Category: Movement

Practicing ‘mind-muscle connection’ during your workout can make your movement session more effective without using equipment.

To sum it up:

If you think about and focus on a muscle while you’re training it…

You’re much more likely to recruit that muscle and make it grow.

Here are some strategies to help improve your mind-muscle connection:

Performance Goal

Setting a total-rep performance goal can help you maintain focus over an entire training session.

You just set a number of reps and lift until you hit it!

The key, however, is choosing the right exercise and rep range.

Skill Goal

Focus small and build a small skill that leads to better movement.

Focus on your lacking skill until it integrates into your movement.

Then move on to your next weakness.

Reset Between Reps

Resetting between reps is a great way to refocus.

Rather than rushing and stringing reps together…

Perform each individual rep with stout focus.

The result is stronger performance.

Your mind stays focused on the task…

And good positioning lets you heave more load.

Happy moving ♡
x Corie

Whether you’re a novice taking the first steps toward fitness…

Or an exercise fanatic hoping to optimize your results…

A well-rounded fitness training program is essential.

Soooo with that being said, you may want to consider adding more variety to your workout routine.

Here’s some inspiration:

Aerobic Fitness

Examples of aerobic exercises include walking, jogging, running, biking, hiking, climbing, spinning, cardio machines, dancing, water sports and various MMA training regimes.

Strength Training

Strength training is the process of exercising with progressively heavier resistance for the purpose of strengthening the musculoskeletal system.

It is also referred to as weight lifting, weight training, body sculpting, toning, bodybuilding, and resistance training.

Core Exercises

Core exercises are those that use your trunk without support, like push-ups, sit-ups, and abdominal crunches.

These exercises strengthen and train your lower back, hips, abdomen and pelvis to work together for better balance and stability.

Balance Training

Balance training refers to a type of training that focuses on the ability to maintain proper posture over the body’s base of support.

Stability Training

Stability training refers to performing exercises while on an unstable surface with the goal of activating stabilizers and trunk muscles that may be neglected with other forms of training.

Flexibility Training

Flexibility training includes stretching exercises for the purpose of increasing one’s range of motion.

Remember: prior to training, a warm up should be performed at a low intensity for 5-10 minutes.

This increases the temperature of the muscles and decreases the risk of injury.

Whether you create your own fitness training program or enlist the help of a personal trainer, your overall workout routine should, in my opinion, include several elements.

Although it isn’t necessary to fit each of these elements into every fitness session…

Factoring them into your regular routine can help you promote fitness for life!

x Corie

Dynamic stretching is a form of active movement that isn’t about holding a stretch…

But rather taking your body through ranges of motion that will better prepare you for a workout.

Dynamic stretching activates and warms up your muscles, improves your body’s range of motion and flexibility, and increases power.

Quick example: standing torso twists, arm circles, leg kicks, + an active yoga sequence.

All you need is 5-10 minutes before each workout to perform these!

Static stretching, or holding a stretch for an extended period of time, should be left for the end of your workout.

Happy stretching ♡
x Corie

Foam rollers are used as an effective method to…

1. increase blood flow
2. enhance ROM (range of motion)
3. reduce tension
4. increase muscle length

during both warm-up and post-workout sessions.

Warm-Up Sessions

Be sure to use a foam roller for only a brief period of time to elevate tissue temperature and reduce tension.

Think light, even pressure over muscle groups that you will be targeting during your workout.

For example, it’s leg day… so I’m going to foam roll (with light and even pressure) my glutes, hips, quads, hammies, and calves within 60 minutes of my leg workout.

If you find an area of tension, fight the urge to increase pressure.

Applying pressure with a foam roller for an extended period of time during your warm-up session could desensitize the muscle and affect its ability to contract during your workout.

Post-Workout Sessions

After your workout, foam rollers are a great tool that can help reduce soreness and promote the recovery process.

Areas of tension are a main priority post-workout. My rule of thumb is to foam roll within 3 hours post-workout.

Aim to move at a consistent tempo of approximately 1 inch per second; focus on areas of tension for up to 90 seconds to allow the tissue to relax and lengthen.

If you find an area of tension that is extremely painful, take it easy and lay off some pressure.

It’s important to listen to your body, and utilizing the foam roller gives you the opportunity to hear your body from the inside out.

You’ll quickly get the hang of knowing how much pressure to apply, where, and for how long.

Foam rolling also helps promote a feeling of relaxation after a workout, an important psychological benefit.

Areas of Tension: Knots

Exercise-induced muscle damage signals the repair process.

This is when new collagen molecules are formed to help repair injured tissue…

Most likely forming adhesions (aka knots) between layers along the way.

You know what knots I’m talking about…

If you press down around your neck, shoulders, and between your shoulder blades… you’d feel ’em… super tender, may feel like a ball that is tight and/or sore.

Well the average person has knots all over their body… in our hands, around our ankles and wrists, even on our heads.

Knots are large and small in size and can be caused by a variety of activities like exercising, poor posture, bumping into something, and sleeping weird on an on-going basis.

The good news?!

Using a foam roller regularly can help minimize the risk of knots developing all together…

Which means less pain and more ENERGY!

Regular Use

With regular use a foam roller can…

1. Reduce every day tension and muscle tightness
2. Increase joint range of motion
3. Enhance energy levels

To start, I’d recommend incorporating foam rolling 3-5 days a week.

The goal would be to foam roll during all warm-up & post-workout sessions.

However, when you are first getting started… let’s start small.

Let’s focus on getting into the habit of foam rolling areas of tension post-workout for a few minutes at a time.

It’s simple and will give you immediate benefits leaving you with inspiration to keep the habit going.

Plus, you can work your way up in frequency and duration at your own pace.

So with all of that being said, I would highly recommend incorporating foam rolling into your workout regime!

Do you use a foam roller? How has it impacted your life? Comment below!

Happy Foam Rolling!
x Corie