Staying Motivated to Train At Home During Isolation

OK… So at the beginning of this pandemic, new normality. I CLEARLY did not handle the situation as best as I could…. My motivation to do anything really took a hit. But, after spending a week or more seeking the help that I needed for my mental health I have slowly got that motivation back.

I feel that now it’s never been as high as it is right now.

Honestly, I would be the LAST person to say this as ‘home workouts’ were never really my bag.

‘They suck’. That is what I would always tell myself.

‘No atmosphere’…. ‘Not the same as going to the gym’.

Then looking back, wasn’t there a time in my life when I use to think going to the gym was a chore?

Especially after going to work for several hours. The last thing I wanted to do was to get a bus to a gym to go sweat on a crosstrainer and then spend another hour or so travelling back home.

IF you’re relying soley on motivation to get started it could take you a while to actually take action towards your goals.

What you need to focus on right now is DISCIPLINE.

If, you don’t have the motivation to work on developing your fitness, on taking care of YOUR body, on working on making yourself feel good so that when you look in the mirror in the morning you feel great, or maybe actually being able to look in the mirror at yourself!

If these reasons are not enough to keep you motivated.

Then fuck motivation.

It’s time to work on becoming disciplined.

Motivation alone doesn’t work for me…

So, here I am going to share some of the things that help me.

Getting a coach – Yes, you heard me right. As a PT I struggle to ‘motivate’ myself from time to time. Working with a coach forces me to go train. I don’t like letting people down so having a coach helps me to stay accountable.

Actually taking the time to find an activity you enjoy. – Now, for me… it’s taken me a long time to find activities I like to do in the gym. And, my attention can go from liking one activity to the next. Does that make me a ‘Crossfitter’? haha! But, seriously… If you don’t like running then why are you running? There are other things you can try. Bodyweight workouts, boxing workouts, strength training…. So many. Don’t get hung up on an activity you don’t enjoy. Move on and find something else to try!

Join a community who have similar goals to yourself. - It’s easy to maintain motivation when you surround yourself with people who inspire and encourage you to keep going. I think one of the reasons I moved from boxing to strongman/powerlifting was because of the encouragement, and seeing how great it feels to get stronger! The community keeps me inspired. As a coach I am on a mission a community for my own clients. Sharing your goals is another great way to help you stay accountable.

Do It for the people who say you can’t do that. You know. Prove it to yourself that you can achieve your goals no matter what. Your confidence and self belief will grow when you achieve one goal. And this will push you along to achieve more. Being able to say ‘I did it’ is a great fucking feeling!

Those are my top tips for now!

If you have any questions give me a shout. On Insta @squatnlift_ or facebook http://www.facebook.com/squatnlift or Tweet @Squatnlift