Have you exercised lately? Has it just been your body that your working? Or has your mind been in on the workout too? There is a very big mind-body connection when it comes to physical activity and pushing yourself, and the MIND IS STRONG. The results of the workout are usually the result of the MIND-BODY conversation and in most cases the MIND wins stopping you short of your full potential.
Recent research into psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), which is the study of the relationship between mind, nervous system, and immunity, has shown that thoughts, belief, and emotion can have enormous effects on health and performance.
Getting straight to the point how you think in general and in a workout will have either a negative or positive effect. Think of your own experiences, have you ever started a workout and started thinking negatively, things like "I am hurting I need to stop" or " I can't do this". If you think this way then this is the way your body will respond. If you think positively then the body reactes the same way. For example lets put a positive outlook one of the negative thoughts above, instead of " I am hurting I need to stop" go with "wow, this hurts, this is a challenge, but I am up for any challenge thrown at me, I can do this".
I am sure people like Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan etc. have had doubt in their lives but they have taught their brain to be positive, to use this positve thinking to have the MIND-BODY connection to be a champion. We all arent blessed with their skills and genetics but we are common in that the way we think is how we feel.
REMEMBER, how you think is up to you!!! AND REMEMBER how you think does have a effect on your health and fitness and your accomplishments. Next time you get a chance to do a workout were the mind starts to get doubtful, turn it around get positive and let your mind help you reach your ful potential.
PEARL JAM's song INSIDE JOB sums it up perfectly for me, Eddie sings How I choose to feel,... Is how I am. Anytime I myself am not thinking right I sing the lyrics to this song and it helps me get positive again. It is my little trigger to get my thinking right.
Check this song out below, put it on your Ipod and use the power of this lyric. I do!!!!!