6 Top Trainers Share Their Mental Strength Hacks to Push Through Obstacles

You know those days when you just don't feel like doing anything? Most people can probably relate, and it's okay to take an off-day every now and then. If you're working toward a particular goal, though—training for a marathon, losing weight, or exercising every day, for instance—you should stick to your training plan, no matter how comfortable your bed feels when your early training alarm goes off.On those apathetic days, you'll need a little extra push to perform at your best.

Some —but for the rest of us, there needs to be something else that pumps us up to perform our best.Men's Health talked to six top trainers and asked for their best tips to get over the hump when motivation runs low. Apply these to your workouts—and your life in general—and you'll feel your mental fortitude get stronger than ever. For tough workouts, I get fired up by reminding myself of all the people who doubted me or questioned my abilities or said I would never find any success. Then I tell myself I'm about to prove them all wrong.Find a rhythm connecting your breathing to your rep, stroke, or stride, so you can focus on maintaining the rhythm.

This is common with endurance training, but you can also use it for circuits when you're busting out reps.Every month, do something that'll really test you, where finishing is dependent on your mindset, not your fitness. I drag a sled with a third of my body weight or do a loaded barbell farmer's carry for a mile. It's not about time. It's about finishing.