It might seem odd that bodybuilding quotes for building six-pack abs can be attributed to General George Patton, but this famous WWII Commander led thousands of troops to victory and the quotes below can provide the motivation we need to push through the “tougher times” in training. The Patton bodybuilding quotes below are provided with some thoughts on how they apply to fitness training.

“You’re never beaten until you admit it.” You’re in the last sets of the workout and as tired as a dog. The question is will you throw in the towel or will you push through the pain and make it happen? Thoughts lead to word, words lead to actions, and actions lead to results. It is your word or self-talk that can get you through the tough situations, in the same way that giving your word to do your best keeps an honorable person going even when his body says he should quit.

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” Without sacrifice, most things we do have no value. Our temptation to take shortcuts in our workout and diet will definitely produce results but not the ones we would be happy with. Patton challenged his men to fight well and make the sacrifices necessary to enjoy the fruits of victory.

“Better to fight for something than live for nothing.” Take a good hard look at yourself and your goals while you look at others around you. Your ambitions of a physically fit body and a set of six-pack abs is a goal that everyone wants but few are willing to fight for. Each time you think of quitting or jumping off the diet remember that you stand FOR something while others around you that are chomping down on Big Macs live for nothing (and may not be living that long when all is said and done).

“If a man does his best, what else is there?” Are you doing your absolute best? Are you faithful to your diet or do you find yourself bargaining that tomorrow will be the first day of the real diet? Have you made every rep of every crunch count or have you been cutting back on them because it hurts too much to get the last ones in. If you can answer Gen. Patton’s challenge, the results will be positive week to week.

“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” The true test of our character and resolve is not how high your fly when things are going well. Rather, it is how you work through the tough times, the times when you want to give up, that provide the insight as to who you really are. In freezing temperatures Gen. Patton was able to redirect his troops to successfully engage the enemy in the Battle of the Bulge. Not because it was easy but because it had to be done regardless of hardship.

You want a great set of six-pack abs. The job is not easy…if it were then everyone would have them. Gen. George Patton’s words inspired his men to engage the enemy even when the odds seemed insurmountable. These bodybuilding quotes provide us with the encouragement we need to bridge the gap between the military and the fitness battlefields.