In terms of tempo then ideally the rhythm should roughly reflect your heart rate – faster depending on the speed of your training. Studies have also shown that the best playlists of training are not those that remain constantly up-tempo, but those that gradually increase in speed only to slow down by the end of the workout; this way your body gets worked up more and more and then eventually cools down as you finish. If you’re working out at home however then a film can have much the same effect, particularly if the lead actor is particularly strong or if the film has a lot of action in it.

You can also motivate yourself on particular sets by the way you count. For example a friend of mine likes to count down instead of up so that by the end he’s thinking ‘just two more’. I personally like to break my counting down into more manageable blocks so say I have twelve reps I’ll count to six twice. Twelve is quite a big number six is nothing. For larger sets I generally like to split my counting into tens. Another good one is to pump out a last couple of sets ‘for someone’. For example at the end of your workout your last rep might be ‘for Arnie’ or ‘for Uncle Tim’. You won’t want to let these guys down and as they’re ‘bonus’ reps they don’t seem to tax you in quite the same way as the rest of the set. On the treadmill similarly don’t look at the time, but instead try and focus on the television that’s no doubt in front of you or on your music if you’ve brought some. Time flies when you’re concentrating on something else.

Alternatively, for added energy and motivation you can always use supplementation. One that works well for this purpose is Nitric Oxide (NO2) which works by allowing more blood to rush to your muscles. This gives them more energy via the oxygen and nutrients in your blood and at the same time flushes them with essential nutrients. Importantly for you motivation though it makes them look swelled and gives you a stronger feeling of ‘pump’. Even your veins will look bigger and when you’re looking and feeling that good it’s hard not to feel motivated.

Another good one for energy is creatine – which provides your muscles with the ability to recycle their main fuel source ATP so preventing fatigue and keeping you feeling fresh. Finally, if you just plain lack mental energy, try taking a couple of caffeine tablets, Guarana or just eating a complex carb such as a banana or some pasta to supply you with a steady source of energy.

So those are some techniques you can use in order to inspire your training, and many of them can be applied to any area of your life that you need motivation in. Hopefully by keeping clear set goals, getting inspiration from friends, being driven by images and music and remembering why you started training in the first place you won’t stop prematurely.