Wednesday 28 January 2015

5 Mental Skills Need for Any Workout

Sometimes you feel like you're running on empty because you are. Go through a pragmatic checklist: Are you dehydrated, hungry, injured, or sleep-deprived? If you answer 'yes' to any of those questions, listen to your body and consider giving yourself a break. But if not, it's time to switch up your mentality and finish your workout strong. Ready? Try these tips:



Use a phrase with a personal connection that you know will light a fire under your butt.

Pump Up the Jams

Research shows that music motivates you to work out harder and for longer—so having "Happy" by Pharrell at the ready might be just what you need to bust out that last set of burpees. Plan ahead by making an "Emergency Playlist" full of get-pumped tunes that you can turn on when you’re about to call it quits.

Negotiate With Yourself

Make a deal with yourself that when you finish your workout, you can have a reward, says Bergland. "You have to dangle a treat in front of yourself." Visualizing that post-workout prize helps you take yourself out of the present tense for a moment and makes that last rep or mile seem worth it, he says.

Remember the Good Times

When you feel like you're ready to quit, tell yourself, "I've been through this before, and I've overcome it before," says Bergland. If you're running a race, think back to your long training runs and say, "Last time I had trouble on the fourth mile, but I pushed through it, and I was so glad I did.

See Your Results

Lagos says imagining yourself accomplishing your goal can help you push through a mental roadblock. When you're stuck at mile three, visualize how you'll look after mile six. "You have to be able to see it in order to be able to do it," says Lagos.

The original article published on womenshealthmag

No comments:

Post a Comment