What are, in your opinion, the most cringe-worthy fitness quotes? Examples of motivational literary masterpieces and popular wisdom to boost the cliché content on social media.
Forget the Fitness Quote!
Let me start the year by kicking some shins: “I hate fitness quotes.” A bit like with fitness lists. You get bombarded with them.
What once began as fun for motivating yourself and others now seems to have become an obsession for every wannabe fitness insta-model.
Of course, now I have to write the obligatory article about New Year’s resolutions again.
Sigh.
Another standard story about plans and goals?
No thanks. Been there, done that.
Then I thought, “I’ll make it easy on myself. I’ll just make a list of fitness quotes. Mantras instead of resolutions to get you through the year.”
The cheesier, the better.
Not exactly heartfelt, though. I have a kind of fitness quote blindness myself.
When I see toned bodies accompanied by an ostensibly inspiring quote on social media, I seem to become spontaneously dyslexic. The pseudo-intellectual alarm starts blaring, and the bells of pretension begin to ring.
Why this deeply rooted need of fitness fans to come across as profound thinkers?
Is it resistance against the stereotype of the dumb musclehead?
Where does all this muscular wisdom come from?
Is there perhaps an app that mixes random famous literature and poetry with terms from fitness and bodybuilding and spits out these quotes?
Never thought steroids and Shakespeare would be mentioned in the same sentence. Until I read “to benchpress or not to benchpress.” In a post, of course, with before-and-after photos.
It can get worse: “Alas poor Yorick, thou art out of protein.”
As a fitness photographer, I sometimes hear that I should put quotes on my photos on insta.
“Then you’ll get more likes.”
“Fuck that, I’m a photographer, not a writer,” I think then.
But hey, that’s me. Let me not spoil your party if the quotes work motivating for you. Personally, however, I hope not to hear the following quotes anymore. Not so much because I can’t agree with them in content, but mainly because they have become so damn cliché.
1.1. Strong is the new sexy
If you wear this on your shirt: Congratulations. You’re officially someone who lets fashion determine what’s sexy.
2.1. Strong is the new skinny
Was skinny ever sexy?
2. The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen
Ever heard of the word “rest”?
3. It’s not how bad you want it, it’s how hard you are willing to work for it
And here I was thinking dreams come true on their own.
4. Embrace your hunger
Homegrown. Proud!!
5. Go hard or go home.
Do you know that voice from the announcements of Hollywood action movies? “Arnold Schwarzenegger in Go hard or go home. This summer in a theater near you”.
6. Dreams don’t work unless you do
This one’s so cheesy you can put it on your bread.
7. Yesterday you said tomorrow
Is that a Beatles song?
8. Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat
Okay, this one’s not so cheesy. I just see a very dirty experiment by Dennis and Valerio in front of me.
9. I don’t follow dreams. I hunt goals
Sounds like something Trump would say. And what’s with the obsession with dreams?
But then the best for last. As cheesy as it can get. What I heartily wish for you:
10. Become the best version of you
Did I miss a few?
Let us know.
