Improve Your Performance with Mindful Workouts
Amy King
And for others… it can actually be a form of mindfulness, at least some of this time…
Speaking from my personal experience… exercise has meant different things to me at different times.
And at this present time, whilst I am striving to increase strength and endurance, build lean muscle and make the most of my “off-season”… I have been experiencing a little more mindfulness during my workouts…
There is a calm and the silence that comes when I am under a heavy load, where all the noise in my busy mind releases and all I am focused on is my breathing and lifting a heavy weight.
And so that has got me thinking…
A workout for the sole purpose of physical exercise certainly has positive health benefits.
It can help you stay fit to some level and boost your serotonin levels.
So, is there more we can we get out of our time exercising so that we can experience benefits across more areas of our overall health?
Before we move on to the positive effect of mindfulness on your workout, let's explain what a mindful workout is.
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A mindful workout is part of the holistic approach to physical activities. It helps you understand better what is happening in your body and utilize the knowledge to improve your physical and mental strength.
A mindful workout is often associated as being out in nature away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, as it helps you use all senses. So, on a side note - if outdoor physical activity in nature is your jam, perhaps try leaving your headphones at home for a change to fully appreciate the surroundings.
A mindful workout gets you to focus on becoming aware of every breath and the sensations in your body while doing different movements.
Mindfulness during a workout also includes being present in the moment and aware of your thoughts, potential discomfort, and the sensations in your feet while they touch the ground. It helps you truly experience every second of your workout and get the most out of it.
This can be particularly important for bodybuilding and other weight-based workouts as it can help prevent injury and helps strengthen mind muscle connections. Which is critical for activating the right muscles at the right time to get more out of what you are already doing.
However, your mindful workout doesn’t need to be as vigorous as running or lifting… it can be applied to hiking for example… so let’s use this to describe the benefits of mindful workouts.
By being concentrated on your mind and body, mindfulness reduces external distractions. Therefore, you are more relaxed, without thinking about your speed, distance, personal records, etc.
By maintaining internal focus, you are ready to overcome your limitations. But, because you are focused on the sensations in your body, the injuries are less likely to happen. You'll notice the signs of discomfort and expand your limitations.
The first thing to remember when practicing mindful workouts is to breathe through your nose. Mouth breathing is part of the stress-induced changes in your breathing, so nose breathing helps you relax and get into the right mood.
Mindfulness is all about the mind-body connection, so try to keep the inner conversation with your body. Let go of the social expectations and social distractions, timings, tracking devices, points, or anything similar, which can shift your focus from internal feelings to external activities and objects. Don't measure time and think about the technique – yes even if it is just walking.
Before you start your workout, prepare for the mindful experience. A quick meditation for example, is a good way to get you out of the state of stress and prepare for the next activity. One to ten minutes of deep breathing and mindfulness exercises will be enough to get you in the right state of mind for your workout.
Once you've done the prep work, it is time to engage your focus on your sensations and mind. Start slowly and listen to your body to adjust your pace. Check for the physical sensations as you speed up or slow down or as you negotiate uneven surfaces and different steepness.
If your health and breath rate speed up, feel the warming up in your body, the heart beating in your chest, experience every sensation in your muscle.
Maintain that state of mind and internal focus, but try not to think about the sensations, just feel them.
Once you maintain the awareness of bodily sensations, focus on your mind.
Release any replay of situations and scenarios in your head and use hiking (or any other workout) as a time to express gratitude for your physical health.
If you feel like your thoughts are getting out of control, focus on breathing. It will help you calm down in an instant and gain control over your mindful workout.
Divert your focus from the end line / destination, and instead feel every step and movement.
Overtime you may find that your abilities increase and that you enjoy your workouts more.
So, with that in mind have you ever tried mindful workouts? Did you like it?
If, you haven’t tried a mindful workout, when will you try one?
P.P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindfulness can improve your athletic performance and other areas of your health & performance, then perhaps you’ll enjoy the next episode of the AKE Fitness Connect Podcast where I talk to Master Breathwork Coach and Founder of the Australian Breathwork College, Nicholas de Castella.
Nicholas de Castella has been undertaking and teaching others breathwork for over 30 years, after feeling unfilled as a successful Architect. Nicholas is also a champion runner and still competes in running events in his 60s.
Nicholas is also an advocate for men’s overall health & well-being and runs events specifically to address this among other health & fitness related programs for men and women. So we talk about some of this as well as undertake a breathwork exercise.
So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, motivation and to feel good then this episode is definitely one to catch.
Amy King is the founder of AKE Fitness & Nutrition. When she’s not serving her clients, she is pursuing her corporate career in mining, bodybuilding and spending time with loved ones. She calls Perth, Western Australia home.
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