Lois Moncel, Director of Fitness & Wellness
How do you exercise? Do you workout with earphones listening to music or watching a program while doing cardio training? Research has shown us that many benefits come from distracting yourself while working out; distracting yourself can reduce the perception of how hard you’re working, making exercise feel easier so you’re likely to push yourself longer or harder.
However, while you are trying to distract yourself, oftentimes you can’t focus as well on the movements your muscles are making or how you’re breathing. Have you ever noticed an individual who is so engrossed in what they are listening to that the speed or range of motion is compromised?
Focus has actually been a topic recently studied. Harvard psychologists carried out a study that shows just how powerful focus can be. Researchers told a group of sedentary maids with low fitness levels that the work they were doing was a “good workout.” They even reminded them every day how many calories they were burning as they made beds, vacuumed floors, and did other tasks. Another group of maids that was equally as active on the job were told nothing.
After 30 days, they measured the health status of both groups of women—both those who thought they were getting a good workout and those who had been told nothing. To their surprise, the maids who believed they were “getting fit” as they did their job lost an average of 2 pounds compared to no weight loss for the control group. Plus, their waist to hip ratio decreased and their systolic blood pressure dropped 10% over the 30–day period. The researchers determined that the maids hadn’t changed their routine in any measurable way, only their mindset had changed—and it had measurable results.
How Can You Be More Mindful When You Work Out?
Cathe Friedrich, fitness professional, suggests the following:
1. Put aside the headphones and focus on the movements your muscles are making. Be aware of your form throughout the full range of the movement instead of rushing to complete the required number of reps. If you need to, lighten the weight. It’s more effective to train with a lighter weight with good form than it is to use a heavier weight and let your form deteriorate.
2. Try slow lifting. Lifting slowly lets you concentrate on form while reducing momentum. Raise the weight in six seconds and lower it for six seconds to keep your muscles under tension longer and train yourself to focus and use proper form.
3. Try yoga. Yoga teaches you to focus and strengthens the mind-body connection. This will carry over into your strength-training workouts.
4. Don’t let your workout get stale. Add new challenges to your routine! New stimuli will engage your mind so you won’t feel like you need to tune out due to boredom.
Take the time to exercise mindfully. It can help you improve all aspects of your fitness! For questions, contact Lois Moncel at [email protected].