Power of Mindfulness
We all need a balanced body—and that doesn’t just begin by achieving sculpted arms and flat abs. It also entails a calm, clear psychological state that sets you up to take on the biggest of obstacles.
We often want to distract ourselves from our workouts, but being mindful during an exercise session can relieve stress, make you feel good and even make your workouts better. The ideation behind this is to abandon all distractions and negative thoughts, by focusing your attention on your sensations, breath, and therefore the movements of your body. The essential premise here is that once you give your full attention to your workout, you’re sure to focus on the brighter side of life, more effectively.
Purpose driven
Too often we exercise to only to lose weight, but that may not be something that would keep us motivated through and through. Having a purpose will offer you something to specialise in, for example muscle building or core building, therefore, something you’ll feel good about. At the the end of the day , your purpose keeps you motivated to stay running towards your goal.
Calm your nerves
Remember, you set this time aside specifically for your workout, so give yourself permission to truly sit back and relax by driving all your energy towards your fitness regimen. Make sure to give in adequate time to each activity, each movement, particularly strength training exercises. Make sure to ace your form, on the upward motion and therefore the downward motion. Your mind controls your posture, your core, and therefore the remainder of your body, including the muscles you’re targeting; direct your attention towards them as they contract and relax.
Baby steps
Each day is an obstacle which comes with its own set of challenges. But in order to stay focused and true to our fitness journey, we need to maintain a focal point. Let’s step back in time and return back your school days and remember your physical training classes which always started with an honest ten minutes of warm up. Warming up your mind and body means mentally preparing oneself, by finding your own mantra for the day, setting expectations, and establishing your plan of action. Taking even just a couple of moments to ponder what you would like to accomplish that day can help immensely.
Body’s whisper
The mind-body connection doesn’t stop once your workout begins, of course. It’s important to continue taking note of your body—even when you’re feeling the burn. Close attention will assist you distinguish between discomfort and pain. Listening without judgment may aid to reinforce positive thoughts. And, allowing yourself to hear out your body’s discomfort and pain reminds you that each thing is temporary, even this. As they say, ‘no pain, no gain’, this process will assist you find renewed strength to push past mental and physical barriers, all while avoiding injuries.
Focused muscle
While lifting weights, put your full attention on the muscle(s) you’re strengthening. Really feel your muscles contract and relax with each repetition. Allow your breath to be slow and steady. As unrelated thoughts arise, allow them to exit your mind and return your attention to your muscles and your breathing. Once you ace the mind-muscle connect in each exercise, the muscles you’re working on, and what you’re actually accomplishing, you get more out of every exercise and every workout.
Breathe in
Breathing might just be one of the most natural things that comes to us, but if not done rightly this process can to become complex. Breathing correctly is important while exercising for many reasons. One of which is that it helps with posture. The same muscles that help us with our posture are the ones that also help us respire. Good breath, good posture. Focused breathing also helps re-aligning your mind, as it wanders during your workout otherwise you keep watching the clock as time passes by; close your eyes and take a deep breath to bring yourself back to the instant . Add in vigorous exercise, or the adrenaline and fear of an activity like fighting, and breathing effectively or efficiently are often a downright formidable task.
Switch off
As you begin your workout routine, it is essential that you disconnect yourself from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life. This can be achieved by switching off your phone and directing your attention to the sound of your sneakers, the rhythm of your breath and therefore the movement of your arms. Notice how you are feeling during and after your workout, when practicing mindfulness this way. By sweating and aiming right at your goal—all while getting profoundly and blissfully lost in movement takes mental strength and colossal willpower. You can begin doing this by thinking of your gym as your sanctuary, an area where you’ll wholeheartedly practice mindfulness, without distractions.
Express gratitude
Research shows that those who express gratitude feel better and are more optimistic than those that linger over the negative. Mindful meditation has been shown to be an efficient technique to manage anxiety and depression, as it teaches individuals to recognise harmful recurring thoughts, and acknowledge destructive patterns
By setting aside 30-minutes each day to unwind and meditate, offers us a leverage to on dig deeper into our minds to know and question our existence, surroundings and nature. People that meditate are happier, healthier, and more successful than those that don’t. Utilising this meditation technique has shown efficacy for treating and coping up with a spread of physical and medical conditions, including chronic pain, fatigue and stress.
From the February 2020 issue of FHM India.
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