You’ve made it this far with Gunnar X Centr, but you can still see the days rolling out on the calendar ahead of you… It’s times like these you need your brain to back your body up and give you the power to, well, power on.
Your mind can be your best motivational ally or your worst enemy. When it’s telling you ‘I won’t let this session beat me!’ it’s your own personal cheer-squad, keeping you on the fast-track to your goals. But when that little voice turns to self-doubt and says, ‘Oh, that’s too hard for me!’ it has the potential to derail all your hard work.
And don’t even get us started on those times it weighs up between the dumbbells and the sofa and makes a choice you’ll regret later.
If you need an extra motivational boost to make it to the finish line, or to just get off the sofa for today’s workout, these are the five powerful mind tricks you’re looking for:
1. Live in the moment
Forget about what you achieved or didn’t achieve yesterday or last week – it’s done and in the past. The present is here for the taking, so focus on what you can achieve now, in this moment.
Don’t stress about the future and all the workouts you have ahead, either. The only workout that matters is the one you can do right now. Work for success one exercise at a time and see what you’re capable of.
The only workout that matters is the one you can do right now.
2. Think positive
Who can? YOU can! Positive affirmations aren’t just for motivational posters. That ‘I can’ attitude should also be applied to your workouts during Gunnar X Centr and beyond.
If you go into an exercise with negative thoughts like, ‘I could never jump rope that long or do that many reps’, you’ll talk yourself out of it before you even begin. Flip your thinking on its head and look at it from a more positive angle. Saying, ‘I can do this!’ or ‘I’ll try my best!’ will prime your brain for the effort, your body will follow suit and you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve.Remember, positive self-talk doesn’t just boost your confidence, it boosts your energy – so yes, you CAN make it to the end of today’s workout without quitting!
3. Visualize it
Believe and you can achieve! It sounds like a cliche, but a number of sport psychology studies support the idea that visualizing athletic success can boost mental toughness, motivation and even exercise achievements.
It’s easier to believe in your abilities when you can visualize them. By imagining a situation – e.g. picturing yourself jumping rope as well as Gunnar – you are reinforcing the same neural pathways as you would when actually executing that behavior. Therefore, next time you attempt to jump rope your body will believe it is capable of doing it because it feels like it has done it before.
So before hitting ‘go’ on your next workout, take a minute to picture yourself conquering everything down to the very last rep.
4. Laser focus on your goal
When your motivation is plummeting, ask yourself one simple question: ‘Will I reach my goal if I do nothing?’ Surprise, surprise – the answer is usually no! So remind yourself of your goal and shut out those doubts and distractions. As Gunnar says, you know why you decided to start this journey.
“Look deep, think about what you’re really doing this for,” Gunnar suggests. “Is it to lose weight? Is it to look better? Is it to build your confidence? Is it to be active with your kids? Tell yourself and then get to it.”
Whatever your goal is, you’ve got so much more to gain by trying than you do by doing nothing. Plus think about how great it will feel to stick with a challenge to the very end.
5. The ‘five minute’ rule
Still procrastinating? When all else fails, it’s time to stop thinking and start doing. Your body wants to move even if you don't want to – so just tell yourself to give it five measly minutes!
We’ll let Centr expert Tiffiny Hall explain how this rule works...
“When I don't feel like training, I call upon my five minute rule: ‘Just do five minutes, Tiff.’ Often, the endorphins will kick in and it will turn into an hour and it's the best workout of my life.”
Take it five minutes at a time and before you know it the whole workout is done! After all, five minutes is easy.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.