How you can increase your motivation for STRENGTH training with weights
Some people find it difficult to imagine training with dumbbells or machines in a gym in the Zug area. They may feel uncomfortable, constantly observed, or afraid of doing something wrong. We understand these concerns and prejudices, and with this article, we aim to help you overcome them. We’ll roll out the red carpet for your journey to the gym and ensure you turn your motivation for strength training into action. By Nadja Rudolph and Marc Sonderegger.
One reason to motivate yourself for strength training: Strength training is healthy
There is no definitive list, but here are the top 10 reasons why everyone should do strength training:
1.) The strain from weight training makes your bones stronger and helps prevent osteoporosis. Just like for muscle growth, bones need a stressor to maintain or even strengthen themselves. Gravity does this to some extent, as shown by astronauts after their return (without adequate training in space). However, gravity is not enough, and weights in the gym encourage the bones to become stronger.
2.) Through squats, push-ups, and similar exercises, you increase the pumping capacity of your heart and train your cardiovascular system.
3.) You strengthen your immune system. A meta-analysis showed lower levels of CRP as well as cytokines like interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Additionally, more immune cells were active.
4.)Through training and muscle building, you burn body fat.
5.) Your metabolism improves due to several factors (energy expenditure, EPOC, muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, etc.).
6.) Strength training improves your posture and helps prevent back pain.
7.) The release of signaling molecules from individual muscle cells stimulates the formation of new nerve cells, and your brain is supplied with more blood. Training not only makes you stronger but also smarter. Your mental performance is enhanced.
8.) Any type of physical activity releases happiness hormones. This means that strength training improves your mood.
9.) Strong muscles stabilize the joints, which helps prevent injuries. Numerous studies have been analyzed, and there is a clear positive correlation between strength training and the reduced risk of injuries, particularly to the ankle, knee, hip, and back.
10.) The last tip is for all women: Strength training does not make you bulky. On the contrary, it tightens your connective tissue and defines your body!
All good reasons to take your motivation for strength training seriously and start training tomorrow.
My motivation for strength training is there, but…
In our many years of work as physiotherapists and personal trainers in Zug, we have often encountered arguments that supposedly speak against strength training. Let’s take a closer look at these in detail:
- “The doctor said, no load right now.” Let’s be honest: you can always train and apply some load, especially when you’re well supervised and have a trainer who can address any limitations. For lower body injuries, the upper body can be trained, and vice versa. For back problems, there are machines, just to name two options.
- “I don’t want to have big muscles and look so muscular, so I prefer not to do strength training.” We address this statement in this blog post, explaining why women should also do strength training.
- “It’s too exhausting for me.” Yes, proper training is exhausting. But that’s the case with everything in life. However, your daily life will be much less strenuous when you’re older, and you’ll live independently for much longer.
- “It’s no fun lifting weights. I’d rather go running or dancing.” That may be true. But brushing your teeth isn’t fun either. You still know why you do it.
- “I don’t want to deal with those muscle-heads.” Find a gym where you feel comfortable. Not everywhere do inflated, half-naked men walk around.
- “This is only for young people.” Quite the opposite. The older you get, the more important strength training becomes. You can find the reasons for this above.
- “I’m definitely not going to drink any shake. You have to do that there.” You don’t have to do anything. Shakes have their pros and cons, and with conscious eating and a bit more time, you can manage just fine without them.
- “Too much weight is bad for the joints.” Properly dosed and executed, the opposite is true. Tendons and muscles are strengthened, which better stabilizes your joints. Additionally, tissues like cartilage are supplied with blood and nutrients, which otherwise could become undernourished.
With these 10 tips, you can get your inner lazy side under control and boost your motivation for strength training
Along with all the above-mentioned sentences – let’s call them excuses – comes the inner lazy side as well.
Persistently, it hides your second sneaker or lets you sit in the office for another hour. It calls out to you: “Not today! Just finish watching the series on Netflix, tomorrow is another day! Oh, and the doctor said, take it easy.”
Moreover, it’s too cold, too warm, too early, or too late to go outside… A true vicious cycle!
The following 10 tips will help you get your inner lazy side under control and find or strengthen your motivation for strength training:
1.) Realistic goals with deadlines
Set realistic goals NOW and give them a deadline NOW! If it’s a larger goal, break it down into smaller steps and monthly objectives, and set deadlines for those as well!
2.) Calendar appointments with priority
Put your workouts and goal deadlines into your calendar and treat them like a job interview! They have top priority from now on!
3.) Habits
Link your new resolutions with habits already fixed in your daily routine, like brushing your teeth, reading the newspaper, watching TV, shopping. Example: “Before I turn on the TV at home, I’ll plan my next day’s nutrition to ensure nothing unexpected happens!”
4.) Create the right environment
Studies have shown one thing clearly: your resolutions can be as good as they get, but if the environment isn’t right, you won’t follow through. This means: don’t keep foods at home that hinder your goals! Store fruits not in the fridge, but in a bowl near the front door! Keep your gym bag not at home but always in the car! Make your resolutions “easy” and make bad habits hard.
5.) Remind yourself of your goals daily
Place them where you see them every day. Take 5 minutes each day to sit down/lie down and imagine how you will look after achieving your goal, how you will feel, how others will react to your result, and feel how proud it makes you. Plan these 5 minutes according to points 2 and 3.
6.) Rewards
Define rewards for each milestone you reach! These rewards must align with your goal and your new self. This means no rewards like pizza, chocolate, etc.
7.) Support
Get support for your endeavor! The more your closest people support you and the more people know about your goal (maybe post it on social media, add it to your WhatsApp status, etc. – this creates commitment), the fewer exceptions you’ll make, and the faster you’ll reach your goal! Good friends will remind you of your goals, join in, or at least help you stick to them.
8.) Who do you want to be?
To lose weight or build muscles, you need to act like someone who wants to achieve this goal. Who do you want to be? Ask yourself: Would Adele have eaten that menu during her transformation? Would Arnold have skipped his workout? Change your inner attitude and ask yourself such questions often until you act like someone who absolutely wants to reach this goal. Remember: “Winners & Losers have the same goal.”
9.) Approach it holistically
Tackle your goals from a multifactorial perspective and consider all the success factors provided by Personalworkout! The four most important ones are: Training, nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle. Remember, maximum success can only be achieved if you apply all pillars correctly and consistently. In other words, if you follow the right training and nutrition for your goal and your lifestyle matches all these aspects, nothing can stand in the way of achieving your goal!
10.) Regularly review your goals
Review your goals at least monthly! Are you on track? If not, why? Face the challenges, weigh yourself even if you feel bad, and investigate the causes. Have you made exceptions? When and why? Go back to the points above and adjust them.
Congratulations! You’ve managed to motivate yourself to start strength training!
Conclusion: How to turn your motivation for strength training into action
Motivating yourself for weight training is worth it! Once you’ve developed the right habits, you’ll be able to maintain your motivation for training! With the commitment to train regularly, you will achieve your goals and feel better in the long run!
«Wenn du heute aufgibst, wirst du nie wissen, ob du es morgen geschafft hättest»
Das gut ausgebildete Team von Personalworkout steht dir jederzeit mit Rat und Tat zur Seite! Lade kostenlos unseren Guide mit 10 Tipps herunter, wie du deinen Schweinehund besiegen kannst, herunter. Vereinbare ein kostenloses Kennenlerngespräch oder Probetraining. Ein Workshop zum Thema Motivation findet am 2.5.2025 um 18:00 in unserem Gym in Baar statt.
The well-trained team at Personalworkout is always here to support you with advice and action! Download our free guide with 10 tips on how to overcome your inner lazy side (German only). Schedule a free consultation or trial training session. A workshop on motivation will take place on May 2nd, 2025 at 6:00 PM at our gym in Baar.
SOURCES
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9273773/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0531556522001309#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20resistance%20exercise%20has%20a,Dinh%20et%20al.%2C%202017%3B
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385703018_impact_of_strength_training_on_the_prevention_of_orthopedic_injuries_in_sports_a_literature_review
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