Posted on

No Workout Progress?

Where is your mind?

Did you know you can actually improve strength without ever lifting a weight?

The studies listed at the bottom demonstrate exactly that through visualization techniques.

So if our mind alone can increase strength, what does it mean if we are lifting without having our “mind inside the muscle” as Arnold says?

When we are just going through the motions, we are not adequately creating the mind-muscle connections needed to create growth and improvement. This also can lead to poor movement patterns, and we know what that can lead to. Now if we add in emotional resistance to training and improving ourselves or judgements of our bodies and abilities on top of this, then our mind is actually focused on our demise and not our success. By putting our “mind in the muscle,” we not only catalyze our progress, we also turn our workout into a moving meditation.

Simply focusing on the muscle we are activating and being present makes our workouts more enjoyable and more effective. Try putting your mind in the muscle in your next workout or learn how do this with us at Concentric Fit!

Check out the studies listed below!

https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/how-visualization-can-make-you-stronger/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14998709/

Posted on

Beat Anxiety with Exercise

What if the most effective anxiety treatment was free, natural, and had side effects of self-confidence and improved health?

Guess what… this isn’t some mystical or idealistic Jack and the bean stalk story. The solution is actually as easy as lacing up your sneakers and heading outside. Exercise is the most underutilized anti-anxiety treatment and the most effective for the average person.

According to a MD on the Harvard Health blog, most people dealing with chronic anxiety have more sedentary lifestyles. When we exercise, we take our mind off of whatever is making us anxious but we also produce all the biochemicals that induce uplifting states (like serotonin and GABA). What if we thought about exercise as a method to help with our mental state plus all the physical health benefits?

If you are struggling with anxious thoughts, try a physical activity you enjoy and compare your anxiety levels before and after. We all have had the experience of feeling better after doing something physical. The proof is in the pudding. Enjoy!

Posted on

Mo’ Mobility > Mo’ Weights

At Concentric Fit, we emphasize quality movement.

The average person has lost a lot of their natural mobility due to lifestyle and habits . A great example is sitting comfortably at the bottom of a deep squat (or sitting in a deep squat at all). Long periods in chairs can tighten up the hip flexors and inner abdominal muscles as well as inactivate the glute and hamstrings. This can make a deep squat almost impossible but also makes most movements difficult and uncomfortable.

Of course, it is exciting to increase the weight we are lifting. But the danger of sacrificing proper form for more weight is when we find ourselves in trouble, usually leading to injuries that require time to heal. If we can take a step back and correct the movement pattern and gradually increase the load while maintaining correct positioning, we will eventually be able to lift even more weight sustainably because we can utilize proper technique. All injury-free. Cultivating a good range of mobility leads to a better quality of life for longer.

This creates a fitness that translates to all sports, hobbies, and activities. Whether you are playing soccer or playing with your kids, more mobility can decrease injuries and increases total strength.

Posted on

Be Strong to be Helpful

Concentric Fit is a small family owned business. We personally know each of our students and we care about them. We think not just about their fitness or weight loss goals but how their increased health can improve (and potentially save) the lives of the people around them.

Our personal philosophy is that being strong makes us more helpful to society. Because we know we have the physical capability, we are more willing to be helpful to others. In normal life, we have found ourselves in situations where we had to carry injured people and bring them to safety and we have deescalated aggressive situations – all possible due to our years of physical and martial art training.

In this first photo, Coach Victor is pushing a broken down car perilously stuck in the middle of an off ramp of a busy intersection coming off the freeway. The older gentlemen driving was obviously scared and overwhelmed as Coach Victor asked him if he needed assistance before pulling over our own car and running to his aid.

Despite being surrounded by people, no one else offered to help and Coach Victor singlehandedly pushed the car to safety. Eventually law enforcement came to assist the driver.

In this second photo, you see our 61 year old student training the same movement on the sled. While she may not be expected to push a broken down car, having the physical capability to help oneself and others in unexpected situations gives purpose to fitness and cultivates confidence and a feeling of personal peace and safety at any age.

Be Strong to be Helpful.

Posted on

Working Out HAS to be Miserable

How many of us have this subconscious belief? That to workout is to be miserable, whether because it is difficult, or uncomfortable, or it makes us feel self-concious.

The truth is: fitness is meant to be enjoyable because it makes what we enjoy better. At Concentric Fit, we believe there is a fitness activity for everyone. Maybe it’s surfing, or ultimate frisbee, or hiking. There is a physical activity where the joy of the activity outweighs the difficulty.

Working out helps us further enjoy our activity of choice by making us stronger, improving our balance, and decreasing our risk of injury. (Plus more confidence and self-esteem.) A consistent program can address the imbalances that occur from repetitive movements. Think throwing or even sitting all day. 😉

Working out can be miserable if it is purposeless or has a negative purpose. When we approach fitness with the intention to improve our quality of life and the things we like doing, even the difficult things become enjoyable.