32 movies that will inspire you to hit the gym

Movies can inspire us to do great things. But can they inspire us to crush our fitness goals? If you've been wanting to hit the gym and need the inspiration to get there, we have exactly the movie watchlist you need.

While no one should feel ashamed about their bodies, the fitness industry wouldn't be the multi-billion-dollar titan that it has been for decades if there weren't countless people who wanted to change something about themselves. And chances are, you might be one of them.

As anyone who has been on this journey will tell you, slow and steady wins the race. It's not about exhausting yourself at every workout, but staying consistent over a period of time that actually achieves results. But for those feeling self-doubt, perhaps an inspiring movie night is in order. Whether it's underdog sports films, the best superhero movies, or epic historical fantasies, plenty of movies do a bang-up job motivating anyone to get going on their own hero's journeys.

So, if you're dreaming of a new lifestyle or need some new fuel to fill up your tank, here are the 32 movies that will inspire you to hit the gym.

32. Southpaw

Year: 2015
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Jake Gyllenhaal has never looked better than in Southpaw, and that's saying something. In this boxing drama directed by Antoine Fuqua, punch-drunk pro boxer Billy "The Great" Hope (Gyllenhaal) fights his way back to the top after a horrific family tragedy. While Southpaw doesn't punch above its weight with a predictable riches-to-rags-to-riches plot, its inspiring story of reclaiming lost glory – and Jake Gyllenhaal's sculpted ab muscles – just might inspire you through your next workout.

31. Warrior

Year: 2011
Director: Gavin O'Connor

Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton duke it out in the octagon in this hard-hitting MMA drama. In Gavin O'Connor's Warrior, two estranged brothers reunite as the finalists in a brutal mixed martial arts tournament. While Warrior tells a cliche story about brotherhood, the movie succeeds thanks to its powerhouse leads who shoulder it with their dramatic chops and impressive physiques. The film's extended training montages are stirring enough to make you consider signing up for a trial jiu-jitsu class.

30. Love Lies Bleeding

Year: 2024
Director: Rose Glass

One of the best movies of 2024 (and also most criminally overlooked) was Rose Glass' muscle-bound romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding. Kristen Stewart stars as a reclusive gym owner whose family ties to organized crime slowly involves her newest girlfriend, Jackie (Katy O'Brian), an aspiring bodybuilder. Though fitness isn't Rose Glass' focus, O'Brian is a physical specimen to behold (on top of being a phenomenal actress). But for the queasy among you, beware: Love Lies Bleeding's body horror may shock you into never stepping into a gym ever again.

29. Pumping Iron

Year: 1977
Director(s): George Butler, Robert Fiore

Pumping Iron is the bodybuilding documentary, and the reason for Arnold Schwarzenegger's fame. Released in 1977, Pumping Iron chronicles the rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno during the 1975 Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia competitions. Aside from being a snapshot of a bygone era in fitness, Pumping Iron enthralls in how it reveals Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno's polarizing personalities, down to how they train. No one will ever be bigger than Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno, and Pumping Iron is a monument to their glory.

28. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Year: 2021
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

"Where's your shirt?" asks Awkwafina's Katy, who is looking at her best friend in a whole different light. In this Phase Four installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Simu Liu knuckles up as kung fu master Shang-Chi, who confronts his villainous father (Tony Leung) after years of estrangement. Between its banger fight scenes, rip-roaring soundtrack courtesy of 88rising, and Liu looking as cut as a razor blade, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will make you "run it" at your next gym sesh – and maybe try out that kickboxing class on Groupon.

27. Blood and Bone

Year: 2009
Director: Ben Ramsey

Michael Jai White has enjoyed a long and varied career in Hollywood action movies, thanks in large part to his lifelong expertise in martial arts. In 2009, White kicked it down as the lead in Blood and Bone, a no-nonsense, low-budget direct-to-DVD feature that's slowly gained cult status. White stars as an ex-convict who spends his life out of prison making a name for himself in LA's underground fight circuit, in order to honor a departed friend. White is simply one of the best B-movie action heroes of his era, and Blood and Bone showcases him at his best.

26. Vision Quest

Year: 1985
Director: Harold Becker

There are many underdog sports movies, but few are as memorable as Vision Quest. Harold Becker's coming-of-age sports drama is quintessential 1980s cheese in its story about a determined high school wrestler (Matthew Modine) who sweats his way to the top while dealing with the ultimate challenge: falling madly in love with an older woman (Linda Fiorentino). Ask anyone at the gym: They're counting reps and making gains for emotional reasons, and Vision Quest is the one movie that perfectly captures how much passion fuels our bodies. The scene where Modine's wrestling rival does lunges on bleachers with a log on his shoulders is a pretty iconic fitness moment, too.

25. Tomb Raider

Year: 2018
Director: Roar Uthaug

Angelina Jolie was a great Lara Croft, but Alicia Vikander put in the work to become the Tomb Raider. In the 2018 reboot movie – itself modeled after the reboot Tomb Raider games – Vikander stars as Lara Croft, an adventurer whose family mystery leads her to a dangerous island in Asia that hosts a supernatural secret. Whereas Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider was over-the-top cheese, Vikander's reboot version is more grounded and emphasizes Croft's survivalist instincts and resilience against the elements – and against all odds. Next time you're doing pull-ups, just think to yourself: How many could Lara Croft do?

24. Captain America: The First Avenger

Year: 2011
Director: Joe Johnston

You might not have the Super Soldier Serum, but you can still unlock the hero within after watching Captain America: The First Avenger. Chris Evans rises to A-list Avenger status in his role as Steve Rogers, a puny private during World War 2 who is selected for a top-secret procedure that turns him into the perfect soldier: Captain America. This star-spangled smash hit, which segued perfectly into the billion-dollar extravaganza The Avengers, is a heroic adventure in its own right, with Evans' stunning transformation a memorable moment in the Marvel timeline.

23. Hustle

Year: 2022
Director: Jeremiah Zagar

Adam Sandler may be on the bench stuffed with fast food, but he's still got hustle. In Hustle, Sandler stars as a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who risks his NBA career on an underground street phenomenon from Spain, Bo Cruz (played by real-life basketball pro Juancho Hernangómez). Though Sandler is the main protagonist in this sports movie, his coaching of Bo through NBA-level training, which is seen through extensive inspiring montages, can make you want to lace up Jordans and run line drills just to keep up.

22. Generation Iron

Year: 2013
Director: Vlad Yudin

Pumping Iron is reborn for a new generation in Generation Iron, a documentary that tracks seven bodybuilders on their way to compete in the 2012 Mr. Olympia. Where the '70s documentary Pumping Iron chronicled the intimate rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno, Generation Iron – which includes narration by Mickey Rourke – broadly captures the scene of bodybuilding in the 21st century, with advancements in modern exercise science and a whole new culture that is far more complicated than looks imply.

21. Bloodsport

Year: 1988
Director: Newt Arnold

Jean-Claude Van Damme's breakout movie is also still one of his best, as the "Muscles From Brussels" proves his mettle in the Kumite. Based on the dubious claims by real-life US Army Captain and self-proclaimed ninjutsu expert Frank Dux, Van Damme plays Frank Dux, who enters an illegal underground martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. A quintessential '80s dude flick, Bloodsport ain't for karate kids as it tears it down with Van Damme at the peak of his powers. Its memorable training scenes will have you overloading your gym playlist with '80s synth tracks, too.

20. Creed 3

Year: 2023
Director: Michael B. Jordan

In his debut as a director, Michael B. Jordan enters a whole new weight class in Creed 3. Jordan returns as boxing champ Adonis Creed, whose world is rocked after his childhood friend Damian (Jonathan Majors) resurfaces after years in prison. These two friends become bitter rivals as Damian seeks to claim Creed's title, trading blows where every punch means something. Besides featuring some of the most inventive fight scenes in the whole Rocky/Creed franchise, both actors earn heavyweight status with riveting training sequences and ring-ready physiques to show for it.

19. Batman Begins

Year: 2005
Director: Christopher Nolan

Batman may have artificial muscles on his suit, but Christian Bale was no slouch underneath the cowl. In Christopher Nolan's acclaimed Batman reboot, the origins of Batman are retold as Bale portrays orphaned billionaire Bruce Wayne, who trains with the League of Shadows and becomes the legendary Batman. Batman's ninja training in Indochina is better than any CrossFit gym, and Bale's eye-popping levels of muscle set a new standard for superhero movies for years to come – for better or worse.

18. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

Year: 1993
Director: Rob Cohen

The life story of gone-too-soon Hollywood legend Bruce Lee is heavily dramatized in Rob Cohen's supernatural biopic Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Jason Scott Lee portrays the icon, roughly resembling the real-life star from his arrival in America to his final days as a Hong Kong movie legend. While the movie later takes a strange turn with elaborate sequences where Lee fights a demonic samurai, Jason Scott Lee is no figment of the imagination as his efforts to match the icon's infamously impossible body are worthy of the mantle "The Dragon."

17. Pain & Gain

Year: 2013
Director: Michael Bay

On one hand, Michael Bay's crime comedy Pain & Gain is about the lethal excesses of the American dream, encapsulated by broke bodybuilders who embark on a crime spree throughout Miami. On the other hand, it's a muscle-clad film packed with action. So to say Pain & Gain purely "glamorizes" fitness is missing the point. But then again, Bay's camera makes the sun-kissed bodies of Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, and Anthony Mackie enviable, and the "live fast, die hard" lifestyle they all lead looks so good – while it lasts, anyway.

16. Conan the Barbarian

Year: 1982
Director: John Milius

What's the quickest way to get shredded? Easy! Have your village raided by Thulsa Doom and spend your childhood working the Wheel of Pain. Naturally. After appearing in Pumping Iron, Arnold Schwarzenegger embarked on a proper movie career, and 1982's Conan the Barbarian launched the champion bodybuilder to Hollywood stardom. Atlantean Sword in hand, Schwarzenegger permanently raised the bar for heroic physiques to make his name synonymous with silver screen beefcakes. That Conan becomes the "Barbarian" after a lifetime of grueling training shows that power can be obtained through adversity.

15. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

Year: 2021
Director: Robert Schwentke

While this G.I. Joe spin-off/reboot doesn't let Henry Golding run around with his shirt off (like he did in Crazy Rich Asians), just about anyone can get down with his hero's journey from anonymous brawler to elite Arashikage clan member. In this origin story of the enigmatic operative Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe, Golding leads as a nameless outsider who joins a clan of ninjas, with a complicated series of double-crosses leading to a rivalry against his friend Storm Shadow (Andrew Koji). Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins isn't a good movie, per se. But Golding's main character energy might inspire you to adopt your own in this big-budget throwback to '80s B-movies.

14. Rudy

Year: 1993
Director: David Anspaugh

It's not muscles that matter in Rudy, but guts and heart. In this inspiring sports classic starring Sean Astin, based on the life of college football player Daniel Ruettiger, Rudy is a young man from a blue-collar background who harbors dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame. After a personal tragedy, Rudy defies everyone's expectations and endures doubt from his own family to see his wildest dreams come true. Little about this movie's story is about fitness. But as one of the most inspiring movies of all time, Rudy can teach us all a thing or two about turning "can't" into "can do."

13. Casino Royale

Year: 2006
Director: Martin Campbell

A happy accident changed James Bond forever. As the legend goes: While shooting a pivotal beach scene for Casino Royale, Daniel Craig (who was scripted to swim to shore) accidentally hit a sand bank, which forced him to stand up and walk. Though Craig was obviously in great shape, his trainer actually emphasized work on his shoulders as he was expected to wear tuxedos for most of the movie and not take off his shirt. But as Bond stood up, salt water glistening off his chest, Craig proved he was 007 material – and he did so unintentionally. To be clear: Everyone has a "beach body." But if you want to look like Bond, Casino Royale provides the blueprints.

12. Rising Phoenix

Year: 2020
Director(s): Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui

If you have a hundred excuses that keep you from the gym, the impactful Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix will change that. The movie tells the story of the Paralympic Games, which has its roots in the ashes of World War 2, and follows nine elite Paralympic athletes – including Bebe Vio, Tatyana McFadden, Jonnie Peacock, and more – who show the limitless potential of the human spirit. Rising Phoenix is both brain food and spirit food; it's a robust introductory to the world of para athletes, and a reminder that nothing is stopping you other than yourself.

11. G.I. Jane

Year: 1997
Director: Ridley Scott

G.I. Jane is not based on a true story. Nevertheless, it's a tribute to human endurance and trailblazers everywhere in its plot about the first female to undergo intense training with the US Navy SEALs. Demi Moore memorably stars as the flick's protagonist, Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil, who is put through the ringer by her commander (Viggo Mortensen) until she slowly wins his respect. While few gym sessions compare to the rigorous training of the US military, watching Moore persevere is inspiring enough to make you grit your teeth through your next cardio class.

10. Mortal Kombat

Year: 1995
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Finish him! While the 2021 reboot has a grittier vibe, the original '95 movie from Paul W.S. Anderson is unstoppable. Based on the hit arcade games, Mortal Kombat sees Earth's fate rest in the fists of three warriors – Shaolin master Liu Kang (Robin Shou), Hollywood star Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), and Special Forces commando Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson) – who enter an ancient tournament hosted by sorcerer Shang Tsung (Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa). The iconic Mortal Kombat theme song was made for this movie, and the fight scenes still tear up the screen even after all these years. Cue up that theme song and get over here – to the gym, we mean.

9. The Northman

Year: 2022
Director: Robert Eggers

When the preworkout hits, that's when you feel like your inner berserker. Robert Eggers' historical epic The Northman, based on the ancient Norse legend Amleth, is a rousing revenge thriller that follows Viking prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) who swears vengeance against his uncle after the murder of his father. While an adrenaline-fueled action movie with axes galore was not what Eggers had in mind, it's hard not to get riled up by The Northman's raw fury. The movie's impeccable long-take sequence of a village raid will have you training not just for personal aesthetics, but for your survival.

8. 300

Year: 2007
Director: Zack Snyder

When Spartan Race began life in 2010, lingering in the air was Zack Snyder's hit comic book flick 300. Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 chronicles the Battle of Thermopylae where only 300 Greek Spartans went to fight against the 300,000 strong Persian Army. 300 doesn't strive for historical accuracy in the slightest; this includes the anachronistically ripped bodies of the Spartans, whose ab muscles have ab muscles. Throughout the late 2000s, the cultural influence of 300 had everyone trying out CrossFit and signing up for Spartan Races everywhere. Even now, the movie still hits hard like a front kick into the abyss.

7. Rocky 3

Year: 1982
Director: Sylvester Stallone

Rocky 4 gets all the glory, but Rocky Balboa's bout with Ivan Drago is hard to compare with his more personal battle with Mr. T's Clubber Lang. In Rocky 3, the Philadelphia pugilist (played again by Sylvester Stallone) gets too cozy as the reigning king of professional boxing until a dark horse contender, Clubber Lang, enters the ring. That's when Rocky endures a new training regimen with his former rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) to finally become a proper heavyweight. Not only did Rocky 3 give us the workout song to end all workout songs in "Eye of the Tiger," but Stallone and Weathers' memorable training montages stand the test of time. It's not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can hit without going down.

6. The Way of the Dragon

Year: 1972
Director: Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee's all-time great fight scene against Chuck Norris can be found in the climax of Lee's own directorial feature, The Way of the Dragon. While most of the movie deals with Lee playing a martial arts expert who emigrates to Italy, the movie's iconic climax sees him square off against an American karate champion, played by Chuck Norris. The chosen setting, the Roman Colosseum, was an intentional touch by Lee who wanted to evoke the vibe of an ancient prize fight. While Norris has the body of a manly man, it's Lee who draws all eyes his way with a sculpted physique that is impossible to match.

5. Thor: Ragnarok

Year: 2017
Director: Taika Waititi

While Thor reclaims his "god bod" in Thor: Love and Thunder, 2017's Thor: Ragnarok has the Strongest Avenger at his mightiest. In this Marvel sequel, Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor, whose search for the Infinity Stones lands him prisoner on an alien planet and forced to fight in the galactic Contest of Champions. Reuniting with an old pal, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and a disgraced Asgardian warrior, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Thor races to save Asgard from his sister Hela's (Cate Blanchett) destruction. With rousing Led Zeppelin needle drops ("Immigrant Song" must be on your workout playlist) and a booming battle against the Hulk, Thor: Ragnarok will get you curling dumbbells like you're picking up Mjolnir.

4. Fight Club

Year: 1999
Director: David Fincher

David Fincher's cult 1999 thriller Fight Club is a condemnation against modern masculinity, but you know who didn't get the message? Most dudes. As guys everywhere laid eyes on Brad Pitt and his washboard abs, they began hitting the gym in droves in pursuit of Pitt's Fight Club figure. While it's important to remember the movie's message that your self-worth is not determined by your surroundings – and that you should always get a good night's sleep – it's hard to ignore Fight Club's sweaty atmosphere as being the perfect headspace for going for that extra set.

3. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Year: 2016
Director: Zack Snyder

When Batman went toe to toe with Superman, he didn't just load up on Kryptonite grenades. He hit the gym. (Albeit a private one that only a billionaire can afford.) In this universe-expanding sequel to Zack Snyder's 2013 movie Man of Steel, Ben Affleck debuts as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in an infinitely darker interpretation of the character than previously seen. While both Affleck and Henry Cavill had to lift iron to become their DC heroes, in the movie, audiences glimpse Batman's ruthless training regime that includes dumbbell chest presses, sledgehammer tire slams, weighted pull-ups, rope pulls, and more. It might be hard to sit through all of the aggressively bleak Batman v Superman, but there's no better fitness role model than Gotham's Caped Crusader trying to punch out Clark Kent.

2. Creed

Year: 2015
Director: Ryan Coogler

As Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed moves in the ring, throwing jabs and dodging hooks, you get the feeling he's fighting more than his opponent. Will Adonis Creed live up to the legacy of a father he never knew? Or will he make a name for himself on his own terms? In Creed, the first in the Rocky spin-off series and one of the best sports movies ever made, Jordan proves his A-list chops in his portrayal of the young and hungry Adonis Creed, son of the great Apollo Creed. Training with his father's former rival, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Adonis gears up for the first major fight of his career. Through immersive direction by Ryan Coogler, whose lengthy training montages soar like an eagle, Creed steps out of the shadow of Rocky to inspire a new generation to lace up gloves and show the world what they've got.

1. Rocky

Year: 1976
Director: John G. Avildsen

The ultimate underdog in movie history is without a doubt Sly Stallone's son of Philly, Rocky Balboa. In the original classic, mob debt collector and amateur boxer Rocky is plucked from obscurity to square off against champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers in his most iconic role) in an exhibition bout. There are no titles or fat pay days on the line – just the respect of your neighbors and peers. While Stallone would get into even better shape in the sequels, his statuesque form is not why we turn to Rocky for inspiration at the gym. We turn to Rocky because we all have dreams to pursue, and only Rocky can show us how to see them come true. Admit it: You'd run up those steps, too.