Using Mental Techniques To Boost Your Workouts
Whenever people are able to perform amazing physical feats
, the power of the mind to override physical capabilities is highlighted. One can see this in how the yogis of India are able to do seemingly impossible bodily contortions using the power of meditation.
In the film, "Facing the Giants", we can see how the mind can determine the outcome of many of our endeavors. The movie is about the true story of coach Grant Taylor's personal struggle with fear both professionally and privately. One part of the movie shows the coach making his high school football team perform a death crawl on the entire length of the field with another person on each of the blindfolded player's back. They were able to perform the physically challenging task because the blindfold prevented them from quitting before maximizing their potential.
The tendency of our brain to give in to pain way before we reach our potential was proven in a recent study done at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. It shows that the receptor in the brain called interleukin-6 tries to shut the body down as a defense mechanism. The difference between an elite athlete and a regular one is that the former uses mental techniques in order to derive the full benefit of an exercise regimen. One athlete emphasized the importance of having a specific goal saying that without one, none one of the techniques would be of any help.
If you want to get the most of your workouts, harness the power of your mind. Here's how:
1. Visualize success.
Imagine yourself succeeding in an activity that you wish to complete. For instance, you can visualize yourself as finishing a set of bench presses using a barbell much heavier than what you are used to. You do not have to spend a lot of time visualizing although it is important that you do it every night.
2. Make your mind blank.
According to a very successful personal trainer, he also trains his clients to block out any thought which might distract them from properly executing a specific exercise in their workout regimens. With exercise, form takes precedence over function therefore focus on performing the activity with precision and don't allow any thought or emotion to take away your attention from the task at hand especially the negative ones.
3. Use a mantra.
Words have power, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. Choose a mantra or a phrase that inspires and encourages you to keep pressing on. Say it over and over again while doing your exercises. Personal training mantras have been used by many athletes successfully and ordinary exercisers have started to do the same. If you cannot think of one, use Nike's famous advertising slogan, "Just do it!"
4. Be strong.
You can boost your self-confidence by asserting your superiority over an activity. If you are about to increase the amount of weight you are lifting, say to yourself, "I'm stronger or faster than the weight." But you do need to believe that you really can otherwise you are merely making noise. You can do the same with endurance training by saying, "I can hang on longer than my previous time." The underlying principle is to challenge your old assumption of what you think you can do. Push yourself to the limit and beyond because you have the power inside of you to succeed, it's simply a matter of mind over matter.
by: Charles Volcolatte
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