2Over-training. - Natural Awakenings Magazine Charlotte

3
Under-training. Once you’re
dressed and ready to sweat,
commit to giving it your all for
the next 30 to 60 minutes. Just going
through the motions doesn’t do much
for the body and makes it easy for boredom
to creep in. You owe this time to
yourself—you deserve it—so make sure
you give it your all.
4
Daydreaming. You can develop
a laser-sharp focus by actively involving
your mind in every pose,
set, rep and step—thinking about how
your body moves, how the muscles engage,
which muscle or muscles you’re
using and correct form. Mindfulness
adds up to a better workout and faster
results. So forget about the laundry,
the kids’ schedules and that afternoon
conference call, turn off the TV and stay
100 percent in the moment.
5
Staying with a few exercises you
know. Your muscles love being
challenged, so if you just stick
to the same routine, they’ll eventually
adapt and won’t have to work as
hard to do the same moves. But if you
change the exercises and even the
order you do them in, you ensure that
muscles don’t get too efficient with any
single routine. Not only is this better for
toning, but it also helps your mind stay
focused and engaged.
6
Holding your breath. Regular
steady breathing has many benefits:
Proper inhalations and exhalations
can help you power through
moves, keep lactic acid (a byproduct
that builds up in the muscles during
exertion) at bay and help maintain a
steady heart rate. A full breath delivers
the maximum amount of oxygen to
the blood, which in turn delivers more
energy to the working muscles.
Tosca Reno is the co-author of Your
Best Body Now, excerpted here with
permission from Harlequin Books S.A.
natural awakenings November 2011
31