• Women are especially distracted easily, thinking about all of the pieces of life they are juggling (job, kids, bills, chores…). Thinking about these things while exercise actually deprives you on the maximum impact your workout can have not only on your body, but also your mind!
• Being present in your workout helps you to be fully aware of your body and drives each movement with purpose. It might sound hokey, but being present also stimulates your brain cells as you envision the muscle being worked with each rep (why we talk so much about “getting into your glutes,” for example!). Exercise honestly leads to higher mental function.
• Focusing inward and on every movement can help decrease stress by turning your workout into a meditation in and of itself. Here’s some ways to take the automation out of your workout and be “in the now”:
  • Shift your attention inward and notice how you are feeling. You’ll understand better how your body is moving, reduce your risk of injury and keep yourself from getting distracted on your to-do list. 
  • Mix things up: we already do this with our programs, so it’s a great talking point to explain that by changing up our classes, we are challenging the mind to work to establish and hold onto the mind-body connection instead of robotically moving through a workout. 
  • Set your intentions for the class. During warmup, tell clients to set their intention for the next 60 minutes, maybe visualizing a word like “power,” “strength,” “endurance,” etc. Visualize a goal like perfect form, or taking every challenge, and focus on achieving that goal throughout class. Add a positive, empowering statement here too. Inner dialogue can make or break you. 
  • Focus on your breath (see my latest Wisdom Wednesday on breath!). 
  • Take care of yourself outside of a workout class. Drink water. Eat well. Get enough sleep. These support the mind-body connection in a wide variety of ways. Eating well gives you fuel to keep going. Good sleep allows your muscles to obey signals coming from the brain.  Hydration: he brain and the body are both composed mostly of water, and when they are deprived of it they both function at a far lower capacity than they’re able to.
• Holistic fitness and wellbeing, which includes mental, physical and spiritual components, includes awareness of not only what’s going on in the physical body, but also how the mind and emotions are connected to it.

Here are the full links if y’all are interested!

http://www.bodyrock.tv/fitness/mind-body-connection-maximize-workout/

https://www.100stohappiness.com/blog/tips-for-maintaining-the-mind-body-connection-during-a-workout/