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I am writing this because I have experienced this question a few times. It pertains to my work outs and finding myself in a situation where, I realize that I’m not really “working out”. I’m just going through the motions of working out. Whether it’s lifting weights or doing cardio, there have been times that I am not focused on what I am doing at all. It’s just push the weight, or move the legs. Where is the meaning behind what I’m doing? I hope this experience and what I have learned from it can help anyone else who has asked themselves the same question.
Most times when I set out for the gym I have a plan of action or specific goal I am trying to achieve. Maybe it’s leg day or chest day. Could be cardio is what’s on the agenda. I get to the gym, go through my warm up’s, and begin the activity I am focused on for that day. My mind is concentrated on growing my legs or chest or working my cardiovascular system. When I move the weight, it’s with the correct muscles, or if it’s cardio I am breathing correctly and controlling my heart rate. The end result is a great workout.
Then there are the days, not often but bewildering, where I set out with the same plan, and end the work out feeling like I did not accomplish my task. The feeling of not having a good work out did not come because I did the improper amount of sets, lifted to heavy, or ran too fast to start with, it’s because I lost sight of what I was doing. I was just going through the motions. I forgot the reason I was running or lifting; I forgot that this is supposed to be a chest exercise and was using my shoulders as well. I was not keeping up my pace because, I was running without intent. Whatever the case me be, my mind was not on the task at hand. This habit of mindless working out can ruin an otherwise great session.
When I first had the realization that I was” just going through the motion”, it was kind of like waking up from a day dream. I probably was doing that at the time anyway. I caught myself on the rowing machine looking around simply pulling and pushing. My goal for the day had been to get in some good cardio and work on my breathing. I was going at a good pace but had somehow drifted off into a zombie like state of rowing. I wasn’t focused on my breathing or the muscles I was supposed to be using; it was a pointless tug o war. Once I realized what I was doing I said to myself, “why the hell are you even here?”. What I was doing was meaningless other then burning up some calories. There was no purpose behind it. I stopped, refocused and began working on my breathing, form and picked up the pace. It ended up being a good workout.
I know am mindful not only of what my goal is when I go into the gym, but also how I am doing as I progress through my work outs. It still happens from time to time where I begin to simply “do stuff” at the gym, but it’s much easier to catch it now. It can change a good work out to a great work out. I hope you can relate or take something away from my experience. It has changed the way I work out and how I look at what I am doing in the gym.
Most times when I set out for the gym I have a plan of action or specific goal I am trying to achieve. Maybe it’s leg day or chest day. Could be cardio is what’s on the agenda. I get to the gym, go through my warm up’s, and begin the activity I am focused on for that day. My mind is concentrated on growing my legs or chest or working my cardiovascular system. When I move the weight, it’s with the correct muscles, or if it’s cardio I am breathing correctly and controlling my heart rate. The end result is a great workout.
Then there are the days, not often but bewildering, where I set out with the same plan, and end the work out feeling like I did not accomplish my task. The feeling of not having a good work out did not come because I did the improper amount of sets, lifted to heavy, or ran too fast to start with, it’s because I lost sight of what I was doing. I was just going through the motions. I forgot the reason I was running or lifting; I forgot that this is supposed to be a chest exercise and was using my shoulders as well. I was not keeping up my pace because, I was running without intent. Whatever the case me be, my mind was not on the task at hand. This habit of mindless working out can ruin an otherwise great session.
When I first had the realization that I was” just going through the motion”, it was kind of like waking up from a day dream. I probably was doing that at the time anyway. I caught myself on the rowing machine looking around simply pulling and pushing. My goal for the day had been to get in some good cardio and work on my breathing. I was going at a good pace but had somehow drifted off into a zombie like state of rowing. I wasn’t focused on my breathing or the muscles I was supposed to be using; it was a pointless tug o war. Once I realized what I was doing I said to myself, “why the hell are you even here?”. What I was doing was meaningless other then burning up some calories. There was no purpose behind it. I stopped, refocused and began working on my breathing, form and picked up the pace. It ended up being a good workout.
I know am mindful not only of what my goal is when I go into the gym, but also how I am doing as I progress through my work outs. It still happens from time to time where I begin to simply “do stuff” at the gym, but it’s much easier to catch it now. It can change a good work out to a great work out. I hope you can relate or take something away from my experience. It has changed the way I work out and how I look at what I am doing in the gym.