Meditation and hill runs don’t sound like two things that go hand in hand. However, despite what it seems, meditation can be a huge help for your workouts. Mediation, at its core, is a way to reign in your thoughts and stay mindful of yourself and your breathing. Working out, whether you’re running or lifting weights, requires you to reign in your thoughts to truly focus on the moment and movement, as well.
You may still be wondering: does meditation in fact help your workout? The answer is yes. Meditation promotes being mindful, and a mindful workout is a better one. Read on to find out why.
Staying Present in Your Workout
Not every workout is great, in fact, you can likely recount the many times you left the gym feeling less than successful. But, why is that? Often we’re focused on issues in our personal or professional lives; a fight with our spouse, bad presentation at work, or issues with friends are all reasons for a poor workout. Unfortunately, a weak will always trump a strong body.
Meditation helps you to reign in your thoughts, and stay present in the current workout, you allowing you to finish strong both mind and body. By practicing meditation, you can teach your brain to push out the negative or chatty thoughts, and focus on the present moment.
Push Through a Long Run
Any long distance runner will tell you that half the battle is mental. Even when your legs are strong enough to keep going, your mind still wants you to slow or stop. In running, or any endurance sport, having a strong mind is just as important as a strong and physically fit body; especially as you fight the distractions of a gym and everyone working out around you.
You can beat mental fatigue and stress with a regular meditation routine during your workout. Consider meditation while pushing through a tough run, for example. Though you may already do some version of this, focusing on the basic steps of meditation will be much more beneficial.
– Step 1: Clear your mind; this part will be easier if you practice before you hit the trails.
– Step 2: Focus on what’s around you, and be mindful of the scenery as you’re going by. This is more difficult on a treadmill, but still possible and even more important.
Meditation before or during a workout is a smart way to make the most of each and every session you have. When you are able to dial in on what your body is doing by pushing other thoughts out, you can work efficiently through each run and movement. Don’t let a busy gym or weak mind keep you from finishing strong anymore – stay focused and be mindful to feel and work your best.
