Do you focus on your workouts while working out?

We all seem to have minds that wander.  You have probably noticed this yourself – you get to work then realize that you don’t remember driving there.  You have also probably noticed this during your workouts. You start working out and the next thing that you know your finished – which is fine but during that time you mind was on your weekend plans or your workday schedule. Although you have worked out – you did workout to your fullest potential.

When you work out, do you usually focus on something else?  Do you watch television while walking on the treadmill, or space out while weight training?  If so, you could be decreasing the intensity and effectiveness of your exercise routine.

The reason for this is simple: if you’re not really paying attention to what you’re doing, you are probably not doing it as effectively as you could be.

Here are a few tips to help you focus on your workouts

Rather than distracting your mind, tune into every single movement you make with your body.  If you are working with weights, pay close attention to how your muscles feel as you work them.  Focus intently on keeping the proper form, and do your best to increase the intensity of each movement.

Likewise with aerobic activities; focus on your muscles working, your heart pumping, the air rushing in and out of your lungs.

Immerse yourself in the sensations of working your body, and notice how much better you feel afterwards.  Don’t you feel as if you just had a really GREAT workout, rather than “just” a workout?

You can do the same thing with any physical activity; while you’re walking the dog, focus on how your leg muscles feel as you work them.  While you clean the house, stretch and reach more deliberately than you normally do.

Not only will you end up working each muscle group more completely, don’t be surprised if you start targeting other muscle groups without even meaning to!

Take care that you don’t overdo it, of course.  The idea isn’t to strain your muscles, just tune into what they’re doing as you work them.  The more conscious you can be during workouts, the more effective they are going to get.

If you want to, you can still listen to music or watch television while you work out – just also devote the majority of your attention to what you’re doing.  Let the other stuff fade into the background so you can optimize your exercise routine as much as possible.

If you are going to workout you might as well get the most of your time and energy and focus on what you are doing. This way you will see and feel results more quickly.