We’ve all been there – it’s almost the end of a workout, and your mind wants to call it quits. You start to question if one more rep, one more mile, one more round, or one last push-up is possible.
Your mind is a powerful tool. Sometimes it can become fatigued, making those final sets or reps seem impossible. But it can also be what gets you through a challenging workout.
Here are three tips to help you focus your thoughts and find the mental strength to complete a tough workout:
1. Focus On Your Breath
When your mind begins to wander, drawing your focus back to your breath can help you re-center your thoughts. Focusing your attention on something specific can help you push through the challenging moments, re-establish rhythm or cadence, and prevent your mind from focusing on the difficulties and fatigue in the middle of a tough workout.
2. Recite a Mantra
Reciting a mantra is another way to re-focus your mind during a demanding workout. A mantra is an expression or phrase used in repetition. Mantras could be a single word, a short sentence, or a favorite quote. Giving yourself a positive and uplifting mantra can serve as a form of encouragement. It can help guide your thoughts away from the challenges you face in the workout.
3. Create Milestones
The length or intensity of a workout can often lead to intimidation and mental fatigue. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed by the thought of a high-intensity workout and all that it will entail. But creating milestones, or small goals within your workout, can help you overcome the intimidation. For example, in a HIIT session, you can focus on conquering one interval at a time. Breaking your workouts into manageable milestones will help focus your mind and promote mental toughness.
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