Mind Over Matter - Train your mind to train your body.
Push to your limit (tbh I could have pushed harder lmao)
Its been a minute since I last did a fitness post and now that Summer is over and the cold nights are starting to return, it’s understandable that gyms are becoming a little quieter than usual! Nights in watching Netflix (and binge eating) along with a lack of motivation to train means that frankly, the only people you’ll catch in the gym are the regulars or those preparing for winter holidays… until Christmas that is!
Even if you’re part of the small percentage that is still consistent despite the time of the year (go us), this doesn’t mean you’re exempt from a lack of motivation. I can count numerous times in the last week that I’ve wanted to throw in the towel despite loving my sessions. Multiple times this week I’ve thought “forget it”, “take a day off” or “go hard tomorrow instead” but despite this, I’ve somehow managed to pull through and get my a$$ to training! If only you knew how hard it’s been, especially on cold mornings or when the weather is bad (or even good) when work has been long or I just want a good hour in bed before I start my day… you’ll understand that the struggle is very real! When I’ve been too tired, stressed, or busy, it’s the mind over matter mindset that has kept me going!
What is mind over matter?
Most of you will have heard this phrase already but just in case you haven’t, in short, it’s where you utilise the power of the mind to overcome physical or mental obstacles. We use this phrase particularly in the fitness world but it can be applied to many different situations and settings. For example, mind over matter exercised in the gym (pardon the pun) would be pushing for one more rep or set despite your body trying to give up. Mind over matter for other situations could be applied to… (I dunno) rollercoasters. You may have a fear but often it’s a fear that’s in your head. Once you shift your mindset and psych yourself up, you’ll be able to do “survive” the ride. I know it’s random but I use this as an example since I recently went to a theme park for the first time over summer (I know… run the baby jokes!) and I ended up loving my time and even getting on all the scariest rides! Who knew that a massive fear could be undone so quickly with the help of the mind? I’m not going to say it was easy but after forcing myself and relaxing, I started to enjoy the thrill and I never thought I’d see the day or utter those words!
Bringing it back to the fitness world, the mind is the strongest tool we have when it comes to training. For those who follow my socials, you’ll see the kind of brutal sessions I put myself through on a daily basis (sometimes even three back to back sessions) and my DMs are often of people in awe or genuinely impressed (and freaked out lol) by my stamina and commitment to my training. “How can you train so hard? I could never do that!” - This is one of the most common responses I get and to be honest that may be the reason you not pushing as hard as you could. You already set yourself up for failure when you say you “can’t” and you can never know your capabilities until you try either! There are many people I train with regularly who I know could DEFINITELY push harder or complete a double (or even triple) session, but because they have it in their head that they can’t, they fatigue quicker. It’s only after someone convinces them to give it a go that they realise they were capable all along.
Obviously, it’s not as simple as that. If it were, you’d see a lot of people achieving impressive things so clearly practice, dedication and consistency plays a role too. Mind over matter really comes into play once you’re already in the game. When you’re near the end of your session and you’re about to give up… this is the time it works wonders. Have you ever been in a class /session and the trainer shouts at you just as you were about to give up? How about when you have to hold a plank for a minute and the minute seems to D-R-A-G? Somehow when someone is counting you down or reminding you ‘It’s only 10 more seconds” you find a way to hold on for those extra seconds. You may hate your trainer in the moment (especially if they’re all up in your face) but you'll be proud of yourself once you realise you kept on longer than you thought you could!
How about when you’re “doing it for the gram?” or you’re participating in friendly competition? You find a way to push yourself so that you look good and give it your best shot. God forbid you should lose, and there’s absolutely no way you’re going to let anyone see you performing any less than your best… right? Ok Ok not everything is a competition and it’s ok to give up (lol that’s what I’m supposed to say right? Everything is absolutely a competition and you should not give up at any cost!) but these things help us boost our output because we’re telling our brains to keep going when our body feels like giving up.
When I used to train clients, I used to push them just as they thought they would end or add a secret 5 more reps (it’s cheeky I know but it works a treat!). Yes, I may be the most hated person at that moment but the way I see it is if you stop, the likelihood of you continuing is low. Since you’re already in the moment and already doing the exercise, what’s an extra 1,2, 5, 10 pushes? That’s why circuits work. You’re doing so much and pushing yourself so hard that you have no time to think about stopping. As you’re already doing small intervals of say 5, 8, 10 or 12 minutes, it’s easy to convince yourself that there’s not long left, and as a result, you get more output in a shorter space of time!
Some of my best sessions have been the ones I didn’t plan to do. 1hr 8 min conditioning session at Onyx Ldn and I managed to burn a whooping 1040 calories! Set yourself targets to beat and you’ll see yourself push harder than ever.. shh don’t tell anyone my secret!
So how can I apply this mindset in the long term?
Well, the first thing to do is START. Things are always daunting at the start because it’s scary and new, but no-one started anywhere as an expert and despite many assumptions, the gym can home some of the most supportive and motivational people (me, I’m talking about me here… joke… kinda) who can teach you new things - no matter your ability - and get you working towards your best self!
Once you start, it’s all about pushing yourself to keep it up until you find your feet. Anyone who’s been out of the gym for a while or is going in for the first time will relate to the feeling of the gym being a chore. You’re not performing how you want and DOMs (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) gets you after every session but once you push through that initial barrier you’ll start to like the routine. Like I said previously, this doesn’t mean that you'll always want to train and sometimes you’ll just want to skip the whole week but this is where mind over matter needs to be exercised. I know I’m not the only person who can relate when I say that 98% of the sessions I was going to skip (or sessions where you’ve forgotten your headphones) end up being one of the best sessions you had. Imagine if you had skipped when you could have smashed a session?
That's what I tell myself these days. I may wake up on time, hear my alarm but I might not be in the mood. At that moment I have two decisions… 1. Turn the alarm off, get out of bed, get ready and get training (even if I’m half asleep) or 2. Press snooze, turn your head to the other side and miss your next alarm making you late for work… In theory, you’ll want to say option 1 but it’s challenging when you're not trying to get up. I can’t say my success rate is 100% now but its a solid 99% at the moment. I remind myself how far I’ve come and remind myself of how I feel after a great workout. It’s no secret that exercise releases “happy endorphins” so it can often relieve stress or start you on a good foot. let’s be real, when’s the last time you trained and regretted it? The hardest part of training is getting there in the first place!
Don’t quit before you start! You might surprise yourself!
Tips to help you:
Find an accountability partner. This helps when you’re not in the mood! I have one and she’s super annoying (Katie I’m talking to you!) but she keeps me going when I can’t be bothered and we keep pushing each other even when we feel like giving up. We’re often training together when we’re doing “fun” competitions in training and it’s no surprise that we tend to win b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶n̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ because we motivate ourselves to push to our limits!
Get a routine and stick to it. Even on your off days, a routine will help your body get back into the swing of things
Remind yourself of the progress you’re making and why you started in the first place! Sometimes thinking about the end result is enough to kickstart your motivation. What’s one hour of exercise in a whole day? Come on, you’re nearly where you want to be!
Give it a go and set yourself a goal! You’ll be surprised how effective setting a conscious goal is to help you achieve results (this doesn’t just apply to the gym either). Set yourself a target and aim to hit that whether it’s one more rep, an extra class, increased weight or a faster speed. Give it a go and work towards that goal. My current goal is to try and hit 1000 cals during one conditioning class. I don’t get it every time but I've hit it enough times to say that I’m a certified member (and one of like 4 tbh) in the 1000 cal club! Once you’ve hit that target it’s time to increase! Mind over matter baby!
My challenge to you!
Give yourself a goal for this week. Try and hit that target within the first few days and aim to maintain it. If you’d like to start early gym sessions, try and get into the gym before work every day! If you want to start running, do it in baby steps! Go for a walk to try out the route, increase to a jog and then into a light run! If you keep it up you'll be hitting your targets in no time! As always if you have any questions, hit me up on my socials or drop me an e-mail!
Lastly, If you happen to be in the London area or nearby (Hackney), my friend Shalarm runs FREE running sessions every weekend! It’s open to newbies and experienced runners and they have a great community vibe! It’s not too challenging and if keeps you fit. Remember when I said slow and steady? This is the sort of thing that will help you see results… and did I mention that it is FREE? Check out the leaflet below or hit him up on his Insta! If you’re a newbie to the running game the Sunday sessions are a little less competitive. Either way, set yourself a challenge!
Happy training!
Liz x