Your workout mantra

[ScrabbleGirl]

Do you have phrases you say to yourself in your head when you're working out? I always have Jillian Michaels saying "You can do anything for 10 seconds" and I adapt it for however long I have left. It works for me.

I'm trying to think of a good one for lunges, because mine absolutely suck.

Anyway, what are your workout mantras?

[Swthrtsuzy]

It really depends on what I'm doing at that point, but it can run the gambit from Dory's "just keep swimmin' just keep swimmin' just keep swimmin' swimmin' swimmin'" to "listen you stupid ***** ****** ****** you got yourself here so just ball up and ***** do it" which isn't exactly constructive but it does help me gather some aggression to push through.

My trainer last night had a new employee that he was using us as guinea pigs for, and the new guy (sorry new guy, but I don't remember your name!) said something to the effect that if you just buckle down for the 30 seconds or whatever it is, you'll be done and never have to think about it again, which I thought was a really good sentiment...after I was done doing squat jumps for a million years

PS - I like that Jillian Michaels one. It totally helps to put things in perspective when you're hurtin'.

[ScrabbleGirl]

DORY! That's an ace one. I'm trying to improve my swimming too so that'll help. Cheers!

[spatzcat]

I keep saying to myself "it's all in your mind". Then I pretend I am GI Jane.

[Rivanariko]

Mine's in my sig. Trying to remember the exact words distracts me from how much pain I'm in.

[bigm141414]

I've got a simple one for when I lift heavy sh*t:

"Light as a feather, attack the weight"

Simple yet effective.

[joeyb]

It depends on what I'm doing, but it would be something to belittle the task at hand. For lunges, it would would be something like "It's only one more step..."

[cline]

When I run (which I loathe) I usually switch between "I hate this I hate this I hate this" to "just on more .1 mi, just one more .1" then "only 1 more mile". I read a great book on running and this supper awesome coach said to break everything down into little goals versus one big one. For example, instead of "I have to run 5K" it's "I'm running only 1K 5x's". I always think about that when I'm running. He's also the same guy that talks about visualizing holding butterflies when you run. I love that. It helps keep me focused on not wasting energy. So, I visualize holding butterflies.

When I do tabata protocols, I always think about this quote from Dan John (quoted on a blog - address after this): And remember this: you really shouldn’t consider doing much after the Tabata workout. Your lungs will be going like a locomotive engine. Go ahead and plan anything you like, but don’t be surprised if it just doesn’t happen. I keep the family dog nearby to chase the carrion birds away while I rest on the sidewalk. For some reason, always makes me laugh and always makes me feel better about the certain death I'm facing in tabata. https://mikeroussell.com/tabata-protocol-complete-exercise-guide/

Lifting heavy is simple: I can do this. I even said it out loud one day while training on bench presses and my trainer said "I know you can". LOL.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

"Dead at 70".

That's what happened to my grandfather. He died of diabetes-related heart disease 6 months before I was born. He was always overweight, and was too stubborn to change his habits. Anytime something seems too hard or I feel too tired to hit the gym, I think of my grandfather and somehow find the strength to get moving.

Then that leads to Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan in 'Flash Gordon' shouting "Who wants to live forever! YAAARGH!" in my head.

[ETFnerd]

"need me to spot you with that?"

[Hermione Gainser]

Oh yeah, I say that.. I can do anything for x time or x reps or whatever. I didn't realize that was a JM thing. Maybe that's where I heard it..

Also, "Light weight, light weight" and "go hard or go home."

[bigm141414]

Also, "Light weight, light weight" .....

Why do I picture you saying it in a voice you'd use to say "Good doggie" and petting the barbell?

[LRB]

When I run, row, walk, whatever -- I count. And I vary it up: ONE two three four ONE two three four. ONE two three four five six ONE two three four five six. Or 6/8 time - ONE two three FOUR five six, ONE two three FOUR five six. For running, I count each step, for rowing, I count each pull.

Before a lift, I think the same thing I think right before I swing a golf club -- Fukkit. It gets me to stop over-thinking the thing and just DO what I am there to do.

[Morrigainz]

Ahahaha yes I bet she would!

Tony Horton does the same thing "you can do anything" and I've adapted it for myself occasionally.

Cliche, but sometimes "just do it."

Also..especially if it's been a while and I'm trying to get back into running or whatever, I'll be like "I know my body can run 3 miles." And that helps push me through it.

Lastly, just the knowledge that when I'm done I can say "I did that."

[ScrabbleGirl]

Oh yeah, I say that.. I can do anything for x time or x reps or whatever. I didn't realize that was a JM thing. Maybe that's where I heard it..

Also, "Light weight, light weight" and "go hard or go home."

It's probably not a JM thing originally, but she does say it in the 30DS.

I LOVE this thread. Thanks guys!

[LessJos]

Cheesy but a "suck it up buttercup" does it for me every time!

[wildross]

lift the light ones like they are heavy and the heavy ones like they are light

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[Burizado]

I always go back to

.

I look myself in the mirror, in the eyes, and say:

"I'm gonna show YOU how great I am!"

~ Muhammed Ali

Like I'm saying I'm going to show myself how great I am.

Time to got work out now

[BadWolf]

If I'm trying to bike up a big hill I can heard muttering "Pain is weakness leaving the body", "I can f***ing do this" or "keep going!"

Generally that's the only time I talk to myself or really need mantras.

[Wolfwood]

I inner monologue with myself, pretending that I'm training for some big event that hinges the fate of the human race on my ability to do squats.

And when I'm done with my inner monologue, I shurg and say "F*ck it" and get on with it, it's not like whining about it will make my life any better, ya know?

"Do or do not, there is no try"

[mrRed]

When the weight is heavy and I'm nervous, or I'm getting winded and don't want to continue I usually just yell "F*** you!" to myself (most often in my head). Getting angry helps me get over the want to give up.

[klaybae]

It varies for me a lot. If I am moving heavy stuff, I tell myself how sexy I am every time I do a rep. I mean, I straight up talk dirty to myself (inner dialogue LOL) Buffalo Bill style. Or I sing my klaymates original "The eff yeah song." Or I'm just screaming GO GO GO GO GO GO GO AHHHHHHHHHHH in my head the whole time. OOORR I do the thing a lot of you have already mentioned "anyone can do this blah more times." That particular method got me through natural childbirth too.

If I am running, I sing songs I learned in the Navy when we'd go on company runs. Helps me with my breathing, keeps my pace steady, and distracts me from my desire to stop and pee on the side of the road. I do this outloud, although I don't shout myself hoarse anymore.

Honestly though, visualization works better for me than anything. Before I do any workout, I spend 5 minutes visualizing myself kicking ass with perfect form and lots of sweat. Then my eyes snap open and it's go time, and I'll be damned if I give any less in reality than I could in my imagination!

[spatzcat]

Mine's in my sig. Trying to remember the exact words distracts me from how much pain I'm in.

I know that one well. i didn't know anybody else did!

[Strawberry Squatcake]

My head holds me back more than my body so I find myself saying, "You're stronger than you think" to clear my mind right before the first rep. If I'm listening to music, I'll do the first rep right as the chorus starts. Once I do the first one, the rest are comparitively easy.

For lunges specifically, I feel super-uncoordinated when I do them. Well, I mean, I AM uncoordinated. It's one of my finest traits, I think. Anyway, I try to visualize each muscle as it fires to try to keep perfect form. I know it would be easy to cheat on form so I often find myself saying, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right."

For me, it's all a head game.

[Max Power]

SPOON!!! has always been a favorite of mine.