Gym motivational quotes are so funny to me. They are either super corny or they totally fire me up! The ones that remind you “your fitness journey is just one step away”, “the only bad workout is the one you didn’t do”, “never quit and you’ll land among the stars!”, LOL those kill me!
The ones that really give me an extra push are typically from people I respect, who have worked incredibly hard. Often they have a really unique perspective I have not experienced.
You’ll see themes emerge: hard work, consistency, perspective, ownership. Some of these inspirational quotes are from famous athletes, some are from world leaders or business visionaries.
My Favorite Gym Motivational Quote
Some of these quotes might be familiar because they are classics, but I’ve tried to put together a list of quotes beyond the basic fitness journey fitness motivation blah blah. Let me know if I missed your favorites!
I’m going to start with my favorite motivational gym quote of all time, from Dave Draper, who I love. It’s the longest.
Sometimes we forget why we go to the gym and the driving forces – the countless reasons for lifting heavy with meticulous form and in relentless pursuit – are left behind, under the bed with the dust balls, in the closet with the dirty laundry or at work under a stack of papers. Get in the habit of recalling who you are and why you’re here; to be good to your neighbor; to cultivate high morals; to be loyal to your country; to eat your protein and to train hard, with underlying commitment to health, strength, and long life.
Dave Draper
Quotes on Hard Work in Your Fitness Journey
Drawing inspiration from people who have worked very hard for years and decades never fails to inspire me. The following quotes are from people who have stripped away the fluff, the excuses, and embraced the discomfort of leaving their comfort zone.
To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
Steve Prefontain
I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Muhammad Ali
We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell.
Lance Armstrong
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
Henry David Thoreau
Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.
Wayne Dyer
Confidence comes from victory, but strength comes from the struggle.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.
Kobe Bryant
You have to push past your perceived limits, push past that point you thought was as far as you can go.
Drew Brees
The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
There is no magic pill.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Quotes on Consistency
These quotes on consistent effort are some of my favorites! It’s fascinating to me to know that some of these incredibly successful people and athletes didn’t always feel like naturals. It was through consistent hard work and strong character that they reached their potential. This is a great motivator to me!
If you need help gaining clarity taking the first step toward your fitness goals, contact me. I have been a personal trainer for 19 years now (whew, talk about consistency!) and I love helping people realize that you have all the keys to take care of your body and build a healthy lifestyle! Message me to book a free consult today!
Speaking of consistency, should you go to the gym everyday?
I was never a natural athlete, but I paid my dues in sweat and concentration, and took the time necessary to learn karate and became a world champion.
Chuck Norris
Most people fail, not because of lack of desire, but because of lack of commitment.
Vince Lombardi
Winston Churchill
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle
Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.
Winston Churchill
Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out.
Jack LaLanne
We do not stop exercising because we grow old- we grow old because we stop exercising.
Dr. Kenneth Cooper
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
Jim Ryun
It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.
Babe Ruth
I worked real hard to learn to play first. In the beginning, I used to make one terrible play a game. Then, I got so I’d make one a week, and finally, I’d pull a real bad one maybe once a month. At the end, I was trying to keep it down to one a season.
Lou Gehrig
I think in life you should work on yourself until the day you die.
Serena Williams
Quotes on Perspective of Your Training
I love taking words of wisdom from people who have been places in life that I haven’t yet, or people with a wealth of experience in an area unfamiliar to me. Check out some of these perspective altering quotes. This might be my favorite type of motivational gym quote. It’s more like motivational life quotes!
Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.
George Halas
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.
Wayne Gretzky
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
Earl Nightingale
You can either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
Jim Rohn
I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve — not only to please the coach and the fans — but also to feel satisfied with myself.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Sylvester Stallone
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!
Jillian Michaels
What hurts today makes you stronger tomorrow.
Jay Cutler
By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid only of standing still.
Benjamin Franklin
Quotes on Gym Motivation: Just Do It!
Whether you are a pro athlete, weekend warrior, gym owner or personal trainer, the answer is that you just have to take action. You are the only person who can make your decisions, so read these motivational fitness quotes about the hardest thing, getting the job done.
The world is run by the people who show up.
Benjamin Franklin
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney
Nobody owes anybody a living, but everybody is entitled to a chance.
Jack Dempsey
Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.
Jackie Robinson
There’s no secret formula. I lift heavy, work hard, and aim to be the best.
Ronnie Coleman
Nothing will work unless you do.
Maya Angelou
I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.
Estée Lauder
In training, you listen to your body. In competition, you tell your body to shut up.
Rich Froning Jr.
Funny Gym “Motivational” Quotes
Most of these workout motivation quotes are more serious in nature, talking about doing great hard work and never quitting. But if you need a good laugh, check out the next couple quotes.
The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.
Joan Rivers
If you are gonna wear gloves when you lift, just make sure they match your purse.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
I wholeheartedly agree, Arnold. I wrote a whole blog post (10 years ago!) about why my clients don’t lift with gloves.
Quotes on Ownership of Your Goals
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan
Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.
Jerry Rice
Michael Phelps
If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.
Thomas Jefferson
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan
There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can’t go through life obsessing about what might have been.
Hugh Jackman
Exercise and Strength as a Health Blessing
This is not medical advice, but believe me, exercise is the best thing you can do for yourself. You’d have your head stuck in Google for days if you looked through all the benefits exercise provides. It helps with physical strength, mental health, weight loss, muscle gain.
Next time you want to hit the snooze button or skip your next workout, reread all these gym motivational quotes and remember that the ability to work on your health goals is one of life’s greatest blessings.
It is said that “A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person only one.”
Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.
John F. Kennedy
Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.
Edward Stanley
If you think lifting is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.
Bret Contreras
Lou Gehrig
And finally, not exactly a gym motivational quote, but the sweetest quote, also from The Iron Horse:
I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
Lou Gehrig
About the author
Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.
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