The No.1 key factor that anyone who exercises should be aware of, is to know and understand their body.
KNOW!
It is important to know which repetitions are correct and which aren’t. Recognising and isolating the muscle being trained is essential in order for the exercise to be performed correctly. For example, to perform squats properly, one’s body core should be engaged to hold the back straight and keep the strength in the heels and not just the toes. This way, not only do you exercise properly but you also improve your weaknesses.
LISTEN!
It’s all about trust here. We have been wired to believe that we don’t know what is best for our bodies and that everything we read and see on the internet and social media is an absolute fact. However, when it comes to our own wellbeing, we are our own biggest advocate to know what is best for us. The human body is extraordinarily smart and powerful and simply because we don’t choose to listen to the signals our body gives us, doesn’t mean the signs aren’t there. The key here is to trust your body and have a strong mind-body connection.
LOVE!
Your body, your rules. It can be tough to stay positive and motivate self-love but if you practice to love your body every day, it becomes easier to block out any negativity you feel about yourself. The same goes for your approach to fitness. Instead of focusing on fitness for the sake of weight loss, get excited when you hit a deadlift or an exercise you couldn’t do to begin with. Let go of the goal weight and focus on distance or time as a goal. This also means no more forcing yourself to do something you hate. Exercise is NOT a punishment. Find something you love doing and do that!
Stefanos Thrasyvoulides
