It doesn’t matter if you’re a busy mother or a professional athlete; we all reach a point when it’s hard to find motivation to stay focus on our training and performance. All kind of training requires different psychological skills and motivation is one of those skills. Some of us find it difficult to see what our training will be like over the next few days, due to work commitments, travel, family etc. I asked our Midtown trainers and some of you, Montreal Midtown members, what are your motivation tips to stay on the right track!
1- Good goal setting is the key
According to Kieran Foy, Midtown trainer and former fitness coach for Tennis Canada, the starting point with an athlete or a client, is that they need to have goals in their training. If you are able to see yourself in 6 or 12 months’ time, in other words if you are fixing a medium or long term goal, it will be easier to find motivation. For instance, it could be losing 3-4 lbs. of fat, increasing my flexibility by 10%, improving my upper body strength by 5% etc. Your trainer will then be able to plan multiple short-term goal based on each component for you to achieve. Several short-term goals being achieved lead to long term outcomes. If you don’t have the chance to have a personal trainer, write down your goals and keep them at a place where you can see them and scheduled your training hours for the week accordingly.
2- Do not underestimate the power of music
Even if you have or don’t have a personal trainer, a big part of training in the gym is done alone. Of course, if you’re a fan of group exercising you know how music is important for the teacher to be able to push the group further. Good music is an essential element in your spinning class so why not make yourself a workout playlist for your solo session on the treadmill.
3- Try new stuff
Stay away from redundancy! Motivation may also be found in the variety of training exercises. Every fitness trainers will tell you, there is a thousand ways to get a good workout session. Midtown offers a great range of different group class and facilities (inside/outside pool, tennis court, racetrack, TRX structure etc.). Take advantage of this, and get out of your comfort zone.
How many of you have tried the Pilates on table before?
4- Bring a friend along the way
Sometimes you need a little push! Ask a friend to come with you to the gym. Even if she/he is not a member at Midtown, they are able to try it a few times. You never know, they could fall in love with the ambiance just like you did. Having a partner to train with is perfect for friendly competitive personalities. It’s fun and challenging!
5- Treat yourself
We all get this rewarding feeling of accomplishment and welfare after giving everything you had and pushing your limits. Personally, I love giving myself a treat when I worked hard enough with a relaxing Spa session. Of course, you don’t have time for a massage everyday but it can be once a week or a month. Sometimes, just a small 15 minutes in the Finnish sauna, feels like heaven!
What’s your favorite motivational tip?
