Pre-Workout Meditation: Better Focus and Performance
“Meditation trains the mind the way physical exercise strengthens the body.” – Sharon Salzberg
Has it ever happened to you that you hit the gym and you simply can’t focus? I know we are sharing the same scenario. It happened to many too many times in the past. Whenever we hit the gym we tend to forget that we are actually using is our mind to stay focused and alert during the workout sessions. This is my turning point that meditation is a key for me to keep going.
Meditation practices have potentials in improving mental and physical performance according to a study. Therefore, the benefits of working out or exercise could be maximized if you combine it with meditation routines.
Spending 5-10 minutes of pre-workout meditation practices such as doing yoga poses, walking, mantra or guided meditation can enhance your athletic and physical performance. Mindful breathing or focusing your attention on breathing before or during workout session also has an additional effect on your exercise.
In a recent study, the researchers hypothesized that the psychological, physiological, and psychophysiological benefits of exercise could be maximized when performed in combination with meditation routines.
US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
These benefits are clear that workout or any physical activities combined with meditation practices are beneficial in our physical and psychological performance. The same study also suggests that another beneficial effect of meditation workout is your ability to improve body movements; thus, enhancing your workout performance.
Is meditation good before workout?
Yes, meditation is good before workout according to a study. According to a study, physical exercises can be more effective if you are combining it with meditation practices. This study also suggests the possibility of an additional effect of combined meditation and exercise particularly in facilitating your movements and enhancing your workout performance.
Meditation practices before warm-up phase of your workout session is also perceived not only to enhance physical performance but also to alleviate pain as a result of body injury after the training.
Exercise professionals are encouraged to use self-regulation strategies in order to down-modulate perceived activation before the warm-up phase
US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Many other studies show that meditation is a good way to make your gym workout more effective. Easier said than done. I have been working out with a combined meditation and mindfulness practices for about three years. I have felt the difference in working with or without an intervention of meditation practices. If you want to improve your workout performance and focus, incorporating meditation and mindfulness routines and meditation can help.
Quick Meditation Before Gym Workout
Combining meditation and mindfulness routines and workout exercises are proven to be more effective by following our pre-meditation workout tips, including:
- Practice mindful breathing
- Wear noise-canceling headphones
- Turn off phone notifications
- Sitting meditation
- Moving meditation
- Walking meditation
- Guided meditation
- Mantra meditation
Practice mindful breathing
Breathe in deeply and breath out slowly. Focus on your breath is very vital before and during exercise. Physical therapist, Michelle Kenway shares her formula for a deep breathing exercises for beginners. Here’s how.
- Sit up straight
- Proper posture
- Relax your shoulder
- Expand ribcage
- Move belly forward
Although there are many breathing meditation available on your devices, it is very important to focus on your breathing. Practice this breathing exercise for about 2-3 minutes before your workout session. While doing it, try to close your eyes and focus on every breath you make.
Here’s a video to show you how guided mindful breathing meditation works.
Wear noise-canceling headphone
You need to disconnect from the noise in the gym. If you are a master in meditation like monks, you can definitely spend a couple of minutes for your meditation practices. However, for most of us including me noise is something that distracts us from meditating.
Wearing noise-canceling headphones is a sensible choice if you want to combine meditation and workout, they will not only keep you focused but they will also keep you calm and relaxed. By getting a nice pair of headphones, you can apply music or guided meditation along with all kinds of meditation practices that you can combine with your workout routine.
Turn off phone notifications
Admit it or not but your smart phone is your ultimate enemy for you to stay focus and mindful. Once we’ve seen that notification, we would always be tempted to open it. This is a clear example that it’s your own way of sabotaging your physical or meditation goal.
You know what to do. If leaving the phone in your locker seems to be excruciating, then turn of all notifications or try to disconnect your Wifi or data while you start your workout and meditation. Try not to check your phone momentarily as you work out.
Sitting meditation
Applying the principle of mindful breathing, sitting meditation is a way to improve your meditation. Why? Our body and mind are relaxed when we are sitting. Combining mindful breathing and knowing how to sit properly can rev up your meditation goal.
There are many sitting meditation poses such as lotus, Japanese or Burmese. When I asked a monk about which sitting position is the best, he answered back by saying “You just need to be comfortable and relaxed.” He also reiterated the importance of being comfortability in your position as you have to keep that position for 5-10 minutes of meditation. Get a yoga mat, sit down, put on your headphone, close your eyes and breathe.
If you are new in meditation, this meditation basics video on how to sit may guide you. In her video Britt Buntain, shows how cushion, blanket, or pillow can support your sitting meditation.
Here’s another video to show you one of the most popular posture for meditation- Padmasana. The Lotus posture is practiced by many practitioners.
Moving meditation
Moving meditation is a kind of meditation that involves very easy, light and slow body movements. There are many gym routines that you can combine with this active kind of meditation, including stretching, walking or running.
What works for me is to use to grab a mat, put on my headphones and do some easy yoga poses, including:
- Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)
- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukho Svanasana)
- Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasang)
- Child’s Pose (Balasana)
- Cow Pose (Bitilasana)
- Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
- The Lotus (Padmasana)
My gym has a yoga studio. Therefore, it is easy for me to spend some minutes in the yoga room for both meditation and stretching purposes. If yoga studio is not available, you can easily grab a yoga mat and do your thing in the gym.
Yoga is not the only example of moving meditation. Simple and slow motions inspired by Tai Chi, Qi Gong or Pilates can help you meditate while moving.
Here are three easy yoga poses for meditation before you pump your muscles. For gym goers, watch this one-minute video as your quick guide to the world of meditation.
Walking meditation
Another kind of movement meditation which is effective and suitable for gym rats because mainly some other forms of meditation may sound boring for others especially for beginners. Moving meditation involves relatively slow and light motions. Walking is a perfect example of this kind.
When you walk on your way to the gym or in the gym, try to focus on your breathing and be mindful of every steps you make. Try to feel the sensation as you move your feet and body. Do not focus on your physical performance as your focus here is how your breathe in deeply and breathe slowly with you feeling all the sensations.
According to a study, they recommend people to practice deep breathing to improve overall health. They recommend breathing in for about 5.5 seconds and breathing out for another 5.5 seconds to be beneficial and may have potentials in improving our wellness and physical performance.
Here’s your complete guide for a soothing and calming walking meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the leading practitioner of walking meditation.
Guided meditation
Guided meditation is a perfect match for beginners. Those who are gym goers may not have clear foundations in meditation. The best solution is to use a guided meditation app to guide you along with your meditation journey before you start your exercise.
What is guided meditation? Traditionally, meditation practices are mainly guided by the physical presence of practitioners. Having a meditation teacher to guide you when you meditate seems sensible for many people who want to follow and be guided when they meditate. In modern days, there are a number of apps or online platform for a guided meditation.
The duration depends on each individual experience and goal. For gym goers, 5-10 minutes of guided meditation is suggested. This can be done before hitting the gym. This practice has helped to better focus and concentrate working out. The ability to begin without less distraction as a result of meditation also helps me to finish my exercise soon.
Mantra meditation
I usually call it the ‘singing meditation.’ You don’t need to actually sing for this kind of meditation but instead say some some of your mantras or repeated sounds, syllable or group of words, or utterances. The most popular mantra is Ohm.
In the past, these mantras usually have their religious meanings. But as meditation is practiced worldwide by many people with different background and religion, these mantras are usually personalized by each individuals.
As a gym goers, I know that doing mantra meditation in the gym seems to be awkward to do. My advice is to practice mantra meditation before leaving your home. Where do I usually practice mantra meditation? I make use of the gym facilities by using the yoga studio to say my mantra. Ohm…
Can you meditate while exercising?
Definitely, you can combine meditation during your exercise or workout. When you apply meditation in your exercise, it is best if you practiced if you aligned your body movements, breathing and intensity mindfully and slowly. When you are mindful about your movements and breath, your body can recover easily and may prevent serious injuries.
Mindfulness-based interventions and other forms of meditation can be applied very briefly prior to commencement of any exercise session, during the execution of movements, and even after exercise completion.
US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Meditation has been supported by science to improve our workout and exercise. Spend some time and arrive a bit early in the gym to practice meditation. You may also spend 5 minutes of meditation before leaving your place. Your gym has a lot of facilities so make use of them. Combining our exercises with simple movements, mantras, poses or guided meditation has potentials to improve our health, well-being and life in general.
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