Even the most driven overachievers have off days. When they need to tap into proven workout motivation techniques to make it through training.
Because some days it’s easier to stay in bed. Or lay on the couch and sleepily scroll through social media.
Getting dressed takes Herculean effort, and exercise sounds about as fun as stepping on a Lego.
Blame it on a heavy lunch. And too little sleep last night. Plus, work is overwhelming. And your tension headaches are back again.
Ironically, this is the most important time to exercise.
Because exercise enhances sleep. It burns up extra energy after big meals. It relieves work stress. And it consistently eases musculoskeletal pain.
Plus, getting through workouts on low-energy days separates you from the Monday-only gym crowd – people who quit when motivation wanes.
Here are 7 proven workout motivation tools to beat fatigue when it’s “one of those days.”
1) Caffeinate
Caffeine elevates energy and workout performance. Though not a long-term solution for poor nutrition and dismal sleep habits, a caffeinated beverage is proven workout motivation in a cup.
On days I’m not feeling it, a scoop of my favorite caffeine source boosts my energy levels and powers me through hard training sessions.
2) Make a Plan
For years I didn’t track or write down my workouts. I went to the gym and “winged it.”
Big mistake. Huge!
Progressive overload – doing more weight/reps/intensity over time – is key to getting stronger and faster.
But how can you progress if you don’t know what you did last time?
Write down a plan before hitting the gym or lacing up your shoes for a run. It will sharpen your focus during training.
If you’re competitive like me, keeping track of your numbers will fuel you to outdo last week’s workout.
3) Do a Little
Going for a run? Just jog for 60 seconds. Or walk to your neighbor’s mailbox first. By doing just a little, bad days turn into “light days” instead of “off days.”
Usually, starting small builds momentum for you to finish your workout anyway.
Popularized by James Clear’s excellent book Atomic Habits, this technique works because it encourages habit-building.
Walking on the treadmill for 5 minutes is more doable than expecting yourself to do 60 minutes every day – and then beating yourself up on days it doesn’t happen.
Instead of an “all-or-nothing” approach to exercise, doing just a little bit will earn you a moral victory on bad days. And this bolsters your exercise habit.
For foolproof strategies on building an exercise habit, check out this article:
The 7 Best Cardio Exercises For Bad Knees
4) Find a Buddy
Do you train harder alone or with a partner?
Enter the Kohler effect (it has nothing to do with toilets – I checked). Research shows that individuals train harder with a workout partner (Irwin 2012). Especially when the partner is stronger or faster.
That’s the Kohler effect – exercising with a partner is a proven workout motivation technique to maximize your effort and results.
Exercise with a fit friend to push yourself harder. As a bonus, your partner won’t let you skip workouts, especially when it’s leg day.
This built-in accountability diverts you from bad choices when you’d rather spend quality time with Netflix and your stash of Hot Pockets.
5) Join a Class
Exercise classes combine the benefits of exercise and social support.
Maybe you’re a competitor who wants to outdo everyone else in class. Or maybe you prefer a cooperative group class vibe.
Either way, surrounding yourself with health-conscious friends provides positive peer pressure to show up and sweat.
6) Schedule It
“Deadlift.”
It’s written in my planner every week. When I schedule my training sessions, they get done. When I don’t, my feelings dictate how (and if) the workout gets done.
So set an appointment with yourself.
Keeping this commitment builds your confidence and floods your brain with the “job well done” chemical cocktail.
And let’s be real: what’s more important than following through on a commitment to keep yourself healthy? I bet it’s a short list.
7) Crank the Tunes
Whether you jam to heavy metal, K-pop, or “Eye of The Tiger” on repeat, cranking up the tunes is the final proven workout motivation strategy. Research shows that music enhances athletic performance (Patania 2020).
Plus, music makes exercise more fun. And fun habits become strong habits.
Bonus: Gear Up
Invest in fashionable, comfy workout gear for extra motivation. When you look good, you train good.
It’s much easier to hit the gym when you can show off your brand new workout shoes! They won’t get broken in (or admired by your friends) when they’re sitting in the closet.
If you’re in the market for fresh workout gear, check out our friends at Rogue Fitness. They have all the workout gear you need to hit your fitness goals.
From bands to barbells, Rogue builds it right. I have a pair of Rogue lifting straps that are older than a 3rd grader – and I still use them for 500 lb deadlifts most every week.
I own a pair of Rogue Ohio Power Bars that I use for squats, bench press and deadlifts – I keep one barbell at home and one at the gym (yep, I’m that guy who brings his own bar to the gym).
Whether you’re looking for bands, apparel, cardio equipment or shoes, gear up at Rogue Fitness and take your training to the next level.
Readers: How do you push through fatigue when you’d rather skip a workout? Which of these strategies have you tried? Do you use other methods I didn’t cover? Let me know in the comments.
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