Focus on getting a Better Body

Focus on getting a Better Body, the power of your mind and concentration. Learn how to get more out of your workouts.

Think your way to a better body. How you can think yourself thin.

Where is your head during your workout? 

Have you ever been through a workout and felt like you accomplished nothing?  Are you staring off into space or checking out the guys and gals in the gym as you go through your workout?  Are you thinking about anything but what you are doing, like what happened yesterday, what happened earlier today, what you are going to do when you get out of the gym?  If you can answer yes to any of the questions, then your head is not in your workout.

In order to maximize your time and results in the gym, on the field, or on the court, you need to focus.  Focus is the key to developing the mind-muscle connection, getting your body to do what you want it to.  If you are just counting reps and going through the motions, then you are wasting most of your time.  Sure, you are burning a few extra calories, and something is better than nothing, but don’t you want to maximize your time and potential?  Every movement should be precision.  Know what you are doing, focus on what you are doing, and make every rep count.

 By focusing on the muscles you are working, you are able to recruit more muscle fibers, because your brain is sending signals through your nerves to your muscles to contract either eccentrically or concentrically.  Muscles contract in both a positive (concentric) and negative (eccentric) direction. The benefit of this is having total control and over your workload and pumping oxygen and nutrients into those hard working muscles.  This will help build, strengthen, and develop your muscles.  For example, when doing a chest press, focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you push the weight up, and then slowly release the weight back.  When doing a dead lift, don’t just stand up, feel your hamstrings as you start to ascend, and then engage and squeeze your glutes as you stand all the way up. By focusing on what you are doing, you train your body to work efficiently and as a whole unit.   

Another benefit of focusing on what you are doing as you go through movement will also reduce your risk of injury.  We all know that if you are injured, you are not at 100% and therefore your workouts suffer.  The worst part of being injured is that if your injury prevents you from working out then your muscles atrophy and all that hard work literally wastes away. Always remember, safety first.  

Mindset does matter, so think about what you are doing.  Focus on what muscles you’re using and make sure to squeeze out every rep possible to maximize your time in the gym.  Don’t just aimlessly lift weights, stay focused, stay motivated, and most importantly practice safe lifting techniques. 

Written by Ryan Kollock, NASM-CPT,PES, Reiki Master.  For more information on health and fitness visit www.lagunabeachfitness.com and www.lagunabeachtrainer.com