OnFitness Magazine - January/February 2022 - 33

33 WWW.ONFITNESSMAG.COM | VOL 22 NO 4 | 2022
connection are as important as those
muscles that keep your heart pumping.
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Your breath is a powerful tool that's
intricately linked with physical fitness and
overall mental health.
Belly breathing can help stimulate your
heart, lungs, upper digestive tract, and
other organs of your chest and abdomen,
shifting your body into a more restful
state. It initiates a relaxation response,
potentially dampening negative
experiences.
Nasal breathing has been shown to
calm and relax your body, slow breathing
and promote digestion. If it's not
something you're already doing, switching
to nasal-only, belly breathing could be a
giant step toward managing anxiety and
regaining control of your body.
Start by breathing in and out through
your nose, three seconds in, three seconds
out, gradually adding seconds to each
breath. When you hit a number that starts
to become difficult, drop down one or two
numbers and continue at this pace for a
while. By the end of the session, you'll
likely feel an enhanced sense of calmness
and relaxation.
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Journaling can benefit you across many
different aspects of your life. You may
know about its psychological benefits, but
did you know it can also have a powerful
impact on your body?
Writing about stressful or emotional
events can improve both your physical and
mental health. Journaling provides an
opportunity to work through negative
feelings, promotes positive thoughts, and
allows you to clear your mind by putting
your thoughts down on paper.
To get the most out of journaling, do it
by hand. This helps connect you more
closely to your emotions. Handwriting has
been shown to increase activity in certain
areas of the brain in a way that is similar
to meditation.
Committing to just a few minutes of
daily journaling can benefit your selfprospective
as to where you stand, and
how to proceed. If you're having trouble
thinking of what to write, try answering a
few simple questions such as, " How am I
feeling at the moment, why do I feel this
way, and how do I want to feel.
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A combination of yoga and meditation can
create a healthy and lasting mind-body
connection. Yoga teaches you to be
present; you learn to meditate during yoga.
Being present simply means being aware
and focused on what you're doing as you're
doing it.
If your mind starts to drifts and you
find yourself thinking about the day ahead,
your job, what's for dinner, or when this
class will be over; you need to gently bring
your awareness back to your breath and
continue on with your current practice.
Like yoga, meditation is intended to be
a period of focus. In yoga, your body is
moving and you want your mind to be still
or in the present. When you're in the
present during a yoga session, that's
referred to as " moving meditation " . In
meditation, your body is still but your
awareness, that beacon inside your mind
that directs your focus, is engaged.
Meditation is the pathway where you learn
to control your mind. Meditation has also
been shown to reduce levels of cortisol, the
hormone that helps your body to deal with
stress.
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The neurons in your brain communicate
with each other using chemicals called
neurotransmitters, and it's been shown that
high-intensity exercise will increase the
level of these chemicals.
The benefit of regular workouts helps
maintain brain health as you age and may
even improve your memory.
The evidence is clear that the mindmuscle
connection is something that
works both ways. Your workouts benefit
your brain which, in turn, can improve
your mood and performance in the gym.
One of the best ways to tap into the
potential of your mind-muscle connection
is to make mindfulness a daily habit.
Mindfulness is that moment-to-moment
awareness of what you're doing. In
mindfulness, your mind doesn't wander
aimlessly.
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Visualization is also a powerful tool that's
worth exploring. It's like giving your brain
instructions on what it should be doing.
For example, imagine yourself having a
successful workout, pushing for that extra
repetition. If you can imagine it, you can
do it.
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Positive thinking isn't just a New Age
theory about seeing the bright side of life.
It's also about an attitude adjustment,
opening your mind to more ideas and
possibilities that can translate into a better
you.
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Humans have survived because they
evolved to be hyper-alert to negative
threats in their environment. For the first
humans, mistaking a boulder for a sabertoothed
tiger wasn't a problem because a
boulder couldn't attack; but mistaking a
saber-toothed tiger for a boulder could get
them killed. Thus, early men knew how to
focus their attention on their surroundings
and recognize potential dangers. It was
mind over matter.
In present-day scenarios, hyper
attentiveness to negativity and dangers is
no longer required for survival. Sabertoothed
tigers have become pussycats. And
in many ways, so have we. You may find it
takes some effort to switch your way of
thinking, but it's worth the try.
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Too often, our minds get caught up in
useless thoughts. We worry about the
future and regret failures of the past;
nothing can be less productive and more
harmful to your mind-muscle connection
than worry and regret. Instead, stay in the
present by paying attention to what you're
doing and how your body feels. Be here
now.
Humans evolved by responding to the
demands of their world to develop
physically and mentally. It paved the way
for the mind-body, mind-muscle
connection that flourishes today. It's the
ultimate win-win situation with exercise
fueling the brain and mindfulness fueling
the body.
Tapping into the natural hardwiring
that exists within your mind and body is
an excellent way to take your workouts to
the next level. It all begins with a positive
thought. As the poet, William Wordsworth
once said, " To begin, begin. "
Think about it. Z
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OnFitness Magazine - January/February 2022

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