Whether it is amateur or professional sports, physical activities are highly demanding, and athletes are often left physically and mentally drained due to nerve-wracking competitions and rigorous training sessions. To maintain professionalism and be able to compete at the highest level, athletes are always required to be in their best element. This is why motivation and strict training regimens are the identity of elite athletes and distinguish them from the average Joes.
Here are ten ways to find the motivation to be persistent and exercise more if you want to excel in your sports career or just get visible results from your sporting activities.
1. Set Up Goals
What is your reason for exercising? Without clear goals, you will likely lose motivation to work out. Elite athletes have both personal and team goals that make them go full throttle. For example, if you are a soccer player, set up a personal target of 30 goals in one league season. This will motivate you to work harder in training sessions to stay fit and achieve those goals.
2. Have a Rest and Recover
While it is important to push your body to the limits and exercise regularly, you risk serious health issues if you do not cut back and give your body some time to rest and recover. For example, you might experience overtraining syndrome, with symptoms like extreme fatigue, underperformance, and insomnia. You are also likely to suffer from mental burnout or injury.
When you’re asleep, your body produces growth hormones that help repair damaged tissues and promote muscle growth. Hence, rest and recovery will help you stay active and exercise more without the risk of injuries and losing motivation.
3. Hire a Personal Trainer
In as much as athletes may seem immortal and god-like, they are human beings with weaknesses and challenges. Sometimes the motivation to keep going fades away. For example, in 2021, Naomi Osaka announced, in a tearful press conference, that she would take a break from tennis, citing mental health.
In such situations, you lack motivation, but the pressure to stay active and continue exercising is on. In this case, hiring a personal trainer would be a good way to help you cope. A personal trainer is trained to help you tap into your potential even at the toughest time. You can find contact details of competent personal trainers on Leadar for this.
4. Eat Healthily
Sportspersons are known to burn a lot of calories from the high level of physical activity they experience regularly. However, eating the right foods with nutritional value and shun from unhealthy foods are important. For example, avoid processed and fatty fast foods high in fat, sugar, and salt but low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Junk food makes you sluggish and overweight and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases due to the buildup of bad cholesterol in the body. You also risk diabetes and high blood pressure. For the same reasons, avoid soda, energy drinks, and alcohol.
Consuming unhealthy foods will limit your workout and demotivate you because exercising becomes hard.
5. Have a Routine / Schedule
Your routine should be detailed and consistent. Get a schedule that outlines time, type of exercise, recovery time, and nutrition, and stick to it. If you don’t have a plan, then you lack focus. On the other hand, a clearly sketched routine helps you be accountable since you are compelled to train.
6. Build a Home Gym
A commercial gym can be a nightmare for consistency. However, building a home gym may solve the following problems and motivate you to work out at home.
Expensive commercial gyms: Even though gym equipment is expensive, you save a lot of money in the long run because you don’t pay gym membership fees.
Commuting: You simply get out of bed and hit the gym in your house, avoiding traffic and bad weather and saving on fuel.
Time: Limited time will no longer be your pat excuse for skipping leg days when you have a home gym. You can even steal some family time to work out at home.
Appearance: Save yourself from gym anxiety, insecurities, and intimidation.
Opposite sex: If you are uncomfortable exercising with the opposite sex, a home gym is perfect for you.
Distractions: If you are a famous athlete, a home gym helps you avoid selfies and constant interruptions from fans.
7. Document Your Progress
Keeping track of your progress by documenting it in a journal can help you strive to reach and even beat your goals. You will be motivated to strive for more if your dedication pays out. Again, you will be compelled to grind harder if you don’t hit your targets.
8. Have Some Company
It can be demotivating to train alone. Furthermore, when you are working with some gym equipment, it is advisable to have a spotter for safety. Invite over some friends or colleagues or train with your partner. This will also make the sessions competitive, pushing everyone to work up a sweat.
9. Make It Fun
People avoid physical exercise because of negative attitudes and the wrong perception that it is difficult or unnecessary. Mix up your routine and do what you love. Turn up the music and dance, go hiking, and even skate. These are fun exercises that are often overlooked.
10. Celebrate Your Wins
It is essential to celebrate your small wins. Science has it that spoiling yourself to celebrate a milestone releases a chemical known as dopamine that makes you feel satisfied and motivated. Always celebrate things like reaching your bench press or deadlift target. Celebrating your wins will push you to strive to reach new and even tougher goals.
Conclusion
Smooth seas don’t make good mariners. Being a sportsperson demands commitment and endurance and involves blood, sweat, and tears. But because of that, most people fail to realize their dreams and do what they love. However, many sources of motivation will push you through difficult times and lead you to become who you want to be. These ten tips are a sure way to remain motivated, stay active, and exercise more.
