A beneficial workout requires as much mental fitness as it does physical fitness. If you’ve been away from exercise for awhile, you have to be willing to coax yourself back into the swing of things. Once you’re started your new fitness regimen, you need to keep your focus on continuing that exercise well into the future. And in the midst of each and every workout, you have to keep your mind set toward reaching the goals you’ve established for yourself. And on the other end of the spectrum, you have to recognize when you’re pushing yourself too far and need to take a break.
These mental challenges can be more difficult to overcome than even the daunting physical obstacles you’ll be forced to confront. We came across a new report that has tips geared toward mental strength among cyclists, and whether you’re a cyclist, a runner, or a strength trainer, keeping these things in mind might help you overcome hurdles that previously seemed insurmountable.
One of the most important things you can do for yourself is go into a workout with a goal in mind. A lot of people are tempted to give up their exercise because they lack a longterm or even short-term goal to work toward. It’s akin to watching a soap opera as opposed to watching a miniseries. You’re tempted to stray in and out of the former because there’s really no end in sight, while the latter requires your attention each and every episode because there’s an endgame coming up.
So it goes with exercise. Have an endgame in mind for your workout plans, and assemble an exercise regimen that will allow you to reach that destination. If your goal is to be able to run five miles without taking a break, then you must create a fitness plan that starts off with maybe a couple miles of running per day before ratcheting up the distance each week until you reach your milestone. Once you hit that milestone, you can start plotting the second season of your own personal miniseries, creating a new endgame to work toward.
At the same time, don’t let this goal cause you to grow frustrated with yourself. The goal you set can seem far off, and there will be days where things just don’t go your way. Make your peace with this before coming back to try again, realizing that each day can be divorced from that which came before. If you need to rest a day, rest a day, if you need to cut things short, cut things short, and if you feel that you’re able to push farther, push farther.
For more tips on overcoming mental hurdles, follow the link above.
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