BREATHING & MINDFUL FITNESS

Exercise might be the best area in which to incorporate mindful practices. You can pair a thought with each movement, each sensation, and each breath. The simple pairing of a thought with a movement gives you a heightened awareness of your body. By infusing mindfulness into your movements in the gym, you improve your self-awareness, and you get better workout results. This awareness enhances the effectiveness of your workouts, and it nurtures a deepened appreciation for the remarkable instrument that is your body.

Are you breathing? Proper breathing is essential to mindfulness and performance.

Incorporating mindfulness into exercise and daily movement also involves the practice of breathing. The fact is most people don’t breathe very well. Each inhale should involve the expansion of your abdomen and rib cage in four directions: front, back, and laterally left and right. Try to inhale without raising your shoulders and exhale all the air out of your lungs before your next, slow inhale. Breathing with intention and attention grounds you in the present moment and enhances your physical experience. This mindful breathing not only fuels your movement but also cultivates a calm and focus that extends beyond the gym.

Mindfulness also enhances the connection between movement and emotion. Through mindfulness, you are more aware of the emotions that arise during exercise, whether it's the rush of endorphins, the release of tension, or the quiet satisfaction of accomplishment. This emotional resonance infuses your movements with a deeper sense of meaning. I’m not saying you’ll find the meaning of life at the squat rack, but if you do…

So, as you go through your daily activities and exercise routine do so with a mindful presence, while you practice conscious breathing, and notice the connection between movement and emotion. As you use these skills, mindfulness becomes the guiding force that infuses your every step with intention and vitality. Through incorporating mindfulness into exercise and daily movement of you will notice greater balance, connection, and vitality in all aspects of your life.