GUEST COLUMN: 10 Inspiring Movies To Help You Get Fit

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/d3bYmnZ0ank

10 Inspiring Movies To Help You Get Fit 

by Emma Wilson

If you want to get fit, you need inspiration. You could do a million sit-ups and run for miles, but it's not going to be enough if your mind is telling you that it doesn't want to work out. Without inspiration, you're more likely to quit after a week or two and decide that you can't do it.

It's for this reason that we put together this list of the best movies for getting fit- they'll make you want to exercise. Whether through comedy or drama, these films will have an inspirational message for anyone who watches them. From Commando to Kung Fu Panda, we've included all sorts of genres to help you find something that you’ll enjoy. So let’s jump right in, shall we?

1. Lethal Weapon

When Riggs (Mel Gibson) meets Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), they clash over their differences in opinion. However, with each other’s help and a couple of beautiful women, these men get fit and change for the better.

If you're looking for something that's a bit more light-hearted and rife with comedy, this movie is an excellent option. Plus, it stars Mel Gibson, so you know the hilarity is going to be great.

2. Batman Begins

You have your SARMS Canada in place, and all you need is some inspiration to kickstart your fitness journey. There's no better movie than Batman Begins to do just that. This movie is about Bruce Wayne's transformation from a fearful orphan into a justice-seeking Batman, the Caped Crusader who fights crime using his strength and intellect.

3. Gladiator

Gladiator is another movie about a hero who fights crime, this time in Ancient Rome. Gladiator takes place during the reign of Roman Emperor Commodus. He puts his father's former friend Maximus (Russell Crowe) on public trial for conspiracy against him - ordering him to be executed without having any chance at proving himself innocent or guilty.

The movie is perfect if you want to get fit and are also looking for a good workout. The opening scene is Maximus' wife Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) telling him that he needs to fight Commodus in the arena - even though it's only one-on-one combat, she believes there will be an opportunity to kill him.

4. Rudy 

Sean Astin doesn't have the best track record as a college football player, but when his position coach played in high school was struck by an illness and is unable to play for Notre Dame this season, Sean gets tapped to take over.

Near the end of Rudy's senior year, he has lost weight and become stronger than ever before. His parents are elated that their son has outmatched the expectations of his doubters and come out on top. You'll have a hard time watching this movie without feeling the need to get out of your couch and cheer.

5. Kung Fu Panda

Sometimes, an excellent old animated movie can be just the thing to get you up and to move. With plenty of kung fu fighting, tai chi moves, and more-- there's something for everyone in this movie.

If you're looking for some motivation, let Po show you how it works in Kung Fu Panda. In the beginning, Po is an obese, lazy panda who is under the impression that he's a kung fu master. But after being selected as The Dragon Warrior to fight against Tai Lung and his criminal ways (the snow leopard in this film), Po embarks on an intense training program-- determined not only to beat Tai Lung but also to make himself fit enough. So if you've been feeling like a couch potato, this movie will help you up and moving.

6. Fight Club

Fight Club has got to be one of the most intense movies out there. The film's main character, Edward Norton (the narrator), starts as a man dissatisfied with his life and professional situation. After meeting Tyler Durden - an anarchic soap salesman turned anarchist fighter-cum-therapist, he decides to join this underground group that participates in various activities such as bare-knuckle brawls and bombing public places.

But what's most important is that they find a sense of community in this movement, something missing from their lives for many years. And as the protagonist undergoes more extreme bouts of fighting (butterfly knife vs. hammer), he starts to push his physical and mental limits. This movie will make you want to get up and move.

7. Pain and Gain

Another movie that will leave you feeling inspired is the 2013 action-comedy Pain and Gain. This movie tells the story of a Miami bodybuilder (Mark Wahlberg) who falls into crime after failing to make ends meet as an auto mechanic. He teams up with other equally desperate individuals to become involved in kidnapping schemes for ransom money--but things get messy when they kidnap Marc Schiller.

The movie is based on a true story about bodybuilders who get caught up in the world of kidnapping, extortion, and violence after they become desperate to make money. An intense film from beginning to end but one that will leave you asking yourself, “how far are you willing to go?”

8. Warrior

You should also consider watching Warrior. The story follows an ex-Marine (Tom Hardy), a mixed martial arts fighter, and his estranged brother (Joel Edwards), the family man with two children. Their mother lives in denial of her husband's illegal activities to make ends meet. This film undoubtedly has one of the most emotional endings that you'll ever see on screen.

9. The Fighter

Named among the best films ever made by many critics, The Fighter also documents how difficult it can be to escape ties with your family. Featuring a cast that includes Christian Bale and Amy Adams, this movie is sure to keep you bound to your couch for hours as you watch these two brothers fight their way to riches.

10. Commando

This list of movies wouldn't be complete without a classic in the mix, and this one is sure to get you psyched and pumped up with its high-octane action sequences. This movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Colonel John Matrix, whose daughter has been abducted, so he embarks on a suicide mission to rescue her from sadistic mercenaries led by Bennett.

Wrapping Up

There you have it; ten movies that are sure to get you pumped up and help increase your fitness level. This list is full of classics from the 1980s, but if these aren't your thing, then there's plenty more where these came from, so don’t stop yet.