Motivation to Exercise?

Hello. I am very unfit. Not fat, really, I'm regular size and weight, but I am very weak. I know that I have to exercise, and I do, for maybe a day or two. After a couple of days, I tend to make excuses to not exercise, and then end up stopping. I realize that there is nothing to motivate me. Exercise, for me, is boring, and hard. I think to myself, why do something if it's hard? I think if I can get motivation, I will start to work out more. Any suggestions on how to make working out fun and some way to keep me going? Thanks.

EDIT:
Don't tell me to take steriods or post pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

I used to be like that. I'd do it for a day or two then get out of the habbit.

Just try to force yourself to do it. The more you start doing it, the better you will start feeling, and eventually you will really enjoy it.

 

Alright. What sort of exercises would you recommend?

 

I, personally, find that having concurrent moral support present in the same room gives me that tiny boost of motivation.
Do you work out at home? If so, have a family member or friend egg you on while you're doing your repetitions. It's up to you to find the initial motivation to begin the exercise.
Are you planning on obtaining muscular definition, or just generally stronger?
Depending on your age, I'd suggest obtaining a decent weight set (dumbbells) to start you off with a comfortable weight at first, working your way up from there.
Push ups or sit-ups in between TV commercial breaks are great for starting out or to maintain general fitness, for you consciously know that they aren't wasting your time, and they only last for about 60 seconds. If you choose to do sit-ups, then do sit-ups for that ad break. If you choose to do push ups, then do push ups for that ad break. Do not switch half way.

I find that if you have a plan, and working out isn't part of that plan but you know you need to do it, then work around your plan/schedule in the random time slots between every day activities so you know you're not missing out on anything.

 

Make a schedule and just do it. Don't make excuses; just do it.

Bring a buddy along and make it like a competition for extra motivation.

 

Arnold is a terrible role model. Steroid abuse. He didn't attend his own fathers funeral because it was a few weeks before a competition.

To start you out, just do basic curls, push ups, sit ups. You don't need anything more at this point in time.
If you make a workout schedule and you don't enjoy working out, you'll know that there are better things you could be doing at that point in time and sure enough grow bored with the idea.
Work around your daily routine.

 

Yes, I work out at home, and I bet I could get someone to "egg me on." I want to be strong, but not like the image above. Just nice-sized biceps, flat abs, etc. Nothing too big. I do own dumbbells, I have 2 five-pounders and 2 tens (lol, weakling.) What would you suggest starting weights should be? Is 10 good, or more? Also, I have tried the sit-ups on commercials, but I think I am doing them wrong. My lower back hurts when I do about 30 of them. I looked it up online but it didn't help..? Thanks for the advice

Yeah, I don't think steroids is a good way to go, but thanks for the advice.

 

Get fit and get sexed. You get girls much easier, and if you play a sport you'll become better at it (unless it's golf or something)

EDIT: I can hook you up with a workout routine if you'd like. Also, with those dumb bells you can work out your biceps, pecs and triceps.

For abs:
Get a weight (like you'd put on a machine) and hold it close to your body. Sit down on your butt and raise your legs in the air, but bent at the knees. Only thing touching the ground should be your ass. Your goal is now to get the weight as close to the ground as possible alternating sides.

 

Thanks.

Lol, golf.

 

This thread was on motivation. Steroids have nothing to do with it.

 

Good point, Should have put that in my thread, editing..

 

Get a personal trainer, believe it or not it helps tremendously.

 

Have you had experience with a personal trainer?

 

/facepalm

Steroids have nothing to do with this. Arnold stayed extremely motivated to get his results. I read over many of his quotes to get myself motivated to hit the gym.

P.S. If you think taking steroids means you'll get big easy, you're mistaken.

 

You're not using your abs to lift your upper body off the ground, is why your lower back hurts. Contract your abdominal when you rise and try not to rely on your back to do the lifting.
As for the curls, 10lbs sounds a bit light.. but again, I don't know where you're at physically. If you can comfortably do 20 Repetitions with 10LBS then I suggest you increase the weight.
Get the weights now, I want you to do this;
First set @ 12 Reps
Second set @ 10 Reps
Third set @ 8 Reps
Forth set @ 8 Reps
Fifth set @ 6 Reps

20-30 Seconds MAX between sets. If you can do that without feeling an intense burn, then the weight is too light.

If you want to tone and strengthen the muscles, do this;

Start with the weight down at your hip with your arm in a relaxed position.
Bring the weight up until your arm is on a 90degree angle with your palm facing up.
Bring the weight back down to your side.
Repeat 7x

Once completed, without rest, start the weight with your arm at 90degrees, palm up.
Contract your bicep and bring the weight upwards, closer to the pectorals.
Bring weight back back till your arm is at 90degrees once again.
Repeat 7x

Once completed, without rest, do 7 repetitions of Full Curls.

 

I don't know if that's directed toward me, but I don't think that.

 

There are so many things wrong with that post, but I'll just tell you the one important thing.

Don't "bring the weight up 90 degrees". Do a full range of motion on every single repetition, regardless of whether you want to "tone" or get "big". Full range of motion means a slow, controlled movement throughout the entire motion of the exercise, both going up and down.

 

You do work harder in your workouts when steroids are involved, though you benefit significantly from it, in the sense that you develop muscle ten-fold.
Steroids allow quicker regeneration of muscle deterioration, hence allowing for more workouts within a period of time, surpassing that of a non-steroid users ability.
It is still a cheaters way out.

In saying that, in motivational sense, I still think Arnold is too much for this guy. I hope he doesn't wish to become as motivated as Arnold. Arnold's life was working out. He destroyed Lou Ferrigno's confidence and deceived Ferrigno's family in fear of not coming first.

 

It's called focussing. The set going up to 90 degrees is focussing forearm. The set starting from 90 degrees and going up is focussing bicep. Then the full range of motion is involving every muscle in the one movement.

If he can do 21 Reps of full range motion, then so be it. It would benefit him more. But by doing it the split way, he is stimulating all the muscle fibres before he kills them with the last set of 7. If he wishes to kill them before theyre all stimulated, and not making it through till the end, then thats his problem.

 

I did the reps, and it's not really, an intense burn, just a little stronger than a mild burn, if you know what I mean. Would you suggest doing basic or curls, or bench pressing them? Thanks for the new advice, it'll really help.


...
Wow... That felt really good. lol