Most of us dream of having that body that we see on television and in the movies, or even walking out of the local gym, but many of us don't ever achieve that. Why? We simply lack the motivation necessary to keep up our fitness training. Weight training is really the best way to get that muscle growth and tone that we desire. While it is easy to make the decision to begin a weight training program, it is always a bit tougher to stick with it. We need to have ongoing motivation in order to keep the goal in sight and clearer than the sore muscles. The following ten tips will help to keep you on the right track, lifting and pumping, and watching your body transform before your eyes.

1)Purchase a weight training log or journal to track your progress. You can even use a pocket calendar if you want, but the specialized journals are usually more suited for the purpose and offer some tips and exercises you can try. Each time that you work out, write in the weights, the exercise, and the reps, along with any additional notes that you want to. As you progress, you can look back at where you started and see how far you've come.

2)Set reasonable goals, with dates that you want to achieve them by. This will help you to maintain your focus. You may have certain weight increases that you want to be able to lift or muscle growth in particular areas. Whatever they are, write them down and when you meet one goal, replace it with another.

3)Most fitness centers offer a session or two with a personal trainer when you join. Take full advantage of this and get all the knowledge that you can. If you find that you are at a standstill after a time, it is often worth the investment to pay for an additional session or two to help get you out of the slump and back on track.

4)Getting a workout partner can be extremely motivating. For some, it encourages their sense of competition and for others, the sheer camaraderie is the motivating factor. There is also the issue of safety. It is best when weight training to have a spotter, so working with someone is definitely one of the easiest ways to prevent injury.

5)If the gym you are working out at isn't playing your favorite music, get an Ipod or MP3 player and load it with high-energy tunes that keep you pumped up.

6)If you are a beginner, don't go overboard with those first couple of workouts. This is a surefire way to quit before you even get started. You will almost certainly feel so sore that you can't imagine doing it again and may even wind up with an injury that will take alot of time, or forever, to heal properly. Take it slow and focus more on proper form than on how much you are lifting and for how many repetitions.

7)Focus on one muscle group per workout. This will prevent you from feeling stiff or sore all over and enable you to keep up with a workout schedule.

8)Have a reward system. Set your goals and think of something that you will reward yourself with when you achieve them. It doesn't have to be anything big, but we all stay much more motivated if we know there's a prize at the end.

9)Often, we are motivated by watching others. YouTube and other websites are great places to go and search for video clips of other weight training athletes that will get us amped up to continue with our fitness routines.

10)Learn new exercises. The same old things can get rather boring and monotonous after a while, so go online or get a weight training book for some fresh new ideas. This will also lend to muscle confusion which will promote better growth and function of the muscles.

Learn more about this author, Victoria Tiegert.
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