Consciousness

Throughout the years of training as we enhance our perception toward specific stimuli, getting to know our own body, familiarising movements and developing our nervous system whereby more sensitivity and stimulation can be created for improvements in health, performance and injury prevention.

The bodies natural ability to develop this essential connectivity from the muscles to the brain, is often referred to as the 'mind to muscle' focus. As this increases over time, we are building what can be known as kinaesthetic awareness, of our bodies as we articulate and produce movements requiring musculoskeletal aspect of strength, co-ordination and stability.

Once we progress and establish this very effect over time, musculature will directly benefit our ability to understand the feeling that implies we are using the correct muscle tissue, optimising mechanics / positioning and over efficiency of the exercise where it can become autonomous.

An extremely important part of ensuring that this becomes cemented each and every time we step into 'the zone' of performance, no matter how big or small the movement or workout, is being fully conscious of what the task requires from our bodies, using the power of the mind!

Why is this important?

• Ensure the correct muscles are utilised during each movement

• Increasing stimulation will improve performance that can result in greater muscle, strength and other aspects of performance

• Prevent injury through a lack of 'switching on' or compensating with other muscle groups

• Maximise the benefit experienced of the workout within the time available or perhaps in circumstances of have to use different alternatives for exercises or equipment

• Create resilient fundamentals that can help to differentiate and learn the movement mechanics required in other similar types of training, or sport, to become your very best

Here are some guidelines on how to become more conscious in every workout from today!

• Start by shutting off from your phone / social media and turning the phone onto flight safe mode

• Create a starting ritual before you complete every set or specific type of movement

• Visualisation! Direct your attention to the muscle contracting and solely think about that part of your body as you move

• Perform "activation" and specific isolation exercises related to the specific muscle groups of low intensity that will be used to benefit specific stimulation of the area during performance.

• Warm up sets of the main movements can help to further enhance and optimise the bodily mechanics, focusing on the part of your body in conjunction as you prepare for working sets aiming to hit your targets

• Listen to cue and create verbal dialogs, for example... "Heels firm" and "breath in" as you're about to lower on a squat

• Change the tempo, slow it down and be aware of how you're moving. Time under tension is the key to stimulating lactic acid, promote further engagement of the muscle fibres for growth plus having to concentrate for longer. This can help to build the "mind to muscle" communication improving the ability to connect with specific muscles.

Consciousness is key.

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Kurt, Owner of CombatTrainingNutrition.