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View Full Version : What do you do when the motivation just dies?



Azrael
05-26-11, 11:51 pm
Brothers, I am in awful shape. Sure the mirror doesn't show too bad. Still got a flat stomach, alright arms, big chest. But skin deep is just that. I woke up this morning and realized my motivation died with the change of scenery.

I recently made the transition from full time soldier to reserve status. In addition to the actual change of scenery, I've tried to adjust from having organized physical training most days plus weightlifting with a group regularly to being a lonely guy at a modern but low-traffic fitness center. I have no local training buddies. My National Guard unit seems to regard PT as a running joke aside from the mandatory every-six-months test.

I've been lifting as regularly as I can, though an iPod makes for rather poor companionship. Not having a spotter (the average age in the gym is ~75) kills me. I can't even do much running outside for the change of scenery due to plantar fasciitis and tendonitis limiting me to a few times a week on the track. Having a girlfriend who loves to cook (and hates the recipes I pull out of Muscle & Fitness) hasn't helped.

Losing motivation is something that I know I have only myself to blame for, but I figure here of all places someone's got to have run up against this sort of thing before. Not my particular situation, but just waking up one morning and realizing that you're losing the will that used to love seeing the iron every morning at 0600 sharp. I'm open to suggestions, comments, or just anyone who'd like to call me a shitbag for wasting a once-proud physique. No ego to break, here. Thanks, brothers.

IronWilson
05-27-11, 12:35 am
I think the reason why you are losing motivation is because you just got out of active duty as a soldier. Especially if you were deployed in a war zone, it gives you a new perspective on life, where muscles and working out seem so superficial.

So you are losing motivation and have injuries? Take a couple weeks off. Just stretch and don't worry about training for awhile. You'll come back fresh, motivated, and not in so much pain. Sometimes you just need a mental and physical break.

A part of knowing what works for you is mental, not just physical. A couple weeks off won't hurt.

Carrnage
05-27-11, 12:53 am
Brothers, I am in awful shape. Sure the mirror doesn't show too bad. Still got a flat stomach, alright arms, big chest. But skin deep is just that. I woke up this morning and realized my motivation died with the change of scenery.

I recently made the transition from full time soldier to reserve status. In addition to the actual change of scenery, I've tried to adjust from having organized physical training most days plus weightlifting with a group regularly to being a lonely guy at a modern but low-traffic fitness center. I have no local training buddies. My National Guard unit seems to regard PT as a running joke aside from the mandatory every-six-months test.

I've been lifting as regularly as I can, though an iPod makes for rather poor companionship. Not having a spotter (the average age in the gym is ~75) kills me. I can't even do much running outside for the change of scenery due to plantar fasciitis and tendonitis limiting me to a few times a week on the track. Having a girlfriend who loves to cook (and hates the recipes I pull out of Muscle & Fitness) hasn't helped.

Losing motivation is something that I know I have only myself to blame for, but I figure here of all places someone's got to have run up against this sort of thing before. Not my particular situation, but just waking up one morning and realizing that you're losing the will that used to love seeing the iron every morning at 0600 sharp. I'm open to suggestions, comments, or just anyone who'd like to call me a shitbag for wasting a once-proud physique. No ego to break, here. Thanks, brothers.

Weeks off will help BIG TIME!

Oh and watch Zhasni bodybuilding motivation videos on youtube, will help a bunch.

Or take Jason Huh's quote..... "You either have it in you, or you dont."

Azrael
05-27-11, 1:24 am
Weeks off will help BIG TIME!

Oh and watch Zhasni bodybuilding motivation videos on youtube, will help a bunch.

Or take Jason Huh's quote..... "You either have it in you, or you dont."

Zhasni videos.. wow. Thanks so much for that. Alarm clocks set for 0530.

zubda345
05-27-11, 6:03 am
Weeks off will help BIG TIME!

Oh and watch Zhasni bodybuilding motivation videos on youtube, will help a bunch.

Or take Jason Huh's quote..... "You either have it in you, or you dont."

The same thing I was gonna say when i read this threat's title. Weeks off will help. And those Zhasni Videos are bad ass. long time didn't see some new one but old once watch them again and again and u r still motivated. He has a video named Beauty of Bodybuilding, The 1st thing u'll see in that vid is the back of Franco Columbo (My fav guy). And in that vid theres also a little conversation with Jason Huh which is BAD ASS!

naturalguy
05-27-11, 9:08 am
Thanks for your service to our country.

You are in a transitional phase of your life right now, coming off active duty is a big change. Take a step back, a breather, go over your goals, write them down. This may help you get more focus.

Deathride
05-27-11, 10:02 am
All the above. Take some time off, rest up and heal. Set yourself a list of goals you want to meet and list of ways you are going to meet them (such as finding fun recipes for healthy cooking ;-))

As has been said, you've undergone a major lifestyle change (whether you wanted it or not) and you need to adjust. Don't give in, brother.

ghost
05-27-11, 10:12 am
Azreal, where do you live?



one of the most important things for our troops coming off of active duty is community involvement. getting the community involved in the transition back to civilian life, is vital. i wish there were people there for me when i went through it

MR.TeachFreak
05-27-11, 11:10 am
As others have said some time off might help. Also any motivational videos will do wonders. Along with bodybuilding videos by Zhansi you can look up the videos "its not about luck", "prove the impossible", "versus momentum promo", and "versus 2nd place promo" and really good motivational vids. They are not all simply bodybuilding videos but powerlifting, training, and motivational in general. Also some of the Greg Plitt trailers are pretty good.

Machine
05-27-11, 8:41 pm
What do you do when the motivation just dies?


You die with it...


MACHINE

zubda345
05-27-11, 10:31 pm
What do you do when the motivation just dies?


You die with it...


MACHINE

And what to do if u want to get back up?

A reply from a pro, get the most out of it.

CavScout1980
05-27-11, 11:38 pm
Hey man, I know where you are coming from. 5 months ago today I got out of the Army. I felt the exact same way that you do right now. Your motivation will come back to you. Just take a big deep breath and relax. Yeah the National Guard has a bunch of chumps, as well as active duty, but there has to be at least a few guys in your unit that want to stay in shape. Just show them a few pictures of Afghanistan and get on their ass if there isn't. It took me about 3 months to get back into a regular routine. Just keep your head up and enjoy life. The Army deals you a lot of bullshit on a daily basis, now that you have time to take care of yourself, enjoy it and make the best of it. Honestly the first thing that I had to do after I got out was learn how to relax. Once you master the art of relaxation life will be a lot easier.

twoheadedboy
05-29-11, 10:56 pm
Don't let solo training in a crap gym get you down...other than ABC's, it's the only way I train unfortunately. I get around this by basically living in the one power rack my gym has. I use it for bench and set the rails at the height so that if I miss a rep, I still have enough space to get out from under it and don't kill myself, but it's low enough to where it's equal to or maybe a quarter inch less than a full rep...I am still able to lightly touch my chest. Then of course the rest of my training involves squats, deads, barbell press, chins, dips...these can all be done in a power rack (though I do my chins and dips on a weight assisted machine because I'm a wuss). Doing bench in the rack has also turned me on to the idea of static holds and isometric reps at various points of the path of motion, which helped me increase my (still pathetic) bench by 15% in 3 weeks after only going up like 5 pounds the previous month.

That would be my suggestion, coming from a person who has suffered from depression at a number of points in my life...it is a downward spiral and only YOU can stop it. Use your new situation, and the inherent limitations, to challenge yourself to come up with new and innovative ways to train, using your physique and/or numbers as proof of concept to the world.

Cellardweller
05-30-11, 3:54 pm
I train solo in a senior center, er racket club and having goals keeps me going. I keep a log book and am always trying to squeeze out one more rep than last week or adding extra plates. The articles on this site are fricken awesome too.

JasonG
05-30-11, 5:46 pm
I crave the solitude in the gym. When I had a partner I'd see his mouth move pull out my head phones and ask what the fuck he wants. Sure a good training partner can be good, but I enjoy the escape in the gym as my me time. Like others have said step back for a bit and if your not feeling like a mad pit bull wanting to train after some time off then maybe it isn't in your priorities. My training has nothing to do with my military status. It makes running harder actually. Good luck.

dannynb
05-30-11, 11:17 pm
Azreal, where do you live?



one of the most important things for our troops coming off of active duty is community involvement. getting the community involved in the transition back to civilian life, is vital. i wish there were people there for me when i went through it

Agreed...when I went through the transition I did it solo and it is rough. Depending on where you live there are programs for soldiers returning to civilian life, I'd be happy to help get you in touch with some....where are ya at??

Sprint
06-01-11, 11:26 am
An hour before you hit the gym, read articles on the site. Stuff like Wrath's original Journey, etc. G's Diary Of A Madman...

30mins before you hit the gym, slam back a scoop of Rage.

Couple more articles, & you'll be in for the workout of your life.

Or just decide to have a deload week. Not a rest week, a deload week. Cos we all know, when you go to the gym for a nice easy deload, we end up smashing it up more than usual.

Brick By Brick
06-01-11, 11:35 am
Azrael, thank you for your service. I wish you well in your transition back to civilian life. These are Matt Kroc's thoughts on motivation - http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/how_to_stay_motivated
He is a former Marine, and his insights may be relevant to you. Good luck.

Big C
06-01-11, 11:50 am
Simple...............don't LET IT DIE.

I have one day every couple months it seems that I'm out of my zone. But for the most part I don't need motivation from other sources to get the work done. I have bigger goals in mind.

But if you need it...like some of the others have said, G Diesel articles and Wraths journey should light the fire inside.

cesmeister
06-01-11, 4:04 pm
Any of Ox's videos on MD.com get me fired up. I work 7 days a week between my corporate job and djing so sometimes i need a little boost to remind me to not let all the hard work i've put in over the past 5 years to go to shit