These Three-Word Phrases Will Get You Through a Tough Workout Every Single Time

Emily Laurence

Woman pushing through a tough workout while repeating motivational phrases to herself

If you work out regularly—or even just once in a while—you’re probably familiar with hitting “the wall.” Hitting the wall can happen when you’re out for a jog and finishing the rest of your planned route seems impossible. It can happen during a session on your Peloton when there’s still 15 minutes left of class. It can happen when you’re lifting weights and don’t think you can do those last few reps.

The easy thing to do would be to quit. And if there’s no trainer or workout buddy to motivate you, that may be exactly what ends up happening. However, personal trainers say that there are both physical and mental benefits to pushing through a tough workout. But how can you do it when you’re working out on your own? Repeating a simple three-word phrase will give you the motivation you need to keep going.

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3 Phrases To Get You Through a Hard Workout, According to Personal Trainers

1. "I Deserve This."

Part of a fitness coach’s job is to motivate their clients to keep going. When her clients need a push, Kinsey Diment, NASM, says to repeat these two three-word phrases: “I deserve this” and “I’m worth it.”

2. "I'm Worth It."

“I Iove these phrases because they are a reminder that we work out for our bodies,” Dr. Diment says.

Diment explains that, often, many people approach exercise from a place of working against their body. “There can be a real punishment mentality: earning food we eat, trying to get slimmer or ‘fix our body;’ a real us against our body,” she says. The reality, Diment says, is that exercise is a gift, not a punishment, explaining, “The number of physiological and mental benefits of exercise are limitless, including building lean muscle mass and bone density, improving mood and energy, benefiting gut health and insulin sensitivity, better sleep and feeling confident in our skin."

She emphasizes that reminding yourself that you are worthy and deserving of vibrant health and feeling good can serve as a needed push to keep going during a hard workout.

3. "I Got This."

Chase Cruz, an ACE-certified personal trainer at NYSC Hoboken, gives another three-word phrase that can be helpful to repeat during a hard workout: “I got this.”

“It’s a reminder to yourself that you have what it takes to accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself. Sometimes, it’s that extra belief in yourself that helps you push further and go beyond your limits,” he says.

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The Benefits of Pushing Through a Hard Workout

Both Cruz and Diment say that there are both physical and mental benefits to pushing through a hard workout when the going gets tough—whether it’s during an aerobic workout or strength training workout. “Challenging yourself in aerobic exercises like running or cycling does wonders for your body," Cruz explains. "You’re enhancing your cardiovascular system, making your heart more powerful and your lungs more efficient at enriching blood with oxygen. This process increases your endurance for everyday activities, from walking up five-floor walk-ups to finishing your favorite HIIT workout before your first Zoom call."

As for pushing through strength training workouts, Cruz says this is exactly what leads to getting stronger, explaining, “Through progressive overload, the method of incrementally increasing the weight or intensity of your exercises, you signal your muscles to adapt and strengthen. This not only builds muscle but also improves neuromuscular coordination for better performance."

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Both trainers emphasize that pushing through a tough workout has profound mental health benefits. “It builds mental resilience and proves to ourselves that we are capable of things we maybe never thought possible,” Diment says.

Cruz agrees, saying, “Each time you push through a tough workout, you’re building mental toughness and resilience. Overcoming the challenges in your workout teaches you to tackle life’s obstacles with the same strength and perseverance, empowering you to say ’I got this’ more often.”

While pushing through a hard workout does have many benefits, both trainers say that there are times when it’s important not to do it and to simply stop. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, Cruz says this is a sure sign that you need to stop your workout. He says that another time to stop is if you feel pain in any part of your body or something physically hurts. “Avoiding injuries is critical to maintaining consistency, and knowing when not to push through is vital,” he says.

Sticking with your workout to the very end isn’t easy, but both trainers say that it will pay off—big time. When you need a little motivation (or a lot of motivation), repeat one of the three phrases highlighted here to yourself. Before you know it, you’ll be on the other side of that wall.

Next up, these are the 15 exercises for weight loss, according to personal trainers.

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