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Mindful Workouts: How to Maximize Your Gym Time and Reduce Stress

Are you on your phone during a gym class or while training?

Using a phone for music is one thing, checking email or Instagram (or taking photos for Instagram) is another. 

Use the gym or a walk outside to help you switch off the constant planning or ruminating about challenging personal issues.

Overthinking and overanalysing can create more stress. Working out can be a mental break from the grind, leaving you refreshed and renewed to tackle those challenges.  

We often live in our minds and don't really feel connected with our bodies. 

Working out mindfully and focusing on your body and breathing during a workout has been shown to increase performance, help you burn more energy, and increase muscle mass. Better still, it is a powerful way of improving your mood, reducing stress and anxiety, and increasing your enjoyment of the workout. 

Single-tasking is where it's at. Stop trying to multitask and take a more mindful approach using the tips below.

1. Limit Distractions

  • Leave work and any stressors behind.
  • Make a conscious decision to prioritise and focus on your workout. 
  • Remind yourself that you've made this time to prioritise your own health.
  • Wherever possible, ditch your phone, turn on flight mode or Do Not Disturb mode to avoid notifications and distractions. 

2. Start with Mindful Breathing

  • Create space to transition from a busy day to the present moment.
  • Take a minute to do some mindful breathing and connect with your body. 
  • Set a timer for one minute, and time your breathing with the moving image below.
  • Breathe from your belly. Inhale as the image expands, and exhale as it shrinks back down. 

geometric image that expands and shrinks to time breathing to

 

3. Set Your Workout Intentions

  • Remind yourself why you're doing this workout today.
  • Set one or two key intentions to keep you mindfully engaged.
  • Example intentions: focusing on your technique during deadlifts, consistent breathing during that spin class, or getting to a certain speed on the treadmill. 
  • Take a moment to visualise your workout - the muscles you'll be using, the movements you'll be going through, the effort it takes to complete it, and how you'll feel at the end. 

4. Do a Body Scan

  • Check in with your body and notice how you are feeling physically and mentally.
  • Do you have any pain or niggles?
  • Make adjustments to your workout plan if you need to add in more stretching, a rehabilitation exercise or just a few more minutes to really warm up well. 

5. Workout with Awareness

  • Check in with your body positioning and make any adjustments needed. 
  • Every few minutes, do a quick check on your breathing. Are you holding your breath (outside of strategic breathwork for lifting)?
  • Bring attention to the muscles you're trying to recruit to create better engagement. 

6. Reflect on your Workout

  • At the end of your workout, as you stretch or cool down, reflect on your intentions.
  • Did you manage to stay present more than usual?
  • Do a quick body scan and give some extra attention to those sore and fatigued muscles.
  • If taking a more mindful approach to your workout has left you in a calmer state or increased your enjoyment of the workout, use this motivation for the next time.