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When it comes to fitness, improving your mental strength and having grit means you can crush your training even when you want to give up.\u00a0 In the middle of a HIIT workout, when your shirt is soaked through with sweat and you\u2019re about to start yet\u00a0another<\/em>\u00a0round of burpees, it\u2019s not uncommon to think, \u201cI can\u2019t do this. I can\u2019t even do one more rep.\u201d But what\u2019s sending that message \u2014 your body or your brain? Are your muscles truly getting tired, or is it just your mental strength that\u2019s waning?<\/p>\n While it\u2019s always important to\u00a0listen to your body\u00a0and never push yourself to the point of\u00a0injury, sometimes your brain can prevent your body from doing all that it can. When it comes to performing\u00a0feats of athleticism\u00a0\u2014 whether that\u2019s competing in an\u00a0IRONMAN\u00a0or trying to hold a plank just a little bit longer \u2014 mental toughness plays a huge role in what you can accomplish. Luckily anyone can develop mental strength. Just like training for a race or learning to do pull-ups, it\u2019s something that takes time to master. The more you practice it, the more benefits you\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n Outside the weight room, mental strength helps you get through the ups and downs of life, like criticism at work or dealing with a breakup.\u00a0Endurance athletes, like those who compete in\u00a0IRONMAN\u00a0races, especially benefit from being mentally strong.<\/p>\n In order to succeed, such athletes have to become experts at not only enduring physical unpleasantness, but overcoming it, too. That\u2019s why we interviewed a handful of\u00a0the best triathletes in the world, in addition to exercise psychologists, to learn their secrets on improving mental strength\u00a0and pass them on to you.<\/p>\n \u201c[Endurance athletes] need intrinsic motivation to succeed, as these sports require lengthy periods of focusing and managing physical discomfort,\u201d explains Jennifer Carter, Ph.D., a counseling and sport psychologist at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. You might not be\u00a0training for a triathlon\u00a0anytime soon, but mental strength can help you get through a hard workout and achieve your goals faster. Ready to work your brain? Let\u2019s get gritty.<\/p>\n Maybe not aloud and in public (you might get some looks), but thinking \u201cI can do this!\u201d or \u201ckeep pushing!\u201d can make a workout seem less strenuous. In a small study published in the\u00a0International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance<\/em>, men who used\u00a0motivational self-talk<\/a>\u00a0completed a 10-kilometer time trial faster and with more power than those who did not. That was despite reporting no change in perceived effort.<\/p>\n \u201c[Motivational self-talk] allows you to do more work without it feeling more strenuous because it provides you a way to keep persevering despite high levels of exertion,\u201d says Alister McCormick, Ph.D., a registered sport and exercise psychologist.<\/p>\n Lose yourself in your favorite songs when you feel your mental strength wavering. Listening to music while exercising has been shown to\u00a0reduce perceived exertion<\/a>,\u00a0increase work output<\/a>, and\u00a0make you enjoy the workout more<\/a>. Scientists believe music stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and hormones like dopamine and endorphins, which are associated with feelings of\u00a0reward and a natural high<\/a>,\u00a0helping decrease perceived pain. Researchers say\u00a0the best music is music you like<\/a>, so cue up your favorite\u00a0Spotify playlist\u00a0and get to it!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit daunting to think, \u2018I\u2019ll race this entire IRONMAN,’\u201d says triathlete Joe Gambles, who\u2019s been competing at an elite level since the age of 16. \u201cSo I try and break down a race into smaller chunks \u2014 first the swim, then the first transition, then the first 10 miles on the bike, etc. \u2014 that way I can chip away at [the whole race].\u201d McCormick says such \u201cchunking\u201d helps you focus on one thing at a time, and breaks a daunting task into more manageable pieces. It doesn\u2019t matter whether that\u2019s 10 miles of an ultramarathon or a set of lunges \u2014 this tactic can help you stay motivated no matter what task you\u2019re trying to complete.<\/p>\n Focusing on the little things is key, McCormick says. \u201cIt\u2019s about pacing. Whether you\u2019re\u00a0running a 10K\u00a0or\u00a0lifting weights, you don\u2019t want to do too much work too soon. But you also don\u2019t want to underachieve,\u201d he says. To find the perfect pace, he suggests checking in on things relevant to your performance, which is exactly what IRONMAN athlete Michellie Jones does.<\/p>\n \u201cI try to focus on something simple like keeping my pedaling smooth and round [on the bike] and remembering to breathe and relax my shoulders [on the run],\u201d says Jones, who has more than 175 career victories. And who\u2019s to argue with that kind of success?<\/p>\n Reflecting on why you\u2019re exercising can help you stay in the game. \u201cRemind yourself of your goals. Think about how good it will feel to cross the finish line [or complete the workout], and then focus on what you need to do to make that happen,\u201d Carter suggests.<\/p>\n Training for an endurance event requires a lot of time \u2014 time that could have been spent hanging out with friends or doing something fun with your kids. \u201cI always think of the family and friends I have sacrificed time with to get my training done, and how disappointed they might be if I\u2019m not giving it everything I have,\u201d says IRONMAN athlete Leon Griffin, who entered his first triathlon as a teenager. \u201cIf I give anything less than that, I feel like I\u2019m cheating them as well as myself.\u201d You may not be training for something as grueling as an IRONMAN, but reflecting on what you\u2019re giving up by doing a workout may help you give every minute all you\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n During a workout, it\u2019s hard to think about anything but how\u00a0sore your muscles are\u00a0and how much\u00a0sweat\u00a0is dripping off your nose. But consider thinking about how awesome it is that you get to do that workout. \u201cIn mentally tough moments, I always put myself in a state of gratitude,\u201d shares Siri Lindley, who was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame in 2016. \u201cI think about how lucky I am to have two arms, two legs, a strong beating heart, and the ability, opportunity, and desire to be out pushing myself to the limits. The minute I go into thinking about what I am grateful for, I automatically start feeling better, inspired, and wanting to celebrate the opportunity to dig deep.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowds are often the best part of any athletic event, with their hilarious signs and energetic cheering. But you can also find support in a fitness studio, sports team, or\u00a0online community. \u201cWhen other people give you encouragement, it has a massive effect,\u201d McCormick says.<\/p>\n Group workouts are led by an enthusiastic instructor who can help you get over a mental block. Feeding off the energy of others in a class can also motivate you to push yourself just a little bit harder. Even having a virtual community keeping you accountable can do wonders on the days when you feel like giving up. Check out the\u00a0Beachbody On Demand community\u00a0to find your own online support system.\u201dWhether in the gym or a race, [encouragement from others] can be beneficial to help you keep persevering,\u201d McCormick says.<\/p>\n This might be the easiest tip yet. Putting on a happy face is probably the last thing you want to do when grunting through rep after rep, but Jones swears it works. \u201cA smile goes a long way \u2014 it gives you a boost mentally and physically. It helps even if it\u2019s forced,\u201d she says. This simple trick doesn\u2019t take a lot of effort, but it could be just the thing you need to push yourself through to the end.<\/p>\n When all else fails, sometimes you simply have to accept that enduring a bit of pain (in the form of deep, muscle-burning agony, not acute injury) is part of becoming stronger, faster, and fitter. The \u201cpain cave\u201d is the most grueling part of a workout or race, and is well known among endurance racers.<\/p>\n \u201cEmbracing the pain is part and parcel of the sport,\u201d says Emma-Kate Lidbury, a podium regular on the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 circuits. \u201cI view it as a privilege to be able to push my body and mind to their limits. How will you cope with [the pain]? Can you keep pushing? Push through your boundaries and see what happens. That\u2019s the really fun part!\u201d<\/p>\n Others say embracing the pain makes them\u00a0more competitive. \u201cI know that if I\u2019m in the pain cave, my competitors are likely deep in that cave too,\u201d explains IRONMAN pro Matt Lieto. \u201cIt becomes a game of who\u2019s most content to live there the longest.\u201d<\/p>\n As long as the pain isn\u2019t alarming and won\u2019t lead you to an injury, finding comfort in the uncomfortable can help build grit and stamina, and make you feel like a baller when it\u2019s time for your cooldown. \u201cMuscular fatigue is a sign that we are effective in our training, and many athletes experience a high after particularly intense workouts,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n So the next time you mentally hit a wall during a workout, call upon some of these tips to boost your mental strength and see just how strong you really are.<\/p>\nWhy Being Mentally Tough Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/strong><\/h2>\n10 Ways to Improve Mental Strength During a Hard Workout<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1. Talk to yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Cue up your playlist<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Take it one step at a time<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Follow a checklist<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Think about your goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Think about your loved ones<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Be grateful<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Soak up the support<\/strong><\/h3>\n
9. Smile<\/strong><\/h3>\n
10. Embrace the pain cave<\/strong><\/h3>\n