What one sentence has helped you most to achieve your fitness goals?

Khannie

Was struck by this question in Transforms other post.

Transform wrote: »

What one word/sentence has helped you the most as a coach?

For me the answer that jumped to mind immediately (as a non-coach but competitive athlete) was:

"The other guy is doing it"

An ex-all-Ireland boxing champion friend of mine said that to me one time. So so true.

Ali's famous quote jumps into my mind whenever I'm not in the mood and flip flopping on whether to go training.....

"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights"

Inspirational stuff.

bigeasyeah

I dont know who said it,
'Pain is just weakness leaving the body'
Its good for spurring me on for pushing out an extra lap or squeezing out another rep or even a set!

numanuma

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Roper

numanuma wrote: »

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Remove the God bits from that sentence (for people like me ) and it's still great.

I've been told lots of things and no one sentence springs to mind, but I'd have to admit that the most inspirational things any people have ever said to me have been negative.

numanuma

Whatever works for you. For me divine inspiration cannot be topped

Blazer

Mine was : You're a fat cvnt
So I got off my ass and lost 3 stone.

rubadub

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another.

(The first law of thermodynamics, many still think they can break this law though....)

Roper

numanuma wrote: »

Whatever works for you. For me divine inspiration cannot be topped

My point was that it's still inspirational whether you believe in God or not. Your body is a temple, that a price has been paid for you, that has a lot of resonance for me. Dawkins in one of his books speaks of the billions potential people, not living today and how remarkably unlikely life actually is. I often think of the circumstances I was born into- 1st world country, two loving parents, perfect health, innumerable opportunities and think what a waste it would be to spend this watching TV.

i'm all for some of JC's wisdom from time to time, I just don't belive in the magic

Jamie32

I've had so many comments which I kept in the back of my mind as motivation but a family member asked me a question last year...."Have you weighed yourself lately? [No, Why?] Because you've put on a lot of weight...."

That was everything, all of those last few years of fat jokes and comments about my weight rolled into one, that was fuelling my fire inside, I was livid absolutely waiting to explode! I still often use this as motivation when i'm trying to reach a new goal that's quite difficult to reach.

Anyway, my point is i'm the type of person that needs doubt/negative comments about what I can and can't do and as a result of all of these comments, i'm nearly 3 stone lighter today than this time last year.

numanuma

Roper wrote: »

My point was that it's still inspirational whether you believe in God or not. Your body is a temple, that a price has been paid for you, that has a lot of resonance for me. Dawkins in one of his books speaks of the billions potential people, not living today and how remarkably unlikely life actually is. I often think of the circumstances I was born into- 1st world country, two loving parents, perfect health, innumerable opportunities and think what a waste it would be to spend this watching TV.

i'm all for some of JC's wisdom from time to time, I just don't belive in the magic

You dont believe in the magic? But sure isnt it in you! Our potential I believe is this. Imagine all the time we wasted was spent on beneficial things, like getting into shape, charity work, relationships... We would indeed be happier I think.

In terms of motivation, results speak very loudly. So look at yourself and flex those pecks!

Magic Eight Ball

'No Pain, No Pizza' :pac:

Hail 2 Da Chimp

bigeasyeah wrote: »

I dont know who said it,
'Pain is just weakness leaving the body'
Its good for spurring me on for pushing out an extra lap or squeezing out another rep or even a set!

That was a big one in my old club - so true!

metamorphosis

bigeasyeah wrote: »

I dont know who said it,
'Pain is just weakness leaving the body'
Its good for spurring me on for pushing out an extra lap or squeezing out another rep or even a set!

+1
Can't remember where i heard it but it always makes me push that tiny bit more

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Think it's the USMC, but I also think either Bas Rutten or Frank Shamrock used to say it a lot.

g'em

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit - Aristotle.

I came across that one when I was doing a hellish cut a couple of years back and it helped me remind myself that it's the day-to-day solid and consistent effort that you put in that counts, it's about having a different frame of mind and a lifestyle that's conducive to success. It's not just about the effort you put in at the gym, it's about all the things you do in the other 23 hours of the day that dictate how succesful you will be in your chosen goal.

dannyd20

In a similar vein to the quote posted by G'em

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.

Although my favourite quote of more than one sentence has to be

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

cardio,shoot me

"If you where to die tommorow? what would you wish you had accomplished, if you had one thing to pick, what would it be?"

whenever i feel like sh1t i just think of that, usually gets me motivated

BossArky

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

"If you where to die tommorow? what would you wish you had accomplished, if you had one thing to pick, what would it be?"

whenever i feel like sh1t i just think of that, usually gets me motivated

I thought you would say "cardio, shoot me"

My one sentence would probably see me locked up for plagarism by Nike: Just do it.

Khannie

Some really good ones in there. G'em; Your aristotle one is along a similar vein to the Mohammed Ali one in my first post. Good stuff.

dioltas

Ali,
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''”

and

Don't be a pussy.

Sometimes say that to myself if im not looking forward to that last set.

Davei141

Would i be in the minority in that quotes do absolutely nothing for me? A well timed song on the other hand will motivate me no end, metal or techno, many a song has got me through a session were i feel like shit

fatmammycat

The only expression I ever really rely on is 'Suck it up' . It works for me when I'm running and I feel tired, if I'm in the middle of a three minute bout in KB, or if I'm trying to DL and my hands hurt. The second I hear that whingey voice in my head I think, 'Just suck it up!'

Oryx

"Its only pain"

"I'm going to get that fkn medal."

Both of which get repeated throughout an event.

Killme00

"I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough Without ever having felt sorry for itself"

I was big into DH Lawrence many moons ago but this qoute (and the Snapdragon :pac:) have stuck with me ever since. It makes me keep going whenever i get a hard knock, it makes me keep going when i think i might stop and it will keep me going because self pity will hold you back.

Dexterm99

‘The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.’ JFK, Dublin. June 1963

Hanley

Davei141 wrote: »

Would i be in the minority in that quotes do absolutely nothing for me? A well timed song on the other hand will motivate me no end, metal or techno, many a song has got me through a session were i feel like shit

Same as to be honest.

During sets I tend to think "why stop?" and on runs/cardio "just keep going".

cardio,shoot me

i never think of quotes during training, i seem to be able to train with or without music though. During rests in the gym i like to listen to music, but once under the bar, i couldnt tell you what song i was listening to. I just zone out

d'Oracle

C'Mon to Feck

Not really "Feck"

Killme00

Treadmill is a killer for me so during the run section of my last interval last night i went into my cave (fight club anyone?) ie i counted to thirty as gaelige and it helped me get through it.

Magic Eight Ball

"Right about now, a small Chinese girl is warming up with your MAX!!"

Kev M

Gotta love this

dioltas

Trevor Coulahan wrote: »

"Right about now, a small Chinese girl is warming up with your MAX!!"

amazingemmet

"just f***ing lift it" Dragan

"training is bitter, its rewards are sweet" chinese/russian acrobat saying

rightso

Do it now, impress her* later

* That unattainable/out of your league woman you know

TommyKnocker

Hi

"Right about now, a small Chinese girl is warming up with your MAX!!"

ROFLMAO

arybvtcw0eolkf

Napoleon Bonaparte is qouted as saying...

"I may have lost a war, but I never lost a minute. Somewhere your enemy is in training & he's going to kill you".

Without exception each and everytime I enter the gym, or go for a cycle or jog I think about fighting. When I think I'm completely gassed & spent I think how it feels in competition to really know that feeling & I push on harder.

And finally...

"Ouch" is not a Judo term ...

.

Roper

Khannie did you mean this as inspirational quotes or actual advice recieved? Cos I could have answered differently.

itsallaboutheL

Does anybody else talk to themselves when lifting???

I course at myself a lot!! It gets strange looks from people.


I have a little mantra i rpeat over and over again before lifting

" No ****ing weight on that bar "

My training partner even says it to me now before i start a set

Hanley

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

Does anybody else talk to themselves when lifting???

I course at myself a lot!! It gets strange looks from people.


I have a little mantra i rpeat over and over again before lifting

" No ****ing weight on that bar "

My training partner even says it to me now before i start a set

Bit sad getting that psyched for curls tbh... but whatever you're into!

Davei141

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

Does anybody else talk to themselves when lifting???

I course at myself a lot!! It gets strange looks from people.


I have a little mantra i rpeat over and over again before lifting

" No ****ing weight on that bar "

My training partner even says it to me now before i start a set

On occasion ill just scream fucking cunt! No idea why, and its right after a set that kills me. I train on my own so i have the luxury of talking to myself while appearing sane to the outside world

itsallaboutheL

Hanley wrote: »

Bit sad getting that psyched for curls tbh... but whatever you're into!

Khannie

Roper wrote: »

Khannie did you mean this as inspirational quotes or actual advice recieved? Cos I could have answered differently.

Eh, I suppose either really.

Roro4Brit

when your body screams, tell it to shut up

podge57

Roper wrote: »

My point was that it's still inspirational whether you believe in God or not. Your body is a temple, that a price has been paid for you, that has a lot of resonance for me. Dawkins in one of his books speaks of the billions potential people, not living today and how remarkably unlikely life actually is. I often think of the circumstances I was born into- 1st world country, two loving parents, perfect health, innumerable opportunities and think what a waste it would be to spend this watching TV.

i'm all for some of JC's wisdom from time to time, I just don't belive in the magic

I like this one from Socrates, its pretty much along the same lines

"No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training...what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."



rippetoe also has some qulaity quotes, this is one of my faves:

"And folks, for weight-gaining purposes, "eating clean" is not a useful concept. Big Macs are. "

the drifter

while benching in a shirt...i kept adjusting my hand when i racked out

"if you move your f*cking hand one more im gonna beat it with this board"

fooking worked too.....

Parsley

"There is no tomorrow" - Apollo Creed :pac:

BobbyOLeary

Why would you stop?

celestial

Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it

Not specific to exercise, but as I see it in the gym you are in control, no matter what is going on in all the other areas of you life you are in control, and you are gonna leave feeling sweaty, energised, and great, better able to handle whatever life throws at ya.

I found that the men and women who got to the top were those who did the jobs they had in hand, with everything they had of energy and enthusiasm and hard work

Also not specific, but obvious in how it applies to training.

And

When the sun comes up, you better be running

shabby

"Don't ever quit at anything worth doing."

and

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself"

......always makes me get under that bar for squats when i'm making excuses!!:p

rccaulfield

'You have to be like a plane flying itself-Constantly making mistakes and correcting your course till you reach your destination'-
Tom Venutos take on the auto pilot of a plane that actually constantly makes mistakes analyses data and then corrects itself!

zebrafumbler

"Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but nobody wants to lift no heavy ass weights," Ronnie Coleman.