MIND OVER MATTER ISN’T ENOUGH!
Use the Mind-Muscle Connection
Many assume working out is the muscle’s job, pushing weights around as we enjoy a song or listen to a podcast. While this may be a fun way to pass the time, you’re not doing your fitness any favors with your mind elsewhere. When you work out, you should use a “mind-muscle connection,” or purposely think about the movement and contractions of your muscles as you use them. This is better because when your brain consciously focuses on your muscles and their contractions, it employs more muscle fibers to complete the task. You build strength in a more complete, well-rounded way.
nearby TVs. It may take some time to get used to working out in silence, but with nowhere else to wander, the brain has an easier time focusing on those muscle movements. VISUALIZE THE MUSCLES YOU ARE USING. Every time you move, whether using a stationary bike, taking a walk, or lifting weights in a gym, picture the muscles you’re using in your head. Imagine the muscle fibers stretching and contracting with each movement. USE CUES TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR WORKING MUSCLES. Sometimes, our minds drift off during a workout, and that’s normal. But if you find your head in the clouds more often than you’re thinking about your exercise, it might be time to use a few cues. A cue simply reminds you of what you’re physically doing. One way to incorporate a cue is to talk to yourself with each repetition. For example, if you’re performing a bench press, you can say “up” when you push the bar away and “down” when you lower it toward you. UTILIZE TIME UNDER TENSION. The slower you perform your exercise, the more opportunity your brain has to talk to those muscles you’re using. Try holding each repetition for three seconds before moving on to the next, and as you hold, visualize those muscles for the entire three seconds.
If you’re not using a mind- muscle connection yet, don’t worry! Here’s how you can start next time you’re ready to sweat. TURN OFF DISTRACTIONS. Remember the music or podcast we mentioned earlier? Turn it off! This also includes silencing your phone or turning off any
Want to Return to Sports? HERE’S HOW TO SAFELY DO SO
sports. So how do you effectively return to sports without hurting yourself?
might not be as sharp. Not having enough of the right vitamins and minerals can even put you at greater risk of injury. STAY ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. Your return to sports should serve as part of your workout but should not be the full extent. You need to continue to be active throughout the rest of the week. Find time to go for a walk or jog, do a few extra situps and pushups, and don’t be afraid to take the stairs instead of the elevator. It might not seem like much, but these little steps add up to make you healthier and stronger. BE PREPARED TO STOP. You may try to return to sports before your body is ready. If you feel faint or weak while playing a sport, you should stop and rest. Similarly, if you feel pain, you should stop playing immediately and get your injury checked out. You don’t want things to get worse.
Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your return to sports.
GET INTO BETTER SHAPE. You might have dominated the gridiron or court when you were young, but times have changed, and your body has changed as well. Before returning to your favorite sport, take some time to get back in shape. Head to the gym and work out the muscles that will be heavily utilized in your sport of choice. By doing this, you’ll reduce your risk for injury and be able to perform better in your sport. HAVE A PROPER DIET. What you eat affects how you feel and how you play sports. If your diet lacks certain nutritional aspects, you will feel it when you do a number of actions. You might feel slower, or your mind
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 play. But now, you’re ready to get back into them and pick up where you left off on your favorite sports. The problem is that your body is now older and isn’t used to playing intense Sports played an important role in our early lives, but as we grew older, we may have drifted away from our passion for sports. It might have become more challenging to find a team to play on or afford the monthly fees needed to
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