it to mass building (and I'm an ectomorph to begin with so it has always been slow-going anyway) but it does feel good to get a good workout in once in a blue moon. Sorry to ramble, but I've been having mixed feelings about the whole gym thing lately and reading this thread got my mind going as to why.

[ethernet_jock]

loopy - I've been off/on myself that way for the last couple months.... I've been starting to feel more down about myself for it too and my wife has promised to kick my ass out of bed to get me going in the future.

repeat after me:

I do want to progress, I do want to get bigger, I will get stronger, I will eat better, I will workout at least 3x/week.

Remember - it takes for freakin' ever to do it naturally... but there's never a better feeling than knowing you did it all. Keep it up, and try a little harder! If I can do it with a full time job, a needy pregnant wife, a 2-year-old (almost), and plenty of other shit.... so can you. We both need to inspire one-another to quit being so damn lazy. We can't expect ourselves to achieve what dedicated bodybuilders achieve who can afford to commit 6-8hrs/day every single day to exercise... nor can we truly even expect to be the same as a single guy with just a job who has nothing but free time on his hands to commit. .... but we CAN expect the best out of ourselves that we can be.



how's that? help any?

Do it!! Or else I'll drive out there and pummel your ass with my 6'4" 250lb fist.

[Mdlftr]

Pardon me, is this b*tch session taken?

May I work in?

For what it's worth, I've been feeling the same way. I have kids, a full time job, a wife, and a heavy work-travel schedule. Some of my most consistent workouts lately have been at the crap hotel gyms --- BUT! The important point is that I went and worked out!

I totally agree with you guys about:
1. getting down on yourself for not working out,
2. comparing yourself to Mr. Genetic-freak-who-juices-and-who-gets-paid-to-sit-around-and-then-go-workout
3. Being mad at yourselves for not "doing more" to enlarge/strengthen/massify your body,
Etc.

But look at it this way: Once upon a time, we didn't work out --- at ALL. Now, we do. We do it with varying degrees of time committment, but we do it.

Give yourselves credit for what you've done, and what you will continue to do. You KNOW you will go back to it, and you will make progress. It takes time, and you will get results! Don't be down because right now you aren't following what you think you "should" be doing. Everyone gets burnt out/blahed out at times. What makes the difference is going back, again, as opposed to quitting.

I recently measured myself for the first time in months, and got quite a charge out of it. All my muscles are bigger, and my waist is smaller. Nothing looks like BM material, but I can see the progress. IN the big scheme of things, I'm positively changing my body, and that is what I want.

So, I am (and I very much suspect you are also ) making progress!

Go get 'em, men!

[brent]

Loopy, school takes a LOT of time & energy. You need to prioritize what's important to you, then spend that much time/energy focusing on what you want. School might be you focus right now, not the gym. In that case, just focus on school & work. The gym can wait 'til later. If the gym is important to you, you need to take a realistic look at your schedule, and find the time. Maybe in the morning before school? Maybe at night after work? Maybe you can read during aerobics, and outline papers during weights. You'll need to get creative, but don't get so tired packing in so much you slide in your work, or grades.

[loopyrhino2001]

Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you for words of wisdom and encouragement. And threats of bodily harm, ethernet_jock.

Brent is right, work and school are higher on my priority list than working out, right now. I'd still like to make it to the gym a couple times a week just to get some activity and keep somewhat fit, but a serious focus on mass-building will have to wait, I think. Maybe if I take the summer off from grad school classes I can devote some more time to it.

[glammaman2000]

We have great fun&it makes the 2hr.workouts I have now fly by!He's 11yrs.younger than I am,stronger than I am on most exercises,but I'm bigger than he is;so we push each other.He gets up earlier than I do,does tough physical labor all day;so I can't fink out'cause I'm tired after work.We joke,solve the world's problems&bitch about our jobs.&best of all,he's perfectly happy to let me totally control the workout!(guess that's why I never had a partner before)

[ethernet_jock]

Originally Posted by loopyrhino2001

And threats of bodily harm, ethernet_jock.

when all else fails... I seem to get what I want from people when pulling that line....



I just can't understand whY!

[brent]

Originally Posted by glammaman2000

...
&best of all,he's perfectly happy to let me totally control the workout!(guess that's why I never had a partner before)

I'd be happy to workout with you G, and you can take the control. I get sick of having to plan it all.

[muscle_mastah]

Are we talking about the same kind of workouts!

[glammaman2000]

Don't know when I'll get to Vegas but I'd LOOOOOVE to train you!(&reap the rewards!)

[brent]

Originally Posted by muscle_mastah

Are we talking about the same kind of workouts!

Well, I'm married (happily), so I hope we are talking about the gym kind.

[jcnutt]

What is fun is when you get that motivstion back after a little break or down time, seeing that friend of yours looking better in a tight polo, or the new guy in the gym that seems to really have great form and is truly strong for his size....

There are lots of times when it can be pretty easy to back out, but the one and only true motivation is to do it for yourself, your health, and what ever benefits may come from that increased strength or size... yeah, the extra looks are great also....

[brent]

Originally Posted by jcnutt

What is fun is when you get that motivstion back after a little break or down time, seeing that friend of yours looking better in a tight polo,
...
the one and only true motivation is to do it for yourself, your health, and what ever benefits may come from that increased strength or size... yeah, the extra looks are great also....

Although looking the way I want to look is one of my big motivating factors, I really want to add that the increased strength can be a big help. At work I can lift a LOT more than anyone else there, and that helps me get a lot done in very little time so I can get around to new projects for my manager, or training for me. Either way, the effects of working out help me look good professionally, and physically.

As for seeing how people have progressed, that can be motivating too. Back when I spent 10 years stalling in the on again/off again cycle, I'd see guys getting bigger month by month, while I stayed the same. I'm just so thankful to this forum for getting me out of that a couple years ago. Now I'm one of the growing boys.

[biguglymofo]

I get my motivation from my training partner and I do my best to motivate him. Although I usually psych myself up, when I don't he'll push me just that bit I need to get that extra rep or those extra 10 lbs.

[Lucan]

For enjoyment of peace of mind with the body
To enjoy the pump
To use positive thinking
To unleash my inner being
In all "the feeling of total control of my muscles in growth."

[dallasmsl]

And I can't wait to get back into the gym. Here's some inspiration that I use!

[Jim USA]

I know that I will never look like the buff bodybuilders on stage, but at the end of a tough workout when I am tired and pumped, I sure feel like one! That is a great motivation to hit the gym on a regular basis.

[dallasmsl]

Dude, you gotta stop thinking like that UNLESS you don't WANT to look like those bodybuilders on stage. You'd be surprised how powerful your brain is.

IF, and that's a capital IF, you want to be a bodybuilder, or just have the physique of one, you have to turn off the negative valves in your brain. Sound corny? If it does to you, then you don't stand a chance. If it doesn't sound corny, then take it to heart and BELIEVE that you can look like the bodybuilders on stage. They aren't men from mars, ya know. They're just guys that started out just like everyone else. Ok, so some have better genetics than others but that shouldn't stop you from wanting to be the best yourself. Besides, if you don't try, how will you know what YOUR genetic potential is?

Dave.

[Jim USA]

Oh, yeah. Just thought of another reason to hit the gym. It's a great place to go on ninety degree days since it is air conditioned!

[dallasmsl]

So true man. I just got back from a blasting workout. The gym was pretty much empty and I loved it. I love it cause I can act like a nut and sweat without some bitch looking at me as if i'm from mars or something.