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124 Motivational Gym Quotes Better Than Protein

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While it may not be the most popular choice of motivation, inspirational gym quotes can surely give you a kick. No one is better than you to make yourself motivated. However, other people’s experiences can certainly set you in the right direction.

These motivational workout quotes come from many different people. Some of them with achievements that are far from related to a gym. But it’s not always coaches and players that can motivate you.

Motivation can also come from your close friends and family. Or, In this case, alongside players and sports figures with great records and achievements, these fitness quotes come from people like Michelle Obama, Henry Ford, and Benjamin Franklin, who probably had nothing to do with the free weights section.

Of course, no one can hit as close to home as those who have experienced it. Gathered throughout their career, fitness icons like Michael Jordan and Bruce Lee share their experience in the form of words of wisdom too.

If you’ve ever wondered how to motivate yourself and achieve whatever goals you set for yourself, motivational gym quotes are the way to go. They will work wonders to keep you pushing.

So get your gym bag, load it with your gym outfit, take a bottle of water, and take this pre-workout of inspirational fitness quotes before heading out to the gym.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

Earl Blumenauer quote on going to the gym “Let's have a moment of silence for all those Americans who are stuck in traffic on their way to the gym to ride the stationary bicycle.” – Earl Blumenauer

24points

#2

"Life has its ups and downs. We call them squats."

21points

#3

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right." — Henry Ford

21points

#4

"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

20points

#5

Michael Jordan about making it happen “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

19points

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#6

"Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate."

19points

#7

"I got 99 problems, but I'm going to the gym to ignore all of them."

18points

#8

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10000 times.” — Bruce Lee

18points

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#9

“The difference between try and triumph is a little ‘umph.'” — Marvin Phillips

18points

Henry Myers 2 years ago

I’ve never heard this before, but I love it!

0points

#10

Gym quote about working out "Working out is a reward, not a punishment."

18points

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#11

“A champion is someone who gets up when they can’t.” — Jack Dempsey

17points

#12

“For me, exercise is more than just physical – it’s therapeutic.” – Michelle Obama

17points

#13

“The gym is not the social club for the fit. It’s a training ground for everyone.”

17points

#14

“If you think a minute goes by really fast, you’ve never been on a treadmill.”

16points

Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago

Too true

0points

#15

Michael Phelps quote feeling tired "When I feel tired, I just think about how great I will feel once I finally reach my goal." — Michael Phelps

16points

Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago

The man, the myth, the legend

0points

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#16

“You have to push past your perceived limits, push past that point you thought was as far as you can go.” – Drew Brees

15points

#17

"I don't sweat, I sparkle."

15points

#18

“Once you are exercising regularly, the hardest thing is to stop it.” — Erin Gray

15points

Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago

Not in my experiance

1point

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#19

“The body achieves what the mind believes.”

15points

#20

"Just do some kind of workout. Doesn't matter if it's going for a walk around the block, going for a jog, doing some calisthenics, lifting weights, going to a pool and swimming - you name it. But do something that gets your blood flowing and gets your mind in the game." - Jocko Willink

15points

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#21

Michal Joan Bobak quote about comfort zone “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” – Michal Joan Bobak

14points

#22

"Well done is better than well said." — Benjamin Franklin

14points

#23

“It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

14points

#24

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

14points

#25

Dianne Holum quote on muscles "Just because your muscles start to protest, doesn’t mean you have to listen." — Dianne Holum

14points

#26

"A year from now you may wish you had started today." – Karen Lamb

13points

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#27

"It's my workout. I can cry if I want to."

13points

#28

“Your current body is the only body that can take you to your new body so be kind to it.” – Elaine Moran

13points

#29

“Change doesn't happen overnight. Be patient.”

13points

#30

Pablo Picasso quote on action "Action is the foundational key to all success." — Pablo Picasso

12points

#31

“You never walk out of the gym and say, 'I shouldn't have gone.'“ – Taylor Kitsch

12points

#32

“If you’re capable of sending a legible text message between sets, you probably aren’t working hard enough.” – Dave T

12points

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#33

“That's the object of going to a gym, having fun.” – Joe Gold

12points

#34

“You know, I looked at my face in the mirror this morning, and I like being old. My face has more content and when I train in the gym now, I am not training to be strong or handsome – just better than I was yesterday. These days the race is just against myself.” – Jean-Claude Van Damme

12points

#35

Gail Porter quote on exercise “Exercise keeps me occupied, which is good for my mental health.” — Gail Porter

12points

#36

“If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

11points

#37

"I'm sorry for what I said during burpees."

11points

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#38

“You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.” – Michael Phelps

11points

#39

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!" – Jillian Michaels

11points

#40

Arnold Schwarzenegger quote on being champion "The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion." — Arnold Schwarzenegger

11points

#41

“What hurts today makes you stronger tomorrow.” — Jay Cutler

11points

#42

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” – Ashley Greene

11points

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#43

“Your mind is the strongest and most valuable muscle you can grow in the gym.” – Greg Plitt

11points

#44

“Feed your fitness. Starve your mediocrity.” – Krystal Breakley

10points

#45

Carol Welch quote on making changes “Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.” – Carol Welch

10points

#46

"You have to think it before you can do it. The mind is what makes it all possible." — Kai Greene

10points

#47

"The muscle and the mind must become one. One without the other is zero." – Lee Haney

10points

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#48

“It hurts now, but one day it’ll be your warm up.”

10points

#49

Jesse Owens quote on dreams “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” — Jesse Owens

10points

#50

"Typically the world's best athletes are minimalists when it comes to their training. They work hard and fast with few exercises. They master the fundamentals and work with them for years. This is the secret that no one wants to hear." - Greg Glassman

10points

#51

"The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen."

10points

#52

“Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.” – Ovid

9points

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#53

“Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn’t formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.” – Lee Haney

9points

#54

"The application of consistent, logical effort, over a prolonged period is the key to reaching your physical muscular potential.” - Craig Cecil

9points

#55

Felicity Luckey quote on discipline "Discipline is the bridge between your bodybuilding goals and bodybuilding success." – Felicity Luckey

9points

#56

"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day-in and day-out." – Robert Collier

9points

#57

"You have to be at your strongest when you’re feeling at your weakest."

9points

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#58

“Your mind gives up before your legs do.”

9points

#59

Jay Shetty quote on mindset “If you can build a muscle, you can build a mindset.“ — Jay Shetty

9points

#60

“There are two types of pain, the one that breaks you and the one that changes you. In the gym, pain is felt as a result of weakness leaving the body. Physical pain is the glue of transformation and the pain of progress. The more you endure the harder it gets to accept the thought of failure.” – Greg Plitt

9points

#61

“As a kid, what brought me in the gym, what got me in there every day was a chance to break your personal best, a chance to be strong; I just really, really dig that.” – John Cena

9points

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#62

“If you make exercise your hobby instead of your enemy it becomes your friend; it's the one thing that will never let you down. It will always be there for you and it will always make you better than you were before.” – Sylvester Stallone

9points

#63

“From the beginning, what I was connecting within the gym was a universal energy source. I would just feel it flowing. Even when I was twenty years old, I called the gym my church. When I was there, it wasn't about being social; it was about doing my practice. I was in it. I was in the zone.” – Shawn Phillips

9points

#64

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” — Plato

9points

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#65

Summer Sanders quote on nutrition “Proper nutrition is the difference between feeling exhausted and getting the most out of a workout.” — Summer Sanders

9points

#66

“My work, my goal, my life, it’s like a treadmill. And there’s no stop button on my treadmill. Once I get on, I just keep going.” – Dwayne Johnson

9points

#67

“Most people give up right before the big break comes — don’t let that person be you.” - Michael Boyle

9points

#68

"Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my treadmill. It never fails. Exercise is nothing short of a miracle." - Cher

9points

#69

Gym quote on strength "It’s not until you get tired that you see how strong you really are."

9points

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#70

"When life knocks you down... Do a burpee!"

9points

#71

"You’re only one workout away from a good mood."

9points

#72

"We can push ourselves further. We always have more to give." — Simone Biles

9points

#73

"Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!" — Jillian Michaels

8points

#74

"Friday night. Party at the gym with my friends' dumbbell and barbell."

8points

#75

Susan Gale on strength "Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness." – Susan Gale

8points

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#76

“When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel.” – Eloise Ristad

8points

#77

“The real workout starts when you want to stop.” – Ronnie Coleman

8points

#78

“Exercise should be regarded as a tribute to the heart.” – Gene Tunney

8points

#79

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.“ – Jim Rohn

8points

#80

Muhammad Ali quote on training “I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” - Muhammad Ali

8points

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#81

"The wolf on the hill is not as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill." – Arnold Schwarzenegger

8points

#82

“In general, any form of exercise, if pursued continuously, will help train us in perseverance. Long-distance running is particularly good training in perseverance.” – Mao Zedong

8points

#83

“You get out what you put in. If you want more, give more.” – Jeanette Jenkins

8points

#84

“If you don’t make time for exercise, you’ll probably have to make time for illness.” — Robin Sharma

8points

#85

"What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?” – John Green

8points

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#86

Gym quote about training "If you aren’t begging for rest. Then you aren’t training your best."

8points

#87

"There is no such thing as overtraining, just under nutrition and undersleeping."

8points

#88

“The mind is the most important part of achieving any fitness goal. Mental change always comes before physical change.” — Matt McGorry

8points

#89

“Good things come to those who sweat.”

8points

#90

“I would like to be the first man in the gym business to throw out my scale. If you don't like what you see in the mirror, what difference does it make what the scale says?” – Vince Gironda

8points

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#91

Muhammad Ali quote on sit-ups “I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.” - Muhammad Ali

8points

#92

“Once you see results, it becomes an addiction.”

8points

#93

“The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking.” — Mia Hamm

8points

#94

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” — Earl Nightingale

8points

#95

Rafael Nadal quote on enduring “Enduring means accepting. Accepting things as they are and not as you would wish them to be, and then looking ahead, not behind.” - Rafael Nadal

8points

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#96

“Instructors who say “last one” are the reason I have trust issues.”

8points

#97

"When I see very fit people at the gym I'm like, what are you doing here? You're done!" - Jim Gaffigan

8points

#98

“I believe in eating what I like and sweating it out in the gym.”

8points

#99

"In two weeks, you’ll feel it. In four weeks, you’ll see it. In eight weeks, you’ll hear it."

8points

#100

Dana Vollmer quote on being champion "The hard days are the best because that’s when champions are made, so if you push through, you can push through anything." — Dana Vollmer

8points

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#101

"If you still look cute after working out, you didn't go hard enough."

7points

#102

“The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

7points

#103

"The harder I train every day on the track and in the gym, the more trust I gain in myself." – Miguel Cotto

7points

#104

“Perseverance is an active principle, and cannot continue to operate but under the influence of desire.” – William Godwin

7points

#105

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson quote on respect "Blood, sweat, and respect. The first two you give and the last one you earn." – Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

7points

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#106

“Rule of thumb: Eat for what you’re going to be doing and not for what you have done. Don’t take in more than you’re willing to burn off.” – Lee Haney

7points

#107

“Half-reps may build your ego but they also build half a physique.” - Craig Cecil

7points

#108

“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” – Bruce Lee

7points

#109

“Sell yourself short on nutrition and you’re selling yourself short on maximizing your physique development.” - Ernie Taylor

7points

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#110

"When people tell me they can't afford to join a gym, I tell them to go outside; planet Earth is a gym and we're already members. Run, climb, sweat, and enjoy all of the natural wonders that are available to you." – Steve Maraboli

7points

#111

Bill Loguidice quote on working out “When working out, length is not a substitute for intensity.” – Bill Loguidice

7points

Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago

Well, if you're working on endurance, its gonna get intense after a while

0points

#112

“I like to hit the gym early in the morning. I feel better throughout the day when I get in a workout first thing in the morning.” – Derek Jeter

7points

#113

"One thing guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout." - Apolo Ohno

7points

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#114

"It's not weird to look at yourself in the mirror at the gym - that's why they're there! You have to make sure that you're doing things right." - Alison Sweeney

7points

#115

Darren Till quote on going to the gym “Every day you go to the gym, you’ve got to become a better version of yourself. You’ve got to never believe you’ve fully evolved.” – Darren Till

7points

#116

"Weights before dates."

6points

#117

"Exercise is labor without weariness." – Samuel Johnson

6points

#118

“Bodybuilding isn’t 90 minutes in the gym. It’s a lifestyle.” — Lee Priest

6points

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#119

“If you aren’t hurting after a good workout then obviously you haven’t done something right.” — Mark W. Boyer

6points

#120

Mahatma Gandhi quote om strength "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." – Mahatma Gandhi

6points

#121

"Trust me, if you do an honest 20 rep program, at some point Jesus will talk to you. On the last day of the program, he asked if he could work in." - Mark Rippetoe

6points

#122

“I like to meditate. But I get rid of my stress at the gym.” – Jason Statham

6points

#123

"I can be the nice family man at home, and then when I go to the gym, maybe sparring with someone, I switch into beast mode. It ain't pretty." – Anthony Joshua

5points

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#124

"Need a body-confidence boost? Pick up a pair of dumbbells and let your gaze linger on the outline of your biceps as you lift the weights." - Denise Austin

5points

Neilas Šurkus

I'm Neilas, Content Production Manager for Bored Panda in the Home & Design category. In this role, I try to ensure the quality of our articles to bring the best possible web surfing experience to our readers. I love a well-structured, informative, and illustrative article, whether it's for design ideas, gardening solutions, or cute dogs and cats. I made it my mission to ensure our readers get to experience the same thing. As for my personal interests, I produce music, sometimes go out and take pictures of nice stuff, and have petrol running through my veins. I'm an avid fan of Formula 1 and Motorsport in general, taking every chance I get to burn some rubber at local go-cart tracks. Of course, movies, gaming, and racing simulators are a big part of my daily life, too.

I'm Neilas, Content Production Manager for Bored Panda in the Home & Design category. In this role, I try to ensure the quality of our articles to bring the best possible web surfing experience to our readers. I love a well-structured, informative, and illustrative article, whether it's for design ideas, gardening solutions, or cute dogs and cats. I made it my mission to ensure our readers get to experience the same thing. As for my personal interests, I produce music, sometimes go out and take pictures of nice stuff, and have petrol running through my veins. I'm an avid fan of Formula 1 and Motorsport in general, taking every chance I get to burn some rubber at local go-cart tracks. Of course, movies, gaming, and racing simulators are a big part of my daily life, too.

Saimonas Lukošius

Saimonas is a list curator at Bored Panda with BA in Multimedia. Saimonas has mainly worked as a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and finds joy in anything related to visual arts.

Saimonas is a list curator at Bored Panda with BA in Multimedia. Saimonas has mainly worked as a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and finds joy in anything related to visual arts.

What do you think ?

Emma Perkins 2 years ago

Some of these are great, but some of them just sound pretentious or just weird. When working out, do your best and forget the rest! I've seen people push themselves to injury and medical distress. That just sets you back even further in your fitness journey.

0points

Emma Perkins 2 years ago

Some of these are great, but some of them just sound pretentious or just weird. When working out, do your best and forget the rest! I've seen people push themselves to injury and medical distress. That just sets you back even further in your fitness journey.

0points

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