Sports motivation: what it is, what it is for, and how to increase it

Like all motivation, sports motivation refers to a force that drives us and directs us towards a goal and keeps us going despite the difficulties that may arise; In this specific case, the goal will be to exercise.

We know that playing sports is good for keeping us healthy not only physically but also mentally, since it helps us to disconnect, to stop thinking about our worries, at the same time that we exercise the body improving our form physical.

It is important to choose the practice that you like the most and the one that motivates you the most to persist in the goal of playing sports and not end up abandoning this habit.

In this article you will know what sports motivation is, what variables influence it and what strategies can be useful to increase it.

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What is sports motivation?

Motivation is defined as the impulse, the internal force, that moves the individual to achieve a goal. That is, it has the function of activating, maintaining stability and directing behavior towards a goal, we allows us to persist in an action even if it costs us, since we know that the result will will compensate.

On the other hand, we know that playing sports is one of the most recommended activities to achieve and maintain good physical condition and be healthy. Establish a good exercise routine prevents possible diseases in the subject, especially those linked to weight problems. Thus, playing sports is a good reason to pay attention.

In this way, sports motivation refers to the activation and persistence of a behavior guided to achieve a goal linked to sport. Even if it is difficult for the subject and the road is hard, the final result rewards all the effort.

The motivation of each athlete may be different, since some will enjoy and feel satisfaction for the simple fact of playing sports (this is intrinsic motivation) and other subjects will present goals not so closely related to enjoying sports, such as achieving the goal of losing weight (This motivation is known as extrinsic and is linked more to rewards that practicing sport can have).

Thus, the motivation that moves you to exercise is a key and fundamental element to carry out such an activity and this is very varied and different depending on the subject. Differences have been observed between individuals who engage in high-level sports, who perform so professional, compared to people who do it to stay healthy or between individuals of different ages. In the same way, this force that moves us and the goals we set for ourselves also change throughout life.

Here are some strategies or tips to help you increase or find your motivation to exercise.

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How to improve sports motivation

As we have already seen, each subject has their own motivation to play sports and although there are similar reasons the distinctive characteristics of each individual also make them different, not being completely same. It is important that you find your motivation, since it will be the only one that will allow you to overcome difficulties, the days you don't feel like training, to achieve the desired goal.

1. Visualize the goals

Motivation drives towards a goal, so it is important that we set a goal that we want to reach. This will be different depending on your purpose; for example, we can visualize our physique in the future or the achievements in a competition that we can achieve if we continue training. Imagine what would really make you happy and what you really feel moves you.

It has also been seen that this technique does not work equally well in all subjects, there are those who are better off visualizing the opposite consequence, that is, the negative state that would be reached if we continue the same and do not train, imagine the terrible results that can happen such as health problems and diseases.

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2. Set short-term goals

Since the path is not easy, it helps to set short-term goals that keep us motivated to reach the final goal. Set goals that are more achievable and can be overcome relatively quickly., since they will be the ones that will encourage you to continue fighting and playing sports.

When we are tired and prefer to lie on the sofa or have had a hard day at work, it will be the small goals that that will move us, for example thinking about how we will feel after doing sports that day, how good we will feel about ourselves same. Also, exercising even if it leaves you tired later generates in you a feeling of energy and feel better physically, at the same time that it helps you disconnect from your worries and thus reduce the stress.

It has been proven that sport increases the amount of endorphins in the body, hormone that is linked to the sensation of well-being and reduction of pain. This purpose can be a good short-term motive.

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3. Have a training routine

In the same way that we have seen that visualizing, that is, representing the motive internally, is useful to keep us strong, it is also functional and necessary to consider the mode of action and set it in advance.

In other words, it can benefit us to set and specify what we are going to do and what it is going to be. our performance, what day we are going to train, what exercises we are going to do, how long each I train...

If we create a routine and know what we have to do every day, it will be easier to stay motivated and not give up when we are tired. It's another way to set small goals that keep you motivated in the short term.

4. Keep it real

Try to set goals that are possible, especially those you set in the short term, since if the goals are unrealistic and you cannot meet them, this may frustrate you and make you stop trying. They should be goals that you can achieve so that you feel rewarded.

For example, if you consider a very intense daily routine, it is likely that when you have been doing it for a few days you will no longer be able to and your body will not allow you to continue. In the same way, it is recommended to start progressively, to avoid feeling very tired and thus gradually improve and set new goals. This way we can improve, for this reason it is better to start little by little.

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5. allow yourself to rest

Linked to the previous point, we must be realistic and, therefore, we must allow ourselves to rest, since it is not only that it is necessary for our body, but at the same time it gives us more strength to be able to continue.

It is wrong to think that we will reach our goals easier and faster if we do not rest, most likely our body will not be able to endure and recovery is much worse, it may even be that if we unduly force injured terms and, therefore, we have to stop for more weather.

Everyone needs to rest, even professional athletes do, since it is part of training, being key to achieving our goal.

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6. Find what motivates you

As we have already said, not everyone has the same purpose or the same motivations. In the same way, not all of us like or work the same exercises, find out which sport practice is the one that attracts you the most: individual sports, in groups, outdoors, in the pool... There is a wide variety that adapt to the preferences of each person.

It is important to find what we like, since in this way it will be easier to persist and it is more likely that the days that we are less motivated we will not throw in the towel.

7. Modify the exercises

Before we talked about how recommendable it can be to establish a routine, but this fact does not mean that we always do the same exercises, it is good to vary, not only to not get bored, but also to work other parts of the body or do it in a different way mode. There are many ways to exercise, for example we can do strength exercises without using any material or with weight.

So that, according to your progression you will also see that you should enhance and which parts need more training, being able to adapt your routine to these objectives to improve.

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8. Sign up for directed classes

Signing up for directed classes or practicing sports where the schedule is already established can benefit us. Especially at the beginning, when we are not yet in shape or have not established a routine to play sports.

Doing it freely may not be the best option, since it is easier for us not to do it when we feel listless. On the contrary, if we have a prior "commitment" to an activity, it will favor us to attend it.

9. Be aware of your progress

Sometimes it is difficult for us to see our progress and we only focus on improving and achieving new goals, without valuing or rewarding ourselves for the goals we have already achieved. See how you have improved and be proud of the goals you have achieved, as being aware of your progress will also help you stay motivated and stick with your goals.