Commitment vs Motivation for Long-Term Strength Training

In this Video...
Coach Sheree discusses commitment vs motivation. One, comes and goes - but the other is what leads to lasting strength changes for women over 50. Discover how to stay consistent with your strength training, no matter what life throws your way.

Mindset |  Overcome Excuses  |  Stay Consistent

Commitment vs Motivation for Long-term Strength Training: Readable Version

The Transformation Question

So how do those who make gains with their body and transform their bodies and make it into this strong incredible body into old age, how do they achieve and others who start just don't keep going? Well, there's two things to look at. So we can look at commitment and we can look at motivation. Now, if we can look at commitment, we will do everything in our power to make sure we're doing everything we can.

The Power of Commitment

We'll put our clothes in our car. We'll make sure that we make the time. We blot it out in our calendar and we make that time to get our workout done, whether it's in a class, whether it's with a friend, but we will make that time and we'll set it aside.

But they will come whether they're tired. No, they don't come when they're sick, but they'll come when they're tired, when their feelings are waning, when they just had a big day at work and they're stuffed. They still put their clothes in their car and they still come, whether it's rain, hail, shine, snowing.

We don't get much snow where we are, so that's no excuse, but it can be those cold winter months that people just feel like, oh, I don't really feel like I want to do it today. And then the next day will come and guess what? It might still be cold and then they won't do it again.

It's those women I see that get great results with their bodies, that commit to the two or three times a week it takes to train, that get wonderful results and go, I don't know why I didn't do this sooner, and I'm never going to stop now.

The Pitfall of Motivation

If we wait for motivation to kick in, guess what? That wanes. It can be that you've had a bad night's sleep. You've had an argument with somebody. You're just tired. So if it's waiting for motivation that will come and go, and that will never sustain you.

Avoiding the Break Cycle

I see that there are people I've seen over the time and you kind of, they're starting to make progress and then they start to miss one or two and then they miss some more. And then, oh, I'm going to take a break for a while. And then you don't see them again.

And you know, when you see them around, you know that they haven't been maintaining things and that, hey, it's cool to have a break for a while. But if you're going to have a break, have a set break and say, this is when I'm coming back to it.

Why Maintenance Matters

I need to maintain strength because it doesn't get any better. Our muscle is wasting away every year. And if we're not building up, guess what? We're not actually making progress to where we want to be.

Planning for Success

Rather than just waiting for motivation to kick in, just commit. You're going to commit. You're going to do it day in, day out. These are the days I do my workout. These are the times I do it. This is what I do. And even if you don't do the full workout and you do 10 or 15 minutes, that is better than not doing anything at all.

So my advice to you is just to plan for success. So that's have the clothes in the car. Make sure you're all prepared the night before. So you've got whatever lunch or snacks you need. So you can go, if you need to go straight from work, you can go straight from work. Make sure you've got a backup plan.

What happens if this happens? How can I still get it in? And make sure you keep track of your progress.

The Power of Partnership

I'll tell you a great way to stay on track is to grab a friend who's motivated the same way you are. Not just motivated, but committed the same way you are and workout together.

And you know that if you're joining in a group or you've got a friend that you need to be somewhere to train together, you will make that commitment and you will get there rather than going, don't feel like it tonight and grab chocolate on the way home. Go sit with a nice wine in front of the TV, which is all fine, but make sure you get your work in out in first.