Northern Michigan Woman - Jan/Feb 2024 Fitness Issue
THINK YOURSELF STRONGER
Susan Birch-Carl 2023-12-22 13:31:59
I spent a lot of my life lifting weights and getting mediocre results. Then about a week ago, I deadlifted 300lbs. Turns out my strength had less to do with my muscles and a lot more to do with my mind.
In 2020, I wanted more muscles. I had just passed my official certification as a personal trainer. I should look the part, right? So I joined a new gym. worked out five days a week and lifted weights for an hour. And I ate protein. I thought I was doing everything right.
But I still wondered: for ALL this time and energy, shouldn’t I be SO MUCH stronger and more fit?
I was right but I didn’t know it at the time. The answer was all in my mind. The truth was, I was distracted. Fitness was one of my greatest passions, and yet I was still preoccupied.
I let my mind wander at the gym. I thought about everything and anything BUT the exercises. I thought about stressors at my job, my relationships and my daily chores. I thought about what I was going to eat for dinner. I thought about what people were thinking about me. I thought about my outfit. I thought about other people in the class.
There were so many distractions I needed a distraction from my distractions. And that’s when it hit me.
Well, actually, COVID hit. I wasn’t able to go to the gym. I started working out at home. The world stopped. There were zero distractions and I was alone. I felt at peace during my workouts.
When the world stopped, I really got going.
I had time. Time to stay present for my workouts and my fitness goals, to consider the best exercises for me and their optimal order. Time to imagine how I might be stronger each week.
Time and quiet allowed me to focus on each exercise and each rep and how it felt. I visualized my muscles and joints moving together. The deeper I visualized, the stronger I felt. I challenged myself to push harder, to perform just one more rep and to question whether I could do more.
The quiet allowed me to focus on the present moment and my breathing. I paused, took a big breath, picked up the weight, paused again and deeply exhaled, carefully dropping the weight.
Each week, I felt more aware of what my body needed. I dared myself to lift heavier, to slow the tempo or to do just one or maybe two more reps. And when I felt exhausted and tired, I listened to my body and pulled back. I rested.
I repeated this cycle week after week. And I got stronger. Strong enough to lift 300 lbs, 2.27 times my body weight. My body felt strong and my mind felt clear. My mind and body were working together, part of one unified team. When my body wanted to give up, my mind encouraged it forward. When my mind wandered, I focused on the smallest of muscle movement.
Building strength has a lot to do with the mind.
A 2014 study found that even simply just thinking about exercise may have strength benefits. They wanted to test the idea that brain and nervous system activity can exert a strong influence on muscle growth and strength.
Scientists had 29 people wrap their wrists in surgical casts for a month. They instructed half of the volunteers to simply think about exercising their immobilized wrists for about 11 minutes a day five days per week. When they removed the casts, researchers were stunned to find that those who completed the mental exercises had wrist muscles two times stronger than those that had not.
If you’re not already practicing mindful strength training, the best next steps are to find a quiet space to exercise. Avoid distractions whenever possible. Focus on being present in the moment and use breathing to support your movements. Listen to your body.
You’ll be stronger before you know it, on the outside AND inside.
“When the world stopped, I really got going.”
Sue Birch-Carl is a certified NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) personal trainer and Nutrition Coach. She inspires women to feel their best and build strength and confidence through in-person or remote strength training and functional fitness programming. Sue is originally from Northern California, but now lives in the beautiful village of Northport with her boyfriend Rick, her two dogs and pet tortoise. You can find out more about her business at www.suebfit.com.
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