Sometimes your mind is a better fitness tool than any piece of gym equipment.
The evidence: these eight quick and easy mental tricks will help you push through every workout.
Rehearse Your Lift
Before you attempt a big lift, picture yourself completing it – and mime the steps in the movement.
Visualising your goal can boost your actual performance by 45 per cent, according to a study in Behavioural and Brain Functions.
Prepare For Tomorrow’s Workout
Pack your gym bag for tomorrow’s workout before you go to bed tonight.
Georgia University researchers say sorting out your gear in advance makes you 40 per cent more likely to hit the gym.
Click here for 5 simple strategies for bigger muscles
Change Your Phone’s Home Screen
Keep a mantra or motivational picture as your phone’s screen shot.
Fitness-based imagery is a proven factor in the success of competitive athletes, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Indulge Yourself
Men’s Health has long championed cheat days, and now science agrees.
Researchers at the USC Marshall School of Business say food that stimulates your brain’s reward centre forges a connection between meeting targets and pleasure.
See? Cheaters can prosper.
Set Small Goals
Forget setting a grand goal. Instead of vowing to lose 15 kilos by Christmas, just make it two – and build from there.
Short-term goals result in a great chance of physical improvement, says a University of Alabama study.
Click here or the 5-move workout that tightens your core and fends off back pain
Pick an Opponent In the Gym
See that guy on the next treadmill? Pretend you’re racing him.
A healthy competition can push you to work extra hard, says research from New York University.
Finish the Hard Part First
Start your workout with the exercise you dread the most.
By leaving it until later in your sweat session, you’ll unwittingly skip reps on easier moves in order to save energy for your nemesis, finds a study from Indiana University.
Focus On Your Muscles
Don’t just go through the motions during a lift. Focus on the muscle you want to target as you work it.
This fosters a mind-muscle connection and helps you recruit more fibres.
Don’t forget to download the Olympics on 7 app!
Get it for Android – rio.seven/googleplay
Get it for iOS – rio.seven/appstore
More From
Find out if a plant-based diet, daily activity, and community involvement can help you achieve a longer, healthier life
Donald Trump is struggling to stay awake during his criminal trial. Here's what happens when you go cold turkey on caffeine
Can you knock out 50 push-ups? Then you might be ready to try typewriter push-ups, the toughest of all push-up variations
Serious about your fitness? Sign up to our newsletter to get your hands on premium fitness merch and have the best health and fitness content delivered direct to your inbox
The Western Bulldogs superstar is working diligently on his rehab as he prepares his body for a return to the field sooner rather than later. As Smith told MH at the Australian F1 Grand Prix last weekend, being away from footy has only deepened his love of the game
How superstar Lenny Kravitz stays ripped as he approaches 60 years old. His body has to be seen to be believed
This total-body burner is a test of endurance, strength and determination. Use these tips to record a sky-high score
Eating all the fat you want sounds like a delicious way to lose the weight – but is it worth sacrificing carbs?
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was a popular Australian Grand Prix winner on Sunday in front of a record crowd. Stewart Bell was there to witness it
