The Mind/Body Connection
What's the mind/body connection, some ultra-hip new dating service? Not yet.It refers to the art of focusing your mind precisely and accurately on the workout set at hand.
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By Harry Hanson
If you paid for a grande latte at Starbucks
and they gave you a venti, would you complain?
How about getting paid for every
other week of work that you do? No? Then
why settle for less than the full mind/body
connection when you work out?
What’s the mind/body connection,
some ultra-hip new
dating service? Not yet.
The mind/body connection
refers to the art of focusing
your mind precisely and accurately
on the workout set
at hand.
This is the golden rule of any type of physical
training. By employing the mind/body
connection, you will maximize the bene-
fits of your training session, and MINMIZE
THE RISK OF INJURY.
Having owned and operated three worldclass
training facilities in New York City
for the past 20 years, I constantly strive
to help my clients understand this principal:
focus your mind on the exact muscle
group you are planning to work, maximizing
physical exertion and form to execute
the set properly.
I have found that a majority of people do
not make this connection and instead focus
on just getting through a weightlifting
set, using just body and no mind. By
adopting the straightforward mind/body
principles laid out in this article, you will
be able to make an immediate change
in the quality and safety of your workout
routine.
Before starting a set, take a few seconds
to clear your mind, letting your mind tell
your body what to do. If for example, you
are going to do a bicep exercise, let your
mind see the body squeeze the bicep as
hard as it can, with a full range of motion,
and in a controlled manner. Then do the
exercise.
If the actual set matches the visualization,
you have achieved your goal. If on the
other hand you had to throw the weights,
or did not squeeze the muscle properly,
or did not achieve a full range of motion,
then you need to increase your focus on
the mind. Start over, reduce the weight
that you are using, and visualize proper
technique again before starting the next
set.
Once you begin to master the mind/body
connection you will see it helps prevent injury,
because you are squeezing the muscles
and not jerking your
body trying to get through
a set. Additionally, the mind/
body connection allows you
to control the weight up and
down though a full range of
motion, letting you develop
strength in your tendons,
ligaments, and connective
tissues needed to build muscle safely.
So let’s review: Mind/Body connection =
faster goal achievement, less chance of injury,
reduced training time and effort and
improved workout confidence.
The only way to achieve these benefits
is to work your mind like you work your
body. Practice visualization techniques
throughout the day, even when you
aren’t working out. The night before a
big workout day, visualize the muscles
you want to workout and how they will
perform in each set of each exercise.
Good luck, and remember: a strong mind
creates a strong body.
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