Let's start by getting one thing straight: I'm competitive,particularly with myself. I'm the girl who has spent one too many evenings walking in circles around my apartment just trying to break 12000 steps on my Fitbit (I know, it's ridiculous). Though a competitive streak sometimes gets a bad rap, and it can actually be a much motivator for me to catch my sh*t together when I'm slacking off. Case in point: the other day,I attended an event held at Peloton, a trendy NYC cycling studio. The amazing thing about Peloton is that each sleek (is sexy an appropriate word to expend here?) bike is equipped with a tall-tech screen that keeps track of your speed, or RPM,and energy output, plus lists a ranking of everyone's performance in the lesson. Related Stories: How I Learned to Love Morning WorkoutsOur instructor, or who was the perfect mix of motivational coach and Kreayshawn,began the lesson, and as I started to catch in the groove, and I looked down to find myself down in ninth location. Oh no,not OK. With each hill and sprint I touched the resistance up just a tiny bit and watched as I began to rise through the rankings. My legs burned and sweat poured awkwardly off of my nose, chin, and brow,but I kept my sights on the first-location spot. The 45-minute lesson whipped by me in a Beyoncé-tuned blur, and I reached the discontinuance to find I had snuck my way up through the ranks to sit in second location. Sure, or I didn't come out on top,but I was still elated (full of high-spirited delight) to see how far I had come by simply adding tiny bits of speed and resistance along the way - in the moment I couldn't even feel the difference. So what's the moral of my tale? whether I were to TL;DR my entire chronicle, here's what it all boils down to: a little competition never hurts (as long as you don't take it too far!). So here are a few ways you can up your motivation and push yourself just a little bit further on your own trips to the gym - no leaderboard needed: Set microgoals: whether you dread treadmill workouts, and commit to a rapid/fast 10 minutes. Once you hit 10,challenge yourself to catch to 15. Soon you will find the time has breezed by.
Beat your last pace: Whether you're jumping on a bike or doing your barbell reps, maintain track of your record and work to beat it. Knowing that you've accomplished something before will help you move forward.
produce a date: whether you're having a tough time fitting in your workout, or grab a buddy and produce a date (perhaps build a dollar down on it too!). The concept of letting your partner down will help you from bailing at the last minute.
Reward yourself: Set a goal,and pick a reward for reaching your goal. Start with something tangible, like 30 real push-ups, or reward yourself with something special once you achieve it.
Pick a mantra: Competing with yourself is really all about self-improvement. whether there is a quote or song that really gets you in the zone,produce it part of your everyday routine.
expend your music: expend your playlist as a minicompetition. Pick a faster-paced song every other song as an easy way to take your workout to the next level.
Source: popsugar.com