As an avid fitness enthusiast, I am always looking to make myself better.
Better used to mean stronger, faster, leaner. Able to leap taller buildings and scale higher mountains. I would train each session as if it were my last. Caution was thrown to the wind. Results were all that mattered.
Unsurprisingly, this eventually led to a myriad of plateaus and overuse injuries. At some point the body can no longer keep up. 100% intensity 100% of the time is not sustainable.
In recent years, better has come to mean something different. Better now goes beyond physical ability. Better incorporates mind.
Better means acknowledging physical and mental health. Physical and mental ability. They are inexorably linked. Improving one is to improve the other.
Meditation has been instrumental in bettering my mental health and in turn, my physical health. I’ve discovered how training and focusing the mind has tangible effects on the body.
Blending meditation and fitness is not a novel idea. It’s essentially the guiding principle behind yoga. However, expanding meditative thoughts and ideas into other areas of fitness is less often considered.
It begs the question(s): How can meditation lead to better performance? How can it help me stay injury free? How can it help me maintain strength and mobility as I age?
This conversation starts by identifying points of intersection between meditation and more traditional fitness concepts.
Recovery
In previous years I relied on my age to facilitate recovery, or rather, lack thereof. I was able to recover quickly because I was 25.
There was no massage therapy or stretching, no active recovery, no cross training. No attention to proper nutrition.
Combined with my all-or-nothing approach to training, I began to breakdown physically around age 30. I needed longer and longer recovery periods between training sessions. My sleep began to suffer. I was irritable and rude and short with people.
Fitness was no longer fun or fulfilling. It was a burden. Something I felt I had to do versus wanting to do.
Something needed to change.
I started practicing “mindfulness meditation” one Thursday afternoon, focusing on the in and out of my breath and nothing else. I learned to notice when the mind starts to wander. This practice of returning to the breath builds the muscles of attention and mindfulness.
I began performing a series of breathing exercises before, during, and after my training sessions. The ensuing results were staggering.
My eyes and heart were opened before each training session. I felt more connected to myself. I ran because it was a beautiful afternoon and the sun felt warm on my face, not because I had to stay on track for another personal best.
I lifted weights because it made me feel powerful and accomplished, not because I was compelled to increase my squat by 10 pounds.
I became less bound to the time on the clock. To the weight on the bar. To the weight on the scale.
Post-training recovery became more important as it afforded me time to connect with my breath and therefore, to myself. I cared less if I was late to a looming social event. Late in getting home with enough time to watch a movie.
My incidence of injury dropped dramatically. My recovery time between sessions became shorter. My body just feels better — I feel better today at 33 than I ever did at 28–30.
I’m more self-assured mentally. When another injury rears its ugly head, and make no mistake it will happen, I feel much more confident in my ability to handle it. To come through stronger and more capable than before.
Once I focused on mental health, my body followed.
Goal Setting
Setting specific goals is paramount to success in fitness.
Too many people apply haphazard intentions and timeframes to exercise. “I want to lose weight” or “I want to run faster” come to mind.
Instead, set clear-cut and measured objectives. “I want to lose 20 pounds in 12 weeks, at a rate of 1.5–2 pounds per week.” “I want to decrease my half marathon time by 10% for my race in 3 months.”
Setting concrete goals allows you to easily track progress and hold yourself accountable, reducing the likelihood of failure.
In my 20s I was solely focused on results. There was little room (or patience) for anything else. Once I incorporated meditation, my priorities shifted. My goals changed. I examined fitness more holistically, not just through a lens of performance.
Instead of setting a goal to run a 5k under 20 minutes, I’d be more apt to set a goal to run at least one 5k per year for the next 20 years. And for 20 years after that.
Meditation rips the blinders off. We become more open to new and exciting experiences, motivated by joy and accomplishment rather than speed and strength. Meditation allows us to move beyond preexisting notions of fitness and set goals that are more designed for long-term wellness.
Performance
I’m not running faster than I was at 25. I’m not stronger than I was at 28. But my performance has improved since then.
How is this possible?
My definition of performance has changed.
I don’t measure performance by time or weight or appearance anymore. I’m not interested in maintaining 8-pack abs while running 60 miles per week. I’m not interested in a 1 rep max for the bench press.
I’m motivated by consistency. By longevity. By the quality of my experience. By the joy I receive. By the amount of stress I relieve. By the health of my physical body. By the prowess and depth of my mind.
By these criteria, my performance today is light-years ahead of what it was.
Meditation has opened my eyes. It’s expanded my horizons both physically and especially mentally.
I see the world differently. I interact with friends and family more intentionally. I’m more deliberate with what I eat and drink. I’m more guarded with my free time. I’ve learned to enjoy reading and writing and occasionally crossword puzzles.
We set ourselves up for success through meditation. In cultivating mindfulness. In finding enjoyment in whatever we do.
By making meditation a part of your life, by evaluating and adjusting your fitness goals as necessary, you can lead a life of meaning and significance while staying fit for the long haul.
It just takes one Thursday afternoon of mindfulness meditation to get started.
Scott Mayer is a runner, thinker, curious observer and certified personal trainer. Visit the In Fitness And In Health website for ebooks, training plans, consulting options and additional content.