Motivation to go

[Godsmack]

I am not a bodybuilder. Hell by 95% of the member's of this boards scales I am not even in what you could call 'good shape' yea I am not fat, but for 5'10" and 215 I look like shit. I realize this. I just have to know what drives you guys and gals to hit the iron every damn time the logbook says its time to? Is it knowing that the other guy is not making excuses and is in there getting one work out ahead of you? Or perhaps the thought of not getting what you want out of your body?

I am asking because sometimes I find myself getting out of work at 5:45 or 6:00 or sometimes later after waking up around 3:45 or 4:45 in the am and just not having the drive or the energy to get my ass in there and hit the weights. Yea, when the day went like shit I could out feeling better about my day, my self, my marriage and everything else under the sun but sometimes it just isn't enough to motivate my lazy ass.

I am just trying to find a new outlook on going to the gym so I can better motivate myself to eat the way I need to, and get into the gym like I know I should.

Thanks!


J

[[email protected]]

I am not a bodybuilder. Hell by 95% of the member's of this boards scales I am not even in what you could call 'good shape' yea I am not fat, but for 5'10" and 215 I look like shit. I realize this. I just have to know what drives you guys and gals to hit the iron every damn time the logbook says its time to? Is it knowing that the other guy is not making excuses and is in there getting one work out ahead of you? Or perhaps the thought of not getting what you want out of your body?

I am asking because sometimes I find myself getting out of work at 5:45 or 6:00 or sometimes later after waking up around 3:45 or 4:45 in the am and just not having the drive or the energy to get my ass in there and hit the weights. Yea, when the day went like shit I could out feeling better about my day, my self, my marriage and everything else under the sun but sometimes it just isn't enough to motivate my lazy ass.

I am just trying to find a new outlook on going to the gym so I can better motivate myself to eat the way I need to, and get into the gym like I know I should.

Thanks!


J

Well for me I honestly love training. The shitier day I have the more I want to train. I also found it's best to be realistic with how often I go too. I'm increasing my training now because I'm prepping, but before that because of work and family it was best/easiest to train three or four days per week only.
If you only have to make it three days a week it's a lot easier to do it.

Diet for me is the hard part because I LOVE to eat. So I found a pic of Kevin Levrone Doing a most muscular that is the epitome BB to me. It's going on my fridge tomorrow to remind me what I'm striving for.

[grit]

I think you should ask yourself why you're training.

This is something that I think everyone should do.

Why do you train? You don't have to share, just be honest with yourself. Everyone's relationship with training is unique. Some people take it more seriously or allow it to be a bigger part of their lives than others. That's just fine. It's very easy to get into the mindset on a bodybuilding board that the more serious and dedicated you are about training or the nicer your 'quad sweep' the better person you are, but that's simply untrue. You alone define your relationship with the 'iron'.

You'll get a lot of replies to this thread because this is a passionate topic for a lot of people, but reading what motivates other people may or may not help. Everyone has different goals, personalities, circumstances, experiences...just different lives.

However, I don't think you'll truly be able to find that motivation you're looking for until you really sit down and think about why you train. Sure, we talk about a logbook and you can easily answer, "Well, I train because I want to squat X or bench Y". But those are just numbers... while the logbook may give your training immediate purpose, motivation--true motivation that is lasting, stems from a much deeper "why".

Also--the situation you described is very common. Getting back from a long day of work and having trouble finding motivation to train is common. You aren't alone there. You should also know that almost everyone has times where they lack motivation. This is normal. Almost everyone has had days they just didn't feel like training or just didn't feel like eating this or that. "Motivation" sometimes means just sucking it up and doing it anyway because you know deep down at one point, this is what you wanted.

If you ask yourself why you train and still come up empty--maybe it's just not for you. If this last statement sounds absurd to you because you just couldn't imagine living without the weights--ask yourself why and that's a good place to start.


Good luck.

[steel1970]

This hits home for me as well cause this past year has had alot of ups and downs for me....this was by far my worst year of injuries, and somehow I managed to grow still...I think it just comes down to the fire you have inside you to do this. I know I have questioned my fire, even as recent as 5-6 weeks ago. My passion is not gone but also not as strong as it once was....it's perplexing at times. Just push yourself to do it and sooner or later it may just become a habit...lol

[Godsmack]

I think you should ask yourself why you're training.

This is something that I think everyone should do.

Why do you train? You don't have to share, just be honest with yourself. Everyone's relationship with training is unique. Some people take it more seriously or allow it to be a bigger part of their lives than others. That's just fine. It's very easy to get into the mindset on a bodybuilding board that the more serious and dedicated you are about training or the nicer your 'quad sweep' the better person you are, but that's simply untrue. You alone define your relationship with the 'iron'.

You'll get a lot of replies to this thread because this is a passionate topic for a lot of people, but reading what motivates other people may or may not help. Everyone has different goals, personalities, circumstances, experiences...just different lives.

However, I don't think you'll truly be able to find that motivation you're looking for until you really sit down and think about why you train. Sure, we talk about a logbook and you can easily answer, "Well, I train because I want to squat X or bench Y". But those are just numbers... while the logbook may give your training immediate purpose, motivation--true motivation that is lasting, stems from a much deeper "why".

Also--the situation you described is very common. Getting back from a long day of work and having trouble finding motivation to train is common. You aren't alone there. You should also know that almost everyone has times where they lack motivation. This is normal. Almost everyone has had days they just didn't feel like training or just didn't feel like eating this or that. "Motivation" sometimes means just sucking it up and doing it anyway because you know deep down at one point, this is what you wanted.

If you ask yourself why you train and still come up empty--maybe it's just not for you. If this last statement sounds absurd to you because you just couldn't imagine living without the weights--ask yourself why and that's a good place to start.


Good luck.

Thanks for the detailed reply Grit.


Honestly..........I train for a few reasons. I train because I want a better physique, because I want to do better on the Army's PT test. I train because some day I want the same look thrust upon me that I saw countless 'built' guys get when they walk into a room. That look of respect on sight. I train because it honestly does feel good to make my body hurt and know that it all adds up.

I just find that this at times is not enough. I know NOTHING worth having does not come without hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. My relationship has NEVER taken a back seat to my training. I know what my wife (who is also a soldier) goes through every day at work, and considering she wakes me up every day for work (I sleep like a rock) I try to be there as much as possible for her.

The whole point of this thread for me, is to see what drives a person to push it to the max even when everything else is saying 'eh fuck it'.


J

[46er]

Grit that was an awesome post.