5 Mindfulness Techniques to Center Yourself Before Exercising

One of the best ways to prepare yourself before any workout is to achieve a sense of mindfulness. Mindfulness means to ground oneself, and be aware of their thoughts and surroundings. Mindfulness works great for those wanting to de-stress. It also gives you a lot of great sensations. You’re able to feel your environment more, and pay closer attention to sights, smells, and sounds. All of these sensations become heightened during a workout, and will help you clear your mind and stay motivated. Here are 5 mindfulness techniques you should know.

Deep Breathing Techniques

There are many ways to deep breathe in order to achieve mindfulness. We’re going to share with you our personal favorite technique, but if you have another way to do so, feel free to try it! The first step is to center your body. Either stand or sit up straight and try to relax your muscles. Once relaxed, take a deep breath through your nose and count to 10. Then, try to hold your breath for another 5-10 seconds long. As you breathe out, count to another 10 seconds before taking another breath. Repeat this method four more times and you’ll be feeling good as new! A good note for this technique is to pay attention to your breathing.

Writing or Journaling

This step would be taken before you leave your house. Writing is a very good mindfulness technique because you’re able to get certain feelings and thoughts out of the way. You won’t be on a walk thinking about negative thoughts, because you’ll have spent time writing them out. Another good way of being mindful when writing is to talk about certain sensations you’re experiencing, expectations for later on in your day, or just free writing things for fun. There is no right or wrong way to make these entries, but try to keep doing them on a daily basis so that you can remember to do it more often.

Loving-Kindness Affirmations

A great way to find center is to be at peace with yourself. Get into a meditative state by sitting down with your legs crossed, and close your eyes. Repeat different phrases directed towards yourself. Some things you can say to yourself relate to your power, your confidence, the fact that other people love you, and you love yourself. A more specific phrase commonly used is “May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be at ease.” This is a great phrase to repeat over and over, which gives you power and uplifts you to feel what you say.

Mindful Eating

This technique is a way to reach a different sensation than what you would expect: taste. When you exercise, having a light meal can help you prepare for something intense. When you take a bite or a sip of whatever you’re eating, savor it as long as possible. Some great meals to eat before exercise include yogurt, bananas, or smoothies. The more flavors involved in them, the more things to taste throughout. Think about how you feel, and the foods you envision as you taste each flavor. Pay attention to things that taste sweet, spicy, sour, and salty. Staying in tune with your senses and focusing on them allows you to clear your mind and take it off of negative thoughts.

Body Scan Meditation

This technique combines your deep breathing technique with specific sensory feeling meditations. First, you’ll want to close your eyes, and get into a comfortable position. Take deep breaths. Feel the air fill your abdomen, and pay attention to it. Next, bring your mind and attention down to your feet. Observe any sensations you feel rising from your feet and observe it go from your feet into your legs, from your legs into your torso, and from your torso and chest into your arms. When you finish scanning, you should go from your hands, back through your arms, and up to the top of your head. As you bring your attention to each body part, if you notice any tension, try to alleviate it and breathe as though you’re breathing into it. This technique is helpful for reducing anxiety and stress.

We hope you enjoyed learning about mindfulness techniques, and try them out for yourself.