Training Motivation

Maintaining a fitness training programme is easy right? Well, it can be given the right psychological outlook and training periodization schedule. But what do you do when training motivation is low?

At Pete Fraser Fitness we provide the training motivation for clients to work out. We also try to educate them into providing their own self-motivation to train when not with us.

So how can you motivate yourself to continue your exercise plan? Follow our top 5 tips to make your exercise plan a success…

1. Find a training partner

The power of this is not to be underestimated. Knowing someone is waiting for you to run, bike, swim or just meet you at the gym for a strength and conditioning session is all the motivation you need to prepare and get out. Obviously it helps if your partner is a similar standard to you as you can use similar resistances and pace at the same intensity. It’s especially useful if you are working towards the same end goal, perhaps a competition. There is nothing like some healthy, inter-partner competition coming up to and actually during an event.

2.  Compete

Whether you enjoy running, swimming, cycling or paragliding find a competition at the appropriate level for your skill and aim for it. Knowing there is an event coming up in the diary is enough for most people to motivate their training and provide focus to their regime.

3. Join a club

Perhaps even more powerful than using a training partner is finding a local club to take part in your sport with others. You’ll make good friends and enjoy healthy competition with other club members which will motivate you to continue your training and progress much further than if on your own. Joining a club also opens the door to learning new training methods and coaching skills to take your training to the next level. You’ll be inspired to compete but best of all just enjoy getting out with other like minded individuals.

4. Get on with it – don’t sit down!

Perhaps the biggest mistake people make when they get home with the intention of getting out to exercise is to sit down – DON’T DO IT! Get your training kit on or pick up your training bag and car key and get straight out. As soon as you procrastinate, sit down, make a cup of  tea or any of the other 101 procrastination techniques we find ourselves doing so easily – your training is down the pan. Get on with it!

5. Lay out your kit

Simple but effective. Sometimes the smallest planning method can make all the difference. When you lay out your kit or fill your training bag, a psychological preparation has been made and you’re saying to yourself “I’m getting up and training tomorrow”. It’s a powerful method to motivation yourself. It’s also easier to prep the night before that fumbling around at 04:30 hrs making kit decisions and finding equipment, you’re saving time – you’re ready to go!

You might also be interested in this….   How to maintain your fitness after competition