What motivates you?

[CorlessJohnJ]

I'm curious to see what motivates different people to try harder.

I can tell you for me it's a few different things and I feel one of them makes me a little different cause of it. If I get close to failure even close I go into super motivational angry mental state cause of it. Failure isn't an option for me but obviously in reality it is possible it frightens me and pisses me off.

Also possitive motivation acknowledgment from peers or hitting personal goals help fuel the fire. Nothing like a clap on the back and someone saying wow dude you are strong as hell to make you feel good and want to keep that up.

Anyone else?

[hoosegow]

Nothing like a clap on the bag...
Anyone else?

Wow. I've never wanted anyone to clap my bag. It seems like it would hurt... a lot.

[Oscar_Actuary]

Nothing like a clap on the bag...
Anyone else?

Wow. I've never wanted anyone to clap my bag. It seems like it would hurt... a lot.

yeah lol
This thread has a less than fair chance of ever getting back on track.

Ok, I'll try, I've said it plenty.
It's not easy and it's not required and it's not for anyone else. When I underachieve in so many ways as we all do, or come up against crap in life I can't control, at least I can go train and say "good on you"! That feeback loop makes me never want to stop.

ask me in 5 years, though, I'm to fresh to even answer this probably.


Now I'm going to go slap a bag or two

[robertscott]

you can clap my bag anytime Hoose

[Jungledoc]

Nothing like a clap on the bag...
Anyone else?

Wow. I've never wanted anyone to clap my bag. It seems like it would hurt... a lot.

Yeah, but having someone say "wow, dude" after doing it would make up for the pain.

[CorlessJohnJ]

When I said bag....i meant back edit coming immediately :)

[CorlessJohnJ]

Nothing like a clap on the bag...
Anyone else?

Wow. I've never wanted anyone to clap my bag. It seems like it would hurt... a lot.

Yeah, but having someone say "wow, dude" after doing it would make up for the pain.

Btw that was one of the funnier typos ive ever made haha

[KenDowns]

I'm curious to see what motivates different people...

I'm not actually sure at the moment. momentum?

One Year Ago

1. A general thought "I oughta get in shape I suppose."

2. Chopping a lot of firewood, and was feeling energized after the sessions, with energy I had to work out. Dug some dumbbells out of the closet and started curling just to bleed off the energy.

3. Saw people in my mother's assisted living facility who used wheelchairs though they had no apparent (at least to me) problems with weight or deformity or mental capacity. Thought, "If that's the result of decades of laziness, that's never going to be me."

Six Months Ago

After joining up here, learned the general distinctions between Olympic, Powerlifting, and bodybuilding and found power lifting very appealing. Decided all of my original motivations came together nicely in a power lifting program.

Began to think like a power lifter: what will improve my bench + squat + deadlift?

Now

Simple. I absolutely love lifting weights - the heavier the better. It's not the numbers, it's the feeling. If I can add 10 pounds to my dead it's not so much the bragging about the 10 as knowing it will be that much more intense on the next cycle.

We tend to believe the "exercise high" is about endorphins, but I recently read about a study where they gave endorphin blockers to runners, sent them out, and they came back saying they had a normal run. They also gave cannaboid blockers to runners, sent them out, and they came back saying they never really got to the "runner's high" stage they are so used to. Go figure.

[CorlessJohnJ]

I'm curious to see what motivates different people...

I'm not actually sure at the moment. momentum?

One Year Ago

1. A general thought "I oughta get in shape I suppose."

2. Chopping a lot of firewood, and was feeling energized after the sessions, with energy I had to work out. Dug some dumbbells out of the closet and started curling just to bleed off the energy.

3. Saw people in my mother's assisted living facility who used wheelchairs though they had no apparent (at least to me) problems with weight or deformity or mental capacity. Thought, "If that's the result of decades of laziness, that's never going to be me."

Six Months Ago

After joining up here, learned the general distinctions between Olympic, Powerlifting, and bodybuilding and found power lifting very appealing. Decided all of my original motivations came together nicely in a power lifting program.

Began to think like a power lifter: what will improve my bench + squat + deadlift?

Now

Simple. I absolutely love lifting weights - the heavier the better. It's not the numbers, it's the feeling. If I can add 10 pounds to my dead it's not so much the bragging about the 10 as knowing it will be that much more intense on the next cycle.

We tend to believe the "exercise high" is about endorphins, but I recently read about a study where they gave endorphin blockers to runners, sent them out, and they came back saying they had a normal run. They also gave cannaboid blockers to runners, sent them out, and they came back saying they never really got to the "runner's high" stage they are so used to. Go figure.

Awesome Ken I love the timeline you gave and the progression from not really being a weight training powerlifting enthusiast to becoming someone that even ten pounds makes a difference on the lift. Awesome. Well I'm glad to see people change like that I myself have been an athlete since being a kid so I thought it was normal for me.

BTW Chopping wood is awesome although i broke a couple axe handles haha

[nygmen]

I'm curious to see what motivates different people to try harder.

Some inbred fear of not being better than I was yesterday, at something.

[The_dog_mom]

Being able to put the large weight plates on the bar rather than the y ones.

[Oscar_Actuary]

I remember when you needed help getting the big ones off the bar.

[Desplat]

For me there are several motivations... Competition (a very strong one as I'm a leader) and the desire to make good to people I care about.

[Ausbris]

Sounds cheesy, but I always remember an advertisement I saw in a Men's Health mag. In between articles on the 6 ways I should be doing bicep curls each session was an ad stating:

"Do it for you. Do it for her. Do it for them. Do it to win."

I now apply this in most aspects of my life whether it be bringing home an income, making our house better with renos, or just lifting weights.

Do it for you - I don't want to keel over at 50 with a bad heart and regrets.
Do it for her - okay, maybe she'll appreciate a few bicep curls ;)
Do it for them - I'm a new dad, have an 11 wk old girl, I plan on keeping up with her.
Do it to win - I love my sport, and won't settle for second place on the field.

Cheesy yes, although I haven't the smallest memory of what the ad was actually for!

[Faina]

when somebody trust me ... or show faith me in that i can do this thing or that ... i really feel motivated and very make every possible path for achieving that thing !!