How to motivate yourself to go to the gym: 12 tips

Author: Ksenia Shestakova - provided by the sports portal Scorebook.
2017-06-15

It may seem that you have everything you need for happiness: a gym membership, chosen workout clothes and shoes, and even time. But… you still need to make it to the gym. And that’s harder than it seems, and it’s not always easy to motivate yourself to train. Let’s figure out why we don’t want to go to the gym and think about how to change the situation to enjoy every workout.

Main Fears of Those Who Don't Want to Go to the Gym

I won't be able to do anything. This is a rather abstract statement. You will definitely be able to warm up – walking on the treadmill at a moderate pace, speed of about 5-6 km/h. You can work with light weights on machines and in the free weights area. You can also do stretching. Start small, and gradually progress to more complex exercises and higher loads.

I don’t know how all of this works. Almost every gym has machines like hyperextensions, pull-downs, leg press machines, Smith machine, and crossover. In the cardio zone, you will definitely find an elliptical trainer, stepper, rowing machine, treadmill, and stationary bike. Before visiting the gym, check how each one works and how to use it correctly. Often, the machines themselves have labels explaining how to use them. If you have questions, ask the duty trainer in the gym or more experienced visitors – they will always help you.

I will be the fattest / weakest / least experienced there. You go to the gym to change that. No one in the gym (except for your trainer, maybe) cares how you look or what you can do. Experience will come with time. Your body will get stronger, adapt to the weights and loads, and your strength will increase. If you train regularly and start eating well, your weight will normalize.

But how can you actually decide to go to the gym?

1. Everything starts with goals and deadlines for achieving them. You can write a term paper overnight, but you can't build muscle that quickly. If you decide that you need to increase your working weights by a third in a month, you understand that you won't achieve results in the last week before the deadline. Break the goal into steps – set what you need to achieve by the end of each week. And go to the gym so you don’t miss your deadline. Then you will achieve your goals and meet the deadlines.

2. Go with a friend. When you train together, it’s shameful to skip sessions – there’s no one to count your reps or spot you.

3. If you have no one to go with, try to visit the gym at the same time and greet those who are present. Gradually, you'll make new acquaintances, and your gym experience will become more enjoyable.

4. Another option is to make acquaintances in advance. This can be helped by Scorebook – a service for finding people with similar interests in sports.

5. Create a special playlist for your workouts and go to the gym to listen to your favorite tracks.

6. Establish a nice tradition for yourself – something that you will do only after your workout. For example, drink fresh juice on the way, take a picture of the sky, ride in a taxi instead of a bus, etc.

7. Make a bet – with friends or with yourself. Winning will become a matter of honor.

8. Tell your friends that you're going to the gym. They will surely be interested in your achievements, and it will be uncomfortable for you to admit that you skipped another workout.

9. Treat your workouts like a job. Create a schedule, don’t be late, and monitor yourself as a strict boss would with an employee. After all, you wouldn’t want to be fired, would you?

10. Calculate how much one day in the gym costs – divide the price of the membership by the number of days in the month or year. Make it a rule to give away / leave in a visible place / throw away this amount if you don’t go to training. But if you do go to the gym, save double that amount in a piggy bank.

11. Take photos in the gym and see how many "likes" they get. Go to the gym to find new angles and stories.

12. Come up with an alternative to the workout. For example, a thorough cleaning of your apartment. Go to the gym today, and do the cleaning tomorrow.

Motivation in sports is key. Without it, it seems that workouts are meaningless. Motivate yourself to go to the gym and remember to praise yourself – after all, you are accomplishing a small but significant achievement each time.