Mindfully Working Out

[Max_V]

I think I heard Arnold Schwarzenegger talk about this once too, what I want to talk about is mindful gym sessions.

Saturday I tried this for the first time and not only did I feel very conscious and present at the end of my session, like I was in a meditative state, I also was able to lift heavier and have a longer gym session. When you observe the sensation of your muscles contracting and squeezing it does something amazing. I was able to spot my neurotic motivation during my lifts and notice any unease that arose. Not sure if this is a fact or not but I feel like if you put your awareness on the muscle that you are training it produces more results too, this is what I heard Arnold talk about once in his interviews.

So I would say try this out! This could really boost your performance in a gym session and can be made into a practise of mindfulness too.

[sheenp24]

@Max_V I think that this is very interesting! I'm going to try this tonight and see how it works. Thanks!

[Michael569]

Big truth! Once you stop doing gym just for the sake of getting over with it and jumping through exercises as fast as you can but instead start feeling through every set and rep, your body reacts in a different way. The pain and resistance are still there but easier to cope with and when you focus purely on the moment, your mind doesn't have time to come up with excuses why it doesn't want to be there, hence your gains are increased because you simply enjoy it more without all the stress. 

 

[Max_V]

@Michael569 Exactly man! Thanks for your reply

[pluto]

Yeah it really works, i first noticed this when i was slightly high on cannabis and i never forget how pumped and amazing i felt at that training session, completely in the present moment with full awareness on whatever i was doing and even afterwards with my post workout recovery smoothie and meals i felt they nourished me more than ever. Once on LSD i felt every nutrient being absorbed, every molecule, every little bit was noticed it was fascinating how close it was to after you do long fasts paired with meditation then slowly introduce food back into your lifestyle.

If you can learn to keep this connection to this hyper-present awareness, results and reward systems will be greatly enhanced.