MIND OVER MUSCLE:

HOW TO THINK DURING EXERCISE

…At the beginning…

· “Am I breathing freely?”

· “Am I moving at a good speed?”

· “Am I stable, calm, and steady?”

· “Am I contracting the target muscle(s)?”

…As intensity increases…

· Breathe freely and faster to prevent Val Salva/Sync (breath-holding with stop/start action) from taking over.

· Anticipate any kind of lunge and slow down. Methodically squeeze through difficult positions.

· “Am I truly contracting my muscles or am I just holding the position using non-movement of the movement arm?”

· Locate the target muscle(s) and embrace the feelings of discomfort, heat, burning. Remind yourself that these feelings are NOT weakness…will NOT hurt you.

· THINK: “The most important rep is the one I am on; focus on form and smoothness.”

…When movement stops…

· THINK: “Nothing is more important than full, continuous breathing through EVERY moment of exercise…right until the very end.”

· Visualize the movement completing even if it’s really not doing so.

· THINK: “The movement arm is NOT stopped—I refuse to accept that it is stopped. I command the target muscles AND NOTHING ELSE to slowly push through.”

· THINK: “I will NOT speed up or change my form to finish this last rep. I will remain calm. It does not matter if I finish this rep, it only matters that I keep trying—this is the moment I am here to challenge!.”