If you’ve ever taken a class with Peloton instructor Logan Aldridge (or seen him lift major weight over his head or give HYROX his all), then you’re well aware of his jaw-dropping physical strength. And while he exemplifies athletic aptitude on the mat, the Peloton Tread, and beyond, it’s Logan’s inner strength that he says has enriched all areas of his life.

At 13 years old, Logan lost his left arm in a wakeboarding accident. “It was my dominant hand, and it flipped my world upside down,” he says. “But tapping into that inner strength helped me relearn everything, from sports to daily tasks, and eventually led me to become a competitive athlete and instructor.” 

As Logan sees it, inner strength is a kind of “unshakeable core resilience” that pushes a person to not only survive adversity, but to power through it and come out more capable on the other side. “It’s the mental and emotional fortitude that keeps you going when life throws curveballs,” he says.

No matter what kinds of challenges you may face now or in the future, cultivating your inner strength will help you learn, adapt, and rebuild “with grit instead of giving up,” Logan says. Read on to learn more about inner strength, how to hone it, and why it’s such an important tool in fitness and all other areas of life.

What Is Inner Strength?

Inner strength can simply be defined as the ability to cope with whatever comes your way, according to Marianna Strongin, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Strong In Therapy. “Just as you can feel physically strong—believing you could outrun or outlift most people—those with inner strength carry a quiet confidence,’” Strongin says. “Imagine if, instead of constantly asking yourself throughout the day, ‘How will that go?’ or ‘Will I be OK?’ the answer was always the same: ‘I’ll cope with that.’”

While there is no universal clinical definition of “inner strength,” it’s a concept that researchers have been exploring in healthcare literature for decades. Some experts have framed it as the ability “to live through hard times and then move on,” while others have referred to it as the “ability to draw strength from negative experiences.” Meanwhile, a 2010 research review described it as the ability to stand steady, maintain close connections, remain creative while shouldering responsibility, and endure difficulties.   

Strongin sees inner strength as “cognitive fitness,” or a type of mental toughness. “And it carries you further than any muscle ever could,” she says. “The ability to tolerate pain, frustration, and doubt and keep going is true strength.”

It’s also an asset that anyone can develop with time and experience, according to Michael L. Sachs, PhD, a certified mental performance consultant and a professor emeritus in the department of kinesiology at Temple University. “Inner strength is built by demonstrating to yourself that you have the capacity to persevere, to achieve your goals through discipline, and to prioritize what you need to do to be successful,” Sachs says. 

Why Inner Strength Is So Important

Research has shown that developing inner strength can positively impact just about every facet of your wellbeing. One study found that building inner strength could be an effective tool in improving the quality of life among women with cancer, and a more recent study on older adults in Finland and Sweden found that inner strength and wellbeing have a reciprocal positive relationship, meaning that as one increased, so did the other. 

According to a 2023 study on resilience, inner strength proved to be an important component in counteracting some of life’s toughest challenges. “This study developed its own inner-strength inventory and found that inner strength was inversely correlated with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization,” Strongin says. “This means that if we work on our inner strength, we can create better systems internally for preventing and/or coping with anxiety and depression.” 

Based on his own experience and his career as a fitness instructor, Logan has seen firsthand the game-changing benefits that can result from cultivating inner strength. “First off, it builds confidence,” he says. “You start trusting yourself to handle whatever comes your way, which reduces fear and anxiety in tough situations.” 

Another major perk of building inner strength is the heightened ability to go with the flow—an essential quality for navigating life’s most unpredictable moments. “It fosters adaptability, making you more flexible in life and better at problem solving,” Logan says.

As Logan sees it, inner strength is a vital building block of general wellbeing, allowing you to overcome obstacles with a renewed sense of purpose and power. “When you’re mentally tough, you’re less likely to burn out and more likely to pursue goals with passion,” he says. “In my experience, it turns obstacles into opportunities, like how my accident opened doors to empowering others through adaptive fitness.”

How to Build Inner Strength

While everyone’s path to building inner strength may look a little different, there are some tried and true strategies for developing more resilience, persistence, and optimism through adversity. Here are a few to consider on your own journey toward building inner strength.

1. Define Your Goals

Before you can work on strengthening your mindset, it’s important to know what you’re strengthening it for and the objectives you’re trying to achieve. For example, maybe you’d like to bounce back better from emotional setbacks, or perhaps you’re going through a particularly difficult life chapter and want to feel more resilient. “Maintain your focus on these goals and remove any distractions that might keep you from being successful in achieving your goals,” Sachs says. 

2. Embrace Discomfort Daily

If you’re set on cultivating your inner strength, it’s important to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. “Step outside your comfort zone with small challenges, like trying a new workout or facing a fear,” Logan says. “This trains your mind to handle stress, building resilience over time.”

Strongin says that doing hard things every day—and taking the time to validate yourself before, during, and after doing them—is the fastest way to build inner strength. “The mistake many people make is pushing through challenges without pausing to acknowledge them,” she says. “When you don’t mark those moments for yourself, you miss the chance to grow resilience and confidence, the very fabric of inner strength.”

3. Practice Gratitude and Reflection

When challenges arise, it can be especially difficult to hold onto hope and positivity. That’s why it can be particularly powerful to intentionally practice gratitude, either through formal meditation, journaling, or simply a moment of reflection. “End each day noting what went well and what you learned from setbacks,” Logan says. “It shifts your mindset from victimhood to empowerment, reinforcing your inner resolve.”

4. Surround Yourself with Support

Inner strength isn’t about moving toward your goals in solitude; it often requires the unconditional support of those around you. 

“Connect with positive people or communities who uplift you,” Logan says. “Sharing stories and getting encouragement amplifies your strength, just like how my adaptive training network keeps me motivated. … Inner strength isn’t a solo gig—it’s amplified when you help others build theirs.”

Sachs agrees, noting that it’s also important to cultivate relationships with individuals who will help you achieve your goals, whether those are coaches, therapists, or other skilled pros. “It’s rare that someone completes this journey towards achieving one’s goals alone,” he says. “Make sure you have the support needed to help you on this journey.”

5. Set and Crush Micro-Goals

Having a big-picture view can be motivational, but it can also be intimidating. Rather than looking at your goal as one major milestone, take one step forward at a time and celebrate each one. “Break big ambitions into tiny, achievable steps,” Logan says. “Each win stacks up, proving to yourself you're capable and boosting that inner confidence.” 

Sachs also notes the importance of appreciating the journey itself and recognizing each “small” success along the way. “It is daunting to have these big goals ahead of you, but breaking them down into manageable, achievable goals makes it possible to take these ‘small’ steps towards the big goals and, eventually, reach these goals,” he says.

6. Utilize Mantras

Whether you rely on a sound, a single word, or a phrase, landing on a go-to mantra can be a powerful way to keep moving forward. “As you move through your day, repeat to yourself, ‘I can cope with that,’” Strongin says. “Let it become your automatic response.” And to bring the moment full circle, she recommends tackling at least one “hard” thing daily (of course, what’s considered “hard” will vary for each of us). “Begin by saying, ‘I can cope with this,’ and end by affirming, ‘I was right, I can do hard things.’”

7. Look Back for Proof

Self-doubt is sometimes impossible to completely avoid. But rather than give into any insecurities, remind yourself of all the achievements you’ve already tackled. As Peloton instructor Robin Arzón says, “You’ve survived 100 percent of your worst days,” so keep going. 

“Revisit moments in your past that were difficult,” Strongin says. “Collect this evidence with your own ‘Rolodex’ that shows you’ve coped before and you can cope again.”

How Exercise Can Help You Cultivate Inner Strength 

Even if your major goals aren’t fitness-related, experts agree that physical activity is an ideal way to work on building your inner strength. 

Beyond its numerous physical benefits, exercise serves as a great analogy for maneuvering through tough challenges and knocking each obstacle down, one at a time (ever taken a Sims 60 class, for instance?). “Exercise is a powerhouse for building inner strength because it mirrors life's challenges,” Logan says. “It's about consistently showing up, pushing limits, and overcoming physical barriers, which directly translates to mental toughness.” 

On the physiological side, Logan explains that because exercise releases endorphins that improve mood and reduce stress, you’ll benefit from the feel-good chemicals while literally rewiring your brain for perseverance through the discipline of training. “When you hit that wall in a workout and keep going, you’re proving to yourself you can endure and adapt, which spills over into every area of life,” he says.

From his own experience, Logan says that returning to sports and strength training after his accident was key for building inner strength. “I had to modify everything for one arm, but nailing those adapted deadlifts or pull-ups built not just my body, but the belief that ‘it’s just an arm’—my mantra for turning limitations into strengths,” he says. “In my Peloton classes, I see Members discover this too; they start with doubt and end with that inner fire lit.”

The Takeaway

At its core, inner strength is the steadfast resilience that allows you to not only cope with adversity, but to embrace it as an opportunity for growth. While experts have applied various definitions to the term, “inner strength” is generally considered the ability to not only tolerate pain, frustration, and doubt, but to keep going in the face of those challenges and emerge stronger on the other side. 

By cultivating inner strength through practices like setting micro-goals, fostering a supportive community, and focusing on gratitude, it’s possible to improve your confidence, flexibility, and even your overall wellbeing. And through physical activities, you can actually use exercise as a tangible analogy for honing the qualities associated with inner strength, like resilience, optimism, and adaptability.

“Remember, it’s not about being unbreakable; it’s about bouncing back stronger every time,” Logan says. “If you’re on Peloton, hop into one of my strength classes—we’ll build that inner (and outer) power together. Stay resilient!”