Motivational Fitness Quotes for Men – Introduction
What are some great motivational fitness quotes for men?
When you want to create the best version of yourself, having a library of inspirational quotes will help you on your fitness journey.
There are plenty of days along the way when you will want to stay in your comfort zone on the couch and will have no interest in working out or eating clean.
“It’s too cold outside!”
“It’s too hot!”
“I’m not in the mood to work out today!”
To help prevent you from drowning in a lack of commitment to take care of your body and mind, this article reveals some of the best motivational workout quotes on the planet to get you back on track – fast!
Arnold Schwarzenegger
When it comes to fitness, few athletes are more iconic than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The former Mr. Universe and seven-time Mr. Olympia has been a fitness advocate for decades, sharing his wisdom and motivation with the world.
Here are some of his best motivational gym quotes:
Arnold’s Tips
#1. “The most important rule of all:
Work your butt off.
You never want to fail because you didn’t work hard enough.
I never wanted to lose a competition or lose an election because I didn’t work hard enough.
I always believed in leaving no stone unturned.”
#2. “If you want to win, there is absolutely no way around hard, hard work.”
#3. “No pain, no gain.
#4. “Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.”
#5. “You can’t be paralyzed by fear of failure or you will never push yourself.
You keep pushing because you believe in yourself and in your vision and you know that it is the right thing to do, and success will come.
So don’t be afraid to fail.”
#6. “I never listen to that, “You can’t.” I always listen to myself and say, “Yes, you can.”
#7. “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscles grow.
This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion.
That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.”
#8. “Bodybuilding is much like any other sport.
To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet, and mental approach.”
#9. “The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.”
#10. “There are no shortcuts—everything is reps, reps, reps.”
How to realize your dreams
#11. “Pain makes me grow.
Growing is what I want.
Therefore, for me pain is pleasure.
And so when I am experiencing pain I’m in heaven.
It’s great.
People suggest this is masochistic.
But they’re wrong.
I like pain for a particular reason.
I don’t like needle’s stuck in my arm.
But I do like the pain that is necessary to be a champion.”
#12. “The mind is the limit.
As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”
#13. “If you want to turn a vision into reality, you have to give 100% and never stop believing in your dream.”
#14. “Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.”
#15. “I don’t care if you can bench press 225 pounds, the only thing that matters is how hard you work.”
#16. “The most successful bodybuilders are those who study and understand nutrition and actively seek out cutting-edge information.”
#17. “If you want to succeed as a bodybuilder, invest in learning as much as you can, and even consider taking a college-level nutrition class.”
On nutrition
#18. “The rule of thumb I go by when talking about protein intake is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.
With this method, it’s easy to compute how much protein you need daily and at each meal.”
#19. “1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight daily ensures you have the amino acids necessary for repairing and building muscle.
Don’t take away any protein when on a cut.
If anything, add a little more daily to ensure you retain your hard-earned muscle mass in a caloric deficit!”
#20. “If I could encourage individuals to make just one dietary change, it would be to:
Eliminate sugary foods—including corn starch, high-fructose corn sweetener, maltodextrin, and others—from their diet.”
#21. “Eating clean, healthy foods will go further toward building your physique than if you rely on processed meals, fast foods, and other landmines that dot the typical American diet.
#22. “Today, you hear a number of fitness pros and bodybuilders say you can’t out-train a bad diet, and that’s absolutely correct.
Why spend an hour or more in the gym training hard, only to compromise your results by eating the wrong kinds of foods?”
#23. “If you’re a hard-training athlete, you may actually need more vitamins and minerals than the RDA suggests.
If you train hard and want to perform at your peak—and especially if you follow a diet without a lot of variety—you can become deficient in one or more micronutrients.
The easiest way to ensure you get the vitamins and minerals you need is to take a quality multivitamin/mineral daily.”
#24. “I’ve always said that protein powders are most useful for bodybuilders who don’t have the time to prepare complete whole-food meals or snacks over the course of their 5-7 meals a day.
This— not to mention the fact that whey is also an incredibly high-quality protein source, right up there with eggs—makes having a shaker and quality protein supplement on hand the single best nutrition investment you can make.”
Believe in Yourself
#25. “Strength does not come from winning.
Your struggles develop your strengths.
When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
#26. “We all have great inner power.
The power is self-faith.
There’s really an attitude to winning.
You have to see yourself winning before you win.
And you have to be hungry.
You have to want to conquer.”
#27. “If you don’t find the time, if you don’t do the work, you don’t get the results.”
#28. “To be great, you must have a desire to win and an ability to work hard.”
#29. “Life may be full of pain but that’s not an excuse to give up.”
#30. “Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”
#31. “The only limits are the ones you set for yourself.”
#32. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.”
#33. “I never give up. Ever.”
#34. “You can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.”
Michael Jordan’s Motivational Quotes
Michael Jordan needs no introduction as he is one of the most famous athletes in the world.
Jordan played basketball in the NBA for 15 seasons and won six championships with the Chicago Bulls.
He was voted “the greatest basketball player of all time” by ESPN in 2008.
There are many reasons why Michael Jordan was and is still considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
His passion and love for the game were evident in every game he played.
Not to mention that his amazing athleticism and aerial ability were on display every time he stepped on the court.
And his drive to win was unmatched.
But perhaps what made Jordan so spectacular to watch was his unique combination of skills, talents, and abilities that set him apart from any other player.
He could score at will, shooting from anywhere on the court, but he was also an outstanding defender.
He had a flair for the dramatic and always seemed to come up big when his team needed him most.
Michael Jordan’s brilliance wasn’t just limited to his playing days either.
After his retirement from basketball, he enjoyed a successful career as a professional golfer.
Jordan is also a successful businessman and has earned over $1 billion in his career.
His perspective on life gives insight into a mindset worth emulating!
Michael Jordan’s Tips
#35. “Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.”
#36. “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”
#37. “Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you.
If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you.
If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you.
That’s truly about the game, and in some ways, that’s about life too.”
#38. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.
I’ve lost almost 300 games.
Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.”
#39. “If it turns out that my best wasn’t good enough, at least I won’t look back and say I was afraid to try.”
#40. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”
#41. “The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can’t let yourself be beaten because of lack of effort.”
#42. “I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it.”
Vince Lombardi Workout Motivation Quotes
There are many great coaches in the history of the NFL, but there is only one Vince Lombardi.
No one has ever been able to completely define Vince Lombardi.
He was a complex man with many layers, and his life cannot be summed up in a few sentences.
However, there are some aspects of his life that are unmistakable.
He was one of the most famous and successful football coaches in NFL history, and he is considered by many to be the greatest coach of all time.
His life and career
Lombardi was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 11, 1913.
He didn’t have an easy childhood – his father died when he was young, and he had to help support his family by working odd jobs.
However, he found success as a football player at Fordham University, where he was a part of two national championship teams.
After college, Lombardi began his coaching career as an assistant coach in Fordham in 1947, then as Coach for West Point in 1949.
When Coach Lombardi came to Green Bay in 1959, the Green Bay Packers were in shock from their poorest season ever, a 1-10-1 finish.
At that point, they didn’t have a winning record for eleven years!
Enter Vince Lombardi, and the Green Bay Packers finally finished the season with a winning record of 7-5, in his first year. (packers.com)
The world of sports noticed and he was awarded NFL Coach of the Year.
His career with the Green Bay Packers was marked by incredible inspiration and unprecedented success.
Lombardi’s coaching style was unique and highly effective; his teams were known for their discipline and determination.
Lombardi’s legacy is still felt today, more than 50 years after his death in 1970 at the age of 57.
Coaches across the NFL continue to use his methods in order to achieve success.
What made Lombardi so special?
Here are some of his famous quotes that might give you a clue:
Vince Lombardi’s Tips for Success
#43. “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.”
#44. “Winning isn’t everything, but it’s the only thing”
#45. “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
#46. “Confidence is contagious.
So is lack of confidence.”
#47. “Mental toughness is essential to success.”
#48. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
#49. “If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.”
#50. “Don’t succumb to excuses.
Go back to the job of making the corrections and forming the habits that will make your goal possible.”
#51. “There is something good in men that really yearn for discipline.”
#52. “Winning is not a sometimes thing; it’s an all the time thing.
You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time.
Winning is a habit.
Unfortunately so is losing.”
#53. “Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him.
It’s something we call heart power.
Once a man has made his commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.”
#54. “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.”
#55. “It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you’re a winner; when you’re number one.
What you got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not a winner.”
#56. ¨Most people fail, not because of a lack of desire, but, because of a lack of commitment.¨
#57. “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”
#58. “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.”
#59. “Leaders are made, they are not born.
They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.
Thomas Jefferson’s Quotes on a Healthy Lifestyle
Thomas Jefferson was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States.
He was born in 1743 in Virginia and attended college at the College of William and Mary.
After college, Jefferson served in the Continental Congress and drafted the Declaration of Independence.
He later served as Governor of Virginia and as U.S. Minister to France.
As President, Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France and doubled the size of the United States.
He also founded the University of Virginia.
Jefferson was a talented architect, musician, and farmer.
Besides being one of the most famous and renowned presidents in American history, his quotes on health and fitness are still celebrated and highly regarded today.
Here are some of his most important:
Thomas Jefferson’s Tips for Fitness
#60. “Health is worth more than learning.”
#61. “The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of all the exercises walking is the best.” (Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts by Jerry Holmes – 2002′)
#62. “Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading.
I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.” – (Jefferson: Writings, p.1245, Library of America)
#63. “Walking is the best possible exercise.
Habituate yourself to walk very far.”
Strong Body Strong Mind (Mens Sana in Corpora Sano)
#64. “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
#65. “Do you want to know who you are?
Don’t ask.
Act!
Action will delineate and define you.”
#66. “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
#67. “A strong body makes the mind strong.”
#68. “Give about two hours, every day, to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning.”
#69. “I would advise you to take your exercise in the afternoon: not because it is the best time for exercise, for certainly, it is not.
But rather, because it is the best time to spare from your studies, and habit will soon reconcile it to health, and render it nearly as useful as if you gave to that the more precious hours of the day.
A little walk of half an hour, in the morning, when you first rise, is advisable also.
It shakes off sleep and produces other good effects on the animal economy.
Rise at a fixed and early hour, and go to bed at a fixed and early hour also.
Sitting up late at night is injurious to the health, and not useful to the mind.”
Henry Ford
Henry Ford is a famous American businessman and inventor.
He was born in 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan, the son of William and Mary Ford.
His father was a farmer who also ran a sawmill.
Henry became a mechanic and then started his own business repairing watches and clocks.
He also developed a new gasoline engine.
In 1903, he founded the Ford Motor Company with $28,000 in capital.
The company grew quickly and by 1908, it was producing cars that sold for $850 each.
He is most famous for developing the assembly line to mass-produce cars.
This allowed him to reduce the cost of a car from $850 to $290.
As a result, he introduced the Model T, which was affordable for most people.
He is known for many motivational quotes over his lifetime that can be applied to fitness.
They remind you that you have the power to control your destiny and achieve anything you set your mind to, including a leaner and stronger you.
If you’re looking for some inspiration to get moving towards achieving new fitness goals, consider reflecting on some of Henry Ford’s notable quotes.
Ford’s Life and Fitness Tips
#70. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
#71. “Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again.”
#72. “There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do.”
#73. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
#74. “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”
#75. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
#76. “There is no substitute for hard work.”
#77. “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
#78. “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
Muhammad Ali Fitness Motivation Quotes
Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky.
He was raised by his father, who was a sign painter, and his mother, a domestic worker.
Clay showed an early interest in boxing and began training at a young age.
In 1964 he won the heavyweight championship title and soon became one of the most celebrated athletes in the world.
Outside of the ring, Ali was also known for his motivational speeches and quotes.
His words were often inspiring and insightful, but they are especially applicable when it comes to fitness.
Here are some of Ali’s most motivational fitness quotes:
Muhammad Ali’s Fitness Tips
#79. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit.
Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
#80. “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”
#81. “Live every day as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.”
#82. “Don’t count the days; make the days count.”
#83. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it.
Impossible is not a fact.
It’s an opinion.
Impossible is not a declaration.
It’s a dare.
Impossible is potential.
It is temporary.
Impossible is nothing!”
#84. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
#85. “What keeps me going is goals.”
#86. “I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given.
I believed in myself, and I believe in the goodness of others.”
#87. “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
#88. “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief.
And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”
#89. “I am the greatest.
Even before I knew I was, I said that.
I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.”
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817.
He was a philosopher, author, poet, and naturalist.
His writing covers a wide range of topics including civil disobedience, nature, and simplicity.
Thoreau’s most famous work is Walden, a book about his two-year experiment living in complete self-sufficiency at Walden Pond.
The book is full of insightful quotes about nature, simplicity, and life.
Thoreau’s philosophy of simple living and reverence for nature has been hugely influential both during his lifetime and in the years since his death.
His inspirational thoughts and ideas on fitness are just as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.
Here are some of Thoreau’s most notable quotes:
#90. “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” ¹
#91. “The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours … but is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day.”
#92. “I learned this, at least, by my experiment:
that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
#93. “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put the foundations under them.”
#94. “All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be.
#95. “I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least — and it is commonly more than that — sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps, an American swimmer, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1985 and first started swimming at the age of seven.
He made his Olympic debut in 2000 at the age of 15 and won six medals, including four golds.
At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Phelps won eight medals, including six golds, breaking Mark Spitz’s record for most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he won five more medals (four golds and one silver), bringing his total medal count to 28.
As the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps knows a thing or two about fitness and motivation.
Here are some of his best motivational fitness quotes:
Fitness motivation tips – Michael Phelps
#96. “At a very young age, I wrote down the goals that I had so I could always see what I wanted to accomplish.
And I would look at that goal sheet and think “I still want to do this.”
So I’d decide “I’m not quitting.”
#97. “You can’t put a limit on anything.
The more you dream, the farther you get.”
#98. “Anything is possible as long as you want it, you work for it.
Doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, the only person that can really put pressure on you is yourself”
#99. “There will be obstacles.
And there will be doubters.
There will be mistakes.
But with hard work, there are no limits.”
#100. “The more you dream the more you achieve.”
#101. “I think it’s just a mindset.
Once you put your mind to something, you can do it.”
#102. “If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.”
#103. “You have to sacrifice some things in order to achieve other things that are more important to you.”
#104. “When I’m on deck, I’m not just there to swim.
I’m there to win.”
Karen Lamb
Karen Lamb is an American author and motivational speaker who is best known for her quotes on happiness, success, and self-improvement.
She has written several books on these topics, including “The Power of Intention” and “The Happy Woman.”
Lamb’s speeches and teachings focus on helping people to find their own path to happiness and fulfillment.
Here is one gem from Lamb’s most prominent quotes directly applicable to fitness:
#105. ¨A year from now you may wish you had started today.¨
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein was born on April 26th, 1889, in Vienna, Austria.
Wittgenstein was a philosopher who contributed to the fields of logic and the philosophy of language.
He also worked on ethics and the philosophy of mind.
Wittgenstein’s philosophical work has been highly influential, and he is considered one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century.
#106. “The human body is the best picture of the human soul.”
#107. “What is thinkable is also possible.”
#108. “He who lives in the present lives in eternity.”
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock” is a well-known actor and wrestler.
He was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California.
After playing football for the University of Miami, he started his wrestling career with the World Wrestling Federation in 1996.
He then started his acting career with a small role in The Mummy Returns in 2001.
He has since starred in many movies such as The Scorpion King, Gridiron Gang, Race to Witch Mountain, and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.
#109. “I’m always asked, “What’s the secret to success?”
The secret is, that there is no secret.
Be humble, hungry, and the hardest worker in the room.”
#110. “I learned at a very young age that there is no substitute for hard work.”
#111. “Lifting weights is why I don’t need therapy today.”
#112. “Leave your ego at the door and focus on form.”
#113. “All success begins with self-discipline.
It starts with you.”
#114. “It’s simple.
Do it.”
Leigh Hunt
James Leigh Hunt was born in London, England in 1784.
He was a journalist and writer who is best known for his work as a critic and poet.
Some of his most famous works include The Story of Rimini and Abou Ben Adhem.
Hunt was also an important figure in the Romantic movement.
He was friends with many of the leading writers and artists of the time, including Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats.
In 1813, he co-founded the journal The Examiner, which became an important publication for the Romantic movement.
Hunt remained active as a writer until his death in 1859.
Of his many quotes, one is incredibly important to remember when it comes to getting and staying fit:
#115. ¨The groundwork for all happiness is good health.¨
Bruce Lee
While his parents were from Hong Kong, Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California.
He was an American actor, martial artist, philosopher, and filmmaker.
Lee’s fame grew after he starred in the 1971 film “Enter the Dragon.”
The film was a box office success and helped to establish Lee as a major international star.
Bruce Lee is widely considered to be one of the most influential martial artists of all time and a pop culture icon of the 20th century.
He was famous for his unique fighting style, which combined techniques from various martial arts disciplines, and some consider him the forerunner of modern MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
Lee died on July 20, 1973, in Hong Kong.
Bruce Lee’s Inspiring Life and Fitness Tips
Here are some of his most motivational quotes on fitness and life:
#116. “Action is a high road to self-confidence and esteem.”
#117. “The possession of anything begins in the mind.”
#118. “Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are the weeds that strangle confidence.”
#119. “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.
Make at least one definite move daily toward your goal.”
#120. “The mind is like a fertile garden in which anything that is planted, flowers or weeds, will grow.”
#121. “Simplicity is the key to brilliance.”
#122. “To become a champion requires a good mental attitude toward preparation.
You have to accept the most tedious task with pleasure.”
#123. “Preparation for tomorrow is hard work today.”
#124. “You will never get any more out of this life than you expect.”
#125. “I fear not the man who has practiced 10000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10000 times.”
#126. “Dedication, absolute dedication, is what keeps one ahead!”
#127. “When you say that something is impossible, you have made it impossible.”
#128. “Persistence, persistence, and persistence.
The Power can be created and maintained through daily practice – continuous effort.”
#129. “What you habitually think largely determines what you will ultimately become.”
#130. “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”
Bret Contreras
Bret Contreras is a personal trainer and strength coach specializing in helping people build muscle and lose fat.
He has a degree in kinesiology and more than 10 years of experience helping people achieve their fitness goals.
Bret is the author of “The Glute Guy’s Guide to Building Your Butt” and “The Women’s Guide to Building Muscle and Strength.”
He also hosts a popular blog and podcast called “The Glute Guy.
#131. “If you think lifting is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.”
Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice is widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver in NFL history.
He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1985 and spent his entire 20-year career with the team.
Rice holds almost every major receiving record, including most receptions (1,549), yards (22,895), and touchdowns (197).
He was a three-time Super Bowl champion, was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIII, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
#132. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t”
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.
As president, Kennedy made physical fitness a national priority, launching the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 1962.
He famously said:
#133. Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.
Gilbert Tuhabonye
Gilbert Tuhabonye’s story of survival will inspire you to get fit.
Born in Songa, Burundi, in 1974, he grew up in the Tutsi tribe.
As a young runner, he had no idea that his ability to run would one day save his life.
In 1993, civil war exploded between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority.
On October 21, Burundi’s first democratically elected Hutu president, Melchior Ndadaye, was assassinated by Tutsi extremists.
Chaos erupted, and Tutsi civilians became the targets of massacres.
Members of the Hutu tribe stormed Gilbert’s high school, capturing more than 100 Tutsi students and teachers.
Most were hacked to death with machetes; the rest were burned alive.
Gilbert survived by burying himself under the charred remains of his classmates and teachers.
After nearly 10 hours hidden beneath burning corpses, suffering severe burns, he grabbed a classmate’s femur, smashed a window, and ran for his life.
Hutus chased after him with blood in their eyes.
He survived because he could run.
The Power of Running
Doctors said he would never walk again, but Gilbert defied them.
He healed, trained, and ran.
Running brought him to the United States on a track scholarship to Abilene Christian University, where he became a national champion.
His talent, faith, and unbreakable will, carried him forward.
Gilbert later published his story in This Voice in My Heart, a book about survival, faith, and forgiveness.
Today, he is a retired world-class runner, an award-winning coach, and a community leader in Austin, Texas.
He founded Gilbert’s Gazelles, a running group, and co-founded the Gazelle Foundation to provide clean water for Burundi — Hutus and Tutsis alike.
The Lesson? Find Your Anchor.
Gilbert Tuhabonye faced genocide, but running brought him to safety and a wonderful new life.
What is your anchor?
For Gilbert, it was running.
For others mentioned in this article, it was:
- Bodybuilding – Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Basketball – Michael Jordan
- Football – Vince Lombardi
- Walking – Thomas Jefferson
- Boxing – Muhammad Ali, Dewey Bozella
- Swimming – Michael Phelps
- Martial Arts – Bruce Lee
Or maybe, for you, it’s deadlifts, squats, rucking, tennis, yoga, cycling, or any sport/discipline which can make you stronger—physically and mentally.
Find what keeps you grounded, what keeps you going.
Because if Gilbert Tuhabonye can survive the unimaginable, you can survive your challenges to get fit, too.
Here are his own words to inspire you:
#134. “Running is my therapy; it’s my freedom. It grounds me. Running makes me happy. It is the vehicle for all other blessings that have come my way.”
#135. “I believe in joy first and everything else will follow. You have to enjoy first.”
#136. “Forgiveness has allowed me to move forward. Forgiveness has allowed me to find joy.”
Motivational Fitness Quotes for Men – Wrapping Up
Fitness is not only about looking good, but also about feeling good and improving your overall health.
While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when starting a new workout routine, it’s important to remember that every small step counts.
Remember, you’re not in this alone—everybody starts somewhere.
Ten years ago at the age of 55, I began my trek from obesity to fitness, one that I had tried many times before.
But this time, using the right plan for eating clean and the best compound exercises, I dropped 75 pounds in 6 months.
My experience is that when you change your body, you even change your life, in more ways than you might imagine.
I’m not unique, use these motivational fitness quotes as inspiration to stick with your fitness goals and see results.
As Karen Lamb said – ¨A year from now you may wish you had started today.¨
So, start your journey today and see how far you can go!
Get inspired, get moving, and become the best version of yourself!
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- Body Transformation: the ultimate guide; Hashi Mashi
- The Dewey Bozella Story: How Boxing Saved His Life
- The Best Exercise for Depression; How the Deadlift Saved My Life
- Bitter or Better? A Quote That Can Change Your Life
- Albert Einstein’s Definition of Insanity Changes Everything
- How to Rebuild Your Life with the Amazing Power of Deadlifts
- Top 5 Augustus Caesar Quotes to Fuel Your Body Transformation
- Albert Einstein’s Definition of Insanity Changes Everything
Footnotes
¹ An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. – Azquotes
² Walking is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day – ibid
