THE PURPOSE DRIVEN WORKOUT

The Mind Muscle Connection with Coach Maria

‘Get The Advantage’ – Adam Schaeuble

Time is a precious commodity that there never seems to be enough of.  In this blog I plan to give you a strategy to make your workouts, inside and outside the studio, efficient and effective.

The Mind Muscle Connection is at the core of the practice of efficient and effective workout.  For those of us that have been working out this might be second nature; but it has become so due to practice.  I want to share this practice with you!

What is the Mind Muscle Connection?  Have you ever finished a workout that was supposed to be focused on a certain body part or parts and were not sore in those parts but in others?  This is due to just going through the motions and not focusing on proper technique.  "How do I know the proper techniques(s) for the excersizes we do at NGPT?" you might be asking.  This blog will provide some guidelines.

We will begin with proper breathing technique.  If you have been in one of my classes, you have heard me yelling, all crazy like, about inhaling on the negative and exhaling on the strength or inhale on the down exhale on the up!  There IS method to this madness.

Correct breathing during exercise can increase results and prevent injuries. Giving your body good oxygen and therefore sending blood to your working muscles will only increase the efficiency of your muscles and therefore decreasing your body fat.  Getting good breaths mean you are filing spaces in your body that will protect and strengthen your lower back.  Taking in breaths through your nose (‘NOSTRIL BREATHS!’ as I always yell) pushes your diaphragm down allowing full inflation of your lungs and therefore increases your internal pressure against your external efforts.  Breathing through your nose also helps to prevent hyperventilation due to panting through your mouth (the exhale is as important as the inhale).  Also, doing this type of breathing will stimulate your core and send needed blood to the muscles you are working (hence the reasons I yell ‘use your breath to help you get through!’).

I know we ask a lot of you in this program and in classes and it might feel like "oh just one more thing I have to think about/do". I get that, but I also get that you want to get the most out of your time, money and efforts.  Learning and following proper excersize techniques will make it all the more worth your while.  Getting more in tune with your body can be learned and/or enhanced through a yoga class with Allana.  Her instruction and education can be used to enhance the efficiency of your workouts and your daily life.

If you have immediately questions please ask me when you see me and/or schedule a personal training session.

Maria Douglas is the Lead Personal Trainer at Next Generation Personal Training & Fitness.  She ignited her passion for fitness as a way to connect with her husband and was "bit" by the all natural bodybuilding bug and started competing. Maria joined the team in 2011 as an instructor and personal trainer.