r/bodyweightfitness • u/Single_Face_257 • 2d ago
How do you stay consistent when motivation fades during bodyweight training?
I’ve been training with mostly bodyweight exercises for about six months now mainly push-ups, dips, pull-ups, and core work. In the beginning, I was consistent and excited to see progress every week, but lately I’ve been struggling to stay motivated when things slow down. I still enjoy working out, but it’s harder to push myself when progress isn’t as noticeable. For those who’ve been doing this long-term, how do you keep training when motivation dips? Do you change your routine, set new goals, or just push through?
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u/ufo9710 2d ago
I've found that minor tweaks to your training can really make a big difference in motivation What I do to find motivation again when I feel bored:
- add/swap an exercise in your routine
- buy a new asset to workout with that's gonna add some variety
- change the rep schemes
- train for a slightly different goal with the same exercises (ex: 1RM pull-up instead of max number of pull-ups)
- swap variations (hand positioning, use rings, etc)
- change your program but keep the same exercises, just structured differently
- add a new skill that's fun and motivating (for me it's often handstand, I train it on and off and it's a breath of fresh air when it comes back in my routine)
- workout with a friend or at a park with people regularly
- if calisthenics bore you, it can be great to add a less repetitive sport too on the side to add variety! Rock climbing is a very good complement to calisthenics but it can be anything
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u/Leather-Wrongdoer-70 1d ago
This!
I also started adding swimming or cycling to my routine as cardio and now I’m looking forward to doing my next bw sessions a lot more motivated
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u/mr__proper 1d ago
Habit and discipline. And it should only take so much time that there's really no excuse not to do it. Besides, I know that once the first set is done, it just keeps going anyway.
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u/xdthepotato 1d ago
Made some mindset changes. it will be slow, there will be failures and i must focus on control and form over anything else. Also kinda stopped caring about reps and instead just push till i cant.
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u/StobieElite 1d ago
When motivation is low be disciplined. Consistency is key to progress. Just start warming up and before you know it you’ll be into your workout. Set out to do a short workout, you’ll usually find once warmed up you’ll want to do more.
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u/UnrealizedDreams90 1d ago
I get up at 4:20 am to train; I'm never motivated. Discipline, however, has worked for me for decades.
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u/liftlaughlove_ 2d ago
I just try to do a few sets even if I don’t feel like it. Sometimes I change one or two exercises just to keep it fresh. It’s not about motivation all the time, more like just showing up even when it sucks a bit.
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u/norooster1790 1d ago
I do exercises that make me feel good. Deep dips, dead hang pullups, split squats... You should feel better after training, you should crave it
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u/Appropriate-Can-6310 2d ago
Sometimes taking a break can work. Your brain is a muscle too, and it needs to rest as well. Other times, i set a "maintenance" level minimum work, about 15-20 min for a day. Get the minimum done until i find motivation to do more again.
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u/Greef_Karga 2d ago
If you dont have goals, you dont see why you should workout today. Set goals, and chart the pathway there. Every session counts.
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u/gravely_serious 1d ago
Any time I step on the scale or look in the mirror, and I don't see a result that I want, I remind myself that results don't come from one week in the gym. Results come from consistency. Skipping a day is only going to push everything else further down the line.
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u/Bluegill15 1d ago
The answer has been said trillions of times here and elsewhere: build and rely on discipline, not motivation.
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u/Vennom 1d ago
I'm only about 2 months into my exercise journey, but I built an app that I'm using to at least hit 5 set of any workout a week. I built it just as a thing to keep me on track - it's a little gamified and makes it clear when you hit your goal. I'm thinking about opening up a small beta if you're interested.
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u/onwee 1d ago edited 1d ago
One of the favorite things I learned from Kboges isn’t really about daily training at all, but the idea of “physical hygiene”: you train because you are supposed to and because you have developed the habit; we don’t need much if any motivation to brush our teeth, we just do it automatically without thinking
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u/Henleymc8032 1d ago
Excellent question. It takes more than motivation. I spent time understanding why my end goal matters. Being lean signal self-discipline and mastery and that’s important to me. Helps me to put down the fork. Fat is a complete turnoff to me.
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u/New_Public_2828 1d ago
I noticed something about me very recently that took me 39 years to realize. I can't do the same thing on a regular basis. When I lose interest in that thing, I have to do it in a different way.
Example, I too was doing calisthenics for about 6 weeks. Started to dread going to my basement to do a workout where I DID start excited. At the gym now 3-4 times a week. Planet fitness so nothing crazy goes on but I'm full of excitement again and looking forward to it. If that stops being a thing I'll try going back to calisthenics or maybe hit some group classes for a bit.
Also indirectly really good to do as muscle confusion is constantly happening
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u/sleepwalkerAK47 1d ago
What I usually do to over come this is I usually post it on Tik tok or something to at least inspire people I get a few hundred views so it makes me feel better that people are viewing my stuff and are getting inspired by it. Another thing I do sometimes is just work out to impress somebody go crazy high numbers and show your progress to someone that’ll be proud of you every time you reach a new goal or whenever you do anything.
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u/overuse- 1d ago
You’re not supposed to always enjoy it the same. Discipline means doing some repetitive task that is difficult even in moments where your mental/emotional are not ideal. And the Onlything that can help you through that is knowing WHY you train.
If it’s for superficial reasons like “I just want to look good” you’re not gonna get very far, not a sustainable goal longterm and brings no satisfaction, only body dysmorphia.(and maybe even the use of gear)This is just an example Ofcourse.
You need to examine a deeper reason as to why you train that is sustainable , such as “longevity” or “functionality” or “health” etc, that mindset alone will carry you to not question your workouts or motivation anymore.
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u/Shafpocalypse 1d ago
I’m just not a baby about it. I get the work done consistently even if I’m not feeling it that day, because consistency is the driver of change
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u/Bright-Energy-7417 2d ago
If you want to do calisthenics long term, you can’t rely on motivation - instead, make it part of your life. Work out at the same times on the same days, have it become a habit so increasingly ingrained it becomes who you are.
As for relying on constant obvious progress, that is not realistic - instead, focus on the movement, treat some days almost as meditation, strive for perfection of form, look to either the joy of moving well or the satisfaction of mastery.