Ascend Your Physical Fitness To The Next Level
Healthy Mind - Healthy Body. You've probably have heard that before. Many of us exercise but is it possible to connect physical activity and meditation?
Meditation is an ancient practice where an individual focuses their body on a particular object or activity. The purpose is to be able to get to a calm or neutral state of mind which is thought to alleviate stress, anxiety, improve stamina, and allow for you to stay motivated. Many find they are able to have a heightened sense of peace, calmness, and contentment.
When meditating, most find it easier to focus on breathing, paying attention to ones body - allowing muscles to relax the mind. You can direct your thinking during a meditation session towards specific things you’re trying to cultivate. Narrowing down your purpose allows you to block the noise from the outside world and focus what is truly important to you. You will find that your fitness goals are going to be more manageable with a clear mind and with balanced emotions.
How to Meditate?
Block Out the outside world
Narrow your Focus
Take Charge of Your Body
Get in the Zone
Block off the Noise
Like in the most traditional way of meditating, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we need to reach a state of consciousness separated from the outside world. You can do this by listening to your favorite music, humming so that you only hear your own sound, or by situating yourself away from civilization (desert/forest/sea). The point is to eliminate distractions and to be alone in your own mind.
Narrow your Focus
Now that you have no distractions, think about what you want to achieve. Make sure to create a visible image in your mind that represents the end result of the goal you are trying to accomplish. Closing your eyes helps visualize the outcome of your efforts. If you cannot visualize the end result, do not attempt to continue to the next step until you know what the finish line looks like. For instance, if your goal is to reach your ideal weight - imagine how you will look like at your desired weight, take into account your feelings and encourage them.
Take Charge of your Body
If you reached this phase you probably are experiencing a feeling, excitement, happiness or relief. Now it is time for your body to match your focus and your feelings. If you feel excited, a good way to make your physical state match that feeling is by warming up your body and elevating your heartrate. If you are happy, smile. And if you feel relief, take deep breaths and relax your shoulders. Please note that there are many different activities that can help you encourage those positive feelings so do something that brings you joy.
Get in the Zone
After some time, for some might be 5-10 minutes for others might be longer, but you will reach a state where everything feels just right. That drive and energy will transfer to your activity and it will greatly influence the outcome but more importantly it will influence your enjoyment. Coach Jordi for example, got in the zone painting our entire old apartment (kitchen, bathroom, rooms and living room) - he felt joy and couldn't stop painting. He got spondylosis from playing football and his back usually flairs up - he did not feel a thing after 13 hours of painting. Getting in the right state of mind keeps your drive going and it makes you get to that finish line faster full enjoyment.
To highlight, block the noise, visualize the finish line, narrow your focus, take charge of your body and get in the zone. You don't have to meditate for hours. At first it might take longer than five or ten minutes but with practice it becomes second nature. Take a few moments to gather your thoughts with a couple of deep breaths. Situate yourself into your surroundings instead of thinking about what you did earlier. Focus on being present for the next five to ten minutes of your workout, your day, or the moment. If you need assistance our Desert Barbell professionals can get you in the Zone to have fulfilling workouts. Also, guided meditations can be found on YouTube, Spotify, or Headspace on Netflix. Remember, its all about finding the calm in the chaos.
Namaste.