The best tips for bodybuilding motivation usually center on focus, accountability, and planning. For most people, bodybuilding is a time-intensive commitment that requires ongoing self-discipline. Without the proper motivation, it can be easy to lose heart, and with that lose strength. Staying motivated is a personal struggle that is best addressed on an individual level. Following a handful of general tips often makes the process easier, however.
One of the most important tips for bodybuilding motivation concerns learning to stay focused. Athletes must be able to visualize themselves succeeding in order to find the energy needed to push through another repetition or take on a few more weights. Clearly outlining goals is an important part of this process. Goals can be tangible, mental, written, or watched. Experimenting with a few techniques is usually the best way for athletes to find something that works.
Many bodybuilders focus by keeping their mind on where they want to be and what they want to achieve with their workouts. This can be as simple as cutting out pictures of people with exceptional physiques, then placing them around the house, in the car, or on a desk at work. Individuals may also find it helpful to keep a running log of their statistics. Writing down workouts, weights, and muscle density measurements on a daily basis can be a good way to maintain strong bodybuilding motivation.
Accountability is also an important part of weightlifting motivation. A bodybuilder is less likely to skimp out on repetitions or take a day off when he or she knows a partner is watching. Encouraging another athlete can also lead to bodybuilding inspiration.
One of the easiest ways to maintain accountability is to actually work out with a partner. Bodybuilders can meet each other at the gym, spot each other for exercises, and monitor each other's progress. When personal meet-ups are not possible, online bodybuilding forums and accountability groups can also be helpful. Participating in Internet-based discussions with other bodybuilders from around the world can be an important source of bodybuilding motivation. Logging in each day keeps athletes honest, while reading the stories of others can keep them enthusiastic.
No amount of bodybuilding motivation will work for the long-term without a plan in place. Planning is one of the most crucial workout motivation tips, but it is often overlooked because of how incidental it can seem to an athlete’s day-to-day struggles towards improvement. A good plan will account for meals, weightlifting times and intensities, and general scheduling.
Building up muscle mass requires more than just time in the gym. Diet, sleep, and cross-training exercises like running are also important. A bodybuilder who plans workouts around career and home obligations is more likely to stick to a schedule day after day, keeping exercise motivation high. Knowing what to expect and having a clear sense of how bodybuilding fits into a weekly schedule is important to many athletes' morale. It is usually harder to fail at something that is already on a list than it is to forget to add that thing to the list in the first place.