I’m just about to hit 40. I’ve been training 3 or 4 times a week most weeks for about seven years. I do take breaks - summer holidays, Christmas/New Year - but never more than a couple of weeks. Since I started lifting seriously, I’ve never had a problem with motivation - my mind would always be planning the next work-out; the sooner the better. But don’t get me wrong - there’s no sign of over-training here, or getting burnt out.
I’m just finding motivation a bit harder lately. My time has been a bit busy, and often five or six days seem to pass without me making time for any kind of trip to the gym. This really sucks.
I guess part of the problem is a niggling shoulder injury: not bad enough to stop me lifting, but enough that every time it is on the road to recovery, it hit it with too much weight again. And another part is that I struggle to bring myself to the next level with nutrition: I don’t eat bad, by any means, but could do better. So I have a modest `spare tyre’. Nothing huge, but enough to leave my abs very well hidden. Meanwhile, I’m about as strong as I’ve ever been, with personal bests on deadlifts last week and this week, improving squats, …
Does anyone else relate to this situation? Any suggestions for keeping the motivation high? I don’t want to believe it’s all downhill from 40, but somehow that’s starting to become self-fulfilling.
I wish I could offer some gem of advice that would magically give you enough motivation to keep you going for the rest of your life. Hell. I wish I could offer ME that same nugget.
But it sounds like you’re basically in a good place. Just let your shoulder heal up (I know all about bad shoulders) and don’t push it too hard. Find a doctor that can help. Have you tried Active Release and/or deep tissue massage?
And take a moment to look around at the guys you know or work with. I’m sure you can find plenty examples of guys that have been just sitting around on their butts and turning into Jabba the Hut. See if you can use that for some motivation. And look around and see if you can find some older guys who can barely walk, who are stooped over, or just too heavy. That’s what you’re trying to NOT be. Sure, it’s negative reinforcement, but it might help.
The other side of motivation is self-discipline. You do what you have to do. I think in some ways it’s easier for us older guys to keep at it due to the self-discipline aspect. It all you can really count on to carry you through the hard times. It would be nice to be able to stay motivated all the time but it’s not realistic.
[quote]doc_man_101 wrote:
I don’t want to believe it’s all downhill from 40, but somehow that’s starting to become self-fulfilling.[/quote]
If this were true a lot of us on this site would have given it up over 10+ years ago. Ah, to be 40 again!
Find something to shoot for. A competition, be it bodybuilding, powerlifting, or some other sport. There’s a lot of stuff out there. Preparing for something specific keeps me motivated and helps me focus my training.
Checked out your profile page and the pictures there. You look pretty good and it’s evident you know what you’re doing. Good Luck. Keep posting, young un’.
I go through phases of lack of motivation from time to time and that used to be when I’d fall down and fall off the training regime.
Now I’ve found my through these. It’s really very simple - I force myself to do it, plain and simple. The more time I procrastanate the more that little voice is talking me out of it. I just put my gym stuff in my bag and go out the door. I know for a fact that I’ll feel so much better once it’s done.
I accept also that if I’m low on motivation the workout may not be quite as intense as usual, but I can accept that and live with it for a short while. I tend to find if I have a week or two like this my motivation will come right back up, it’s just a case of getting through these phases the best you can and waiting for that buzz to get you again.
Good luck and fight through it.
I keep food and exercise logs every day. First thing in the AM get on a scale and you will immediately know what you accomplished in the past 24 hours(If it is good enough for Bill Pearl, It is good enough for me). I changed my program to that of the book ‘Younger Next Year’ in early December and 6 or 7 weeks into it I can see and feel the change. I read YNY three times learning a little something each time.
Does anyone else relate to this situation? Any suggestions for keeping the motivation high? I don’t want to believe it’s all downhill from 40, but somehow that’s starting to become self-fulfilling.[/quote]
It’s not all downhill, but it’s proportional to the amount of effort you put into achieving your goal.
I’m 54, and have spent this past year trying to overcome some vision and balance issues after brain surgery. Some days, I used my headaches as an excuse for not going to PT or doing my workouts. When I feel the pain holding me back, or I think my balance issues are a disability, I just watch something like this, then shut the hell up and get on with what I know I need to do.
Reading the inspirational stories of others who overcame extreme obstacles with hard work gives me the motivation I need to get on with my life. If nothing else, it gives me perspective.
Thanks guys: most of these things strike a chord. I do want to look (and feel, and be!) better than my work colleagues; I do keep a training diary and a daily weight diary (it’s sooo good to look back a year and see those improvements you’ve forgotten about); I often do haul myself off to the gym even when I’m feeling indifferent (and it’s often a good workout that follows). And so on. These are good ideas. The video was good too!
I don’t think there’s anything fundamentally wrong: I just don’t want to drift into one of those “days without training turn into weeks, turn into months” guys. Fessing up to you guys helps :-).
One other thing: I was taking Beta-7 through the Autumn/Fall. It’s good stuff. For various reasons, I’ve been off it since Christmas. I think I can feel the greater fatigue (but that may be all in the mind). I can’t wait until I can resume the regime. I think I’ll try the Alpha Male at the same time…
Hey!, doc_man_101,
Here is another perfect opportunity for for me to beat the drum of “Get your damn blood tests!” (please excuse me, again…)
when was the last time your hormones were checked? Let’s see, pushing 40, losing motivation in spite of a long standing track record of working out…
I also read about the shoulder problems, so please don’t misunderstand me here, but, If you’re starting to lose your “drive” and it doesn’t “completely” make sense, a trip to doctor may be in order. Even if the b/w results are normal this time, in five years when they may not be, you have a baseline to go back on with your doctor to get to your best hormone levels back, not what useless statistics say you should be…
Thanks for the comments guys. I think I’ll be fine: I’m in Australia for a month, and have found a good gym nearby where I’m staying. It’s always good to try out the equipment in a new place. Today I equalled my PB on bench press, which is good: and I think the shoulder is finally clearing up.
On getting blood tests done: can other UK readers advise? I’m not sure how my GP would react to my asking. “Free” healthcare is all very well in theory, but the National Health Service leaves us with a whole lot less in some areas than Americans (or, those with health insurance!) benefit from. There’d be whole lot of peace of mind from an annual check-up which could look at things like this, for example.
Dude, I am with you. I turned 40 last year and it was weird. In some ways I feel the same as when I was 25. But I also get hurt a little more often. I never pulled a muscle until I was 35. Also your life tend to fill up more; more responsibilities, more family, more grown-up stuff to worry about.
One thing that works for me is to plan out my workout week ahead of time. I put it on my schedule, just like any other meeting or whatever. Then I am forced to do it or reschedule. Sometimes, if I a really busy, I’ll just hit the gym for a short weight workout. I feel so much better afterwards than if I had skipped. Keep it up and remember you don’t want to be average!
I don’t have the current seat-time in the gym that you do, but I can decidedly relate to the spare tire and the motivation issues.
For me, posting here helps, but I have personal hurdle in that I have a tough time doing so. I just posted on some issues with diet and workout intensity, and it did me a world of good just to hear from other on the board.
And I’m sure you’ve seen them, but there are some ass-kicking physiques here well past you and I in birthdays candles.
Sounds like you’re back on yer feet - and at least it’s summer down under!
Hey, this past weekend I visited with some friends and family I haven’t seen for 3-5 years. MOST of them said “Hey, you’ve been going to the gym”. (Not “Have you been working out” – it was always a statement, not a question!).
