Tips and tricks to focus

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celinetmika
celinetmika Posts: 70 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work out a lot and one of my workouts is Insanity twice a week (in a class, with an instructor). I "like" it (OK maybe not while I'm not doing it! haha), it's an amazing workout, intense and everything, with great results BUT my main problem is that I have a hard time staying focused.

I have tried to concentrate on the music to keep a rhythm, to count in my head etc but it's like my brain is talking the whole time, and then I stop a few seconds before the end each time...

Do you have any tricks or tips to keep your game face on and really focus to really push yourselves?

Replies

  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    i always stare myself down in the mirrors when i lift, it helps me for whatever reason
  • Numberwang22
    Numberwang22 Posts: 213 Member
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    Imagine I'm in a band performing at Glastonbury to 100,000's of people & the crowd are loving it!!
  • Aliciaaah
    Aliciaaah Posts: 379 Member
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    i always stare myself down in the mirrors when i lift, it helps me for whatever reason

    I find that this distracts me more than anything, I just end up checking myself out for minutes at a time :tongue:

    I never do it intentionally, but every day at the gym seems to have a different theme song. Usually a line or two from a song will just stick with me for that day, and it's always random and odd. But after I say the line of the song in my head I'm ready for another set. Most recently it was "Everybody Dance Now!" and then the Dun. Dun Dun, Dun-Dun. Haha, hopefully you get what I mean.

    I don't take my own music with me, I hate messing with cords, and I don't have pockets for a phone (arm bands are okay, but not for upper body lifting).
  • splashtree2
    splashtree2 Posts: 277
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    I work out a lot and one of my workouts is Insanity twice a week (in a class, with an instructor). I "like" it (OK maybe not while I'm not doing it! haha), it's an amazing workout, intense and everything, with great results BUT my main problem is that I have a hard time staying focused.

    I have tried to concentrate on the music to keep a rhythm, to count in my head etc but it's like my brain is talking the whole time, and then I stop a few seconds before the end each time...

    Do you have any tricks or tips to keep your game face on and really focus to really push yourselves?

    Yes take it easy....cause is a really hard training where you are already an athlete, you should compensate doubling up vitamins or potassiym and magnesium. Try!
  • 1Highlander
    1Highlander Posts: 30
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    My brain (named Johnny), being the drunken monkey that it is, is always yammering on about unhelpful stuff. I have two things that work for me; loud darkwave music or near total exhaustion. I imagine I look an odd sight as I silently mouth lyrics and quasi dance between sets of squats, dead lifts, and OHP.
  • celinetmika
    celinetmika Posts: 70 Member
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    Thanks for the tips!
    I have tried to stare at myself int he mirror but I get distracted too when I see the fat moving. hahaha

    And I haven't named my brain yet but it could also be described as a "drunken monkey always yammering on about unhelpful stuff" haha, That is awesome! :-D
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    Imagine I'm in a band performing at Glastonbury to 100,000's of people & the crowd are loving it!!

    Strong 1st Post!!

    OP, Idk why but counting the beats of the music helps me out in group classes. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    Once I am sure of my form and as the set progress, I will usually close my eyes to concentrate on the lift.
  • Aliciaaah
    Aliciaaah Posts: 379 Member
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    Once I am sure of my form and as the set progress, I will usually close my eyes to concentrate on the lift.

    That makes me dizzy!
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I focus on my goals. No way of reaching them without putting in the work, so barring an injury flaring up, I follow plan and finish.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    As a former distance runner I used to totally zone out and lose focus... I found that synchronizing my various rhythms... foot fall breathing, arm swing with tapping my fingers together (alternating from thumb to index, thumb to middle, thumb to ring, thumb to pinky allowed me to stay on task which was to maintain a longer stride and to move faster... anyway.. if your hands are free try the finger tap to the beat of the music...mantra is always good too... if it's long and mundane... I will do math...counting up by odd increments... or backwards by increments...
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    Once I am sure of my form and as the set progress, I will usually close my eyes to concentrate on the lift.

    That makes me dizzy!
    Really? When the lift gets intense its sometimes the only way I can keep myself from going off the rails.
  • Aliciaaah
    Aliciaaah Posts: 379 Member
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    Once I am sure of my form and as the set progress, I will usually close my eyes to concentrate on the lift.

    That makes me dizzy!
    Really? When the lift gets intense its sometimes the only way I can keep myself from going off the rails.

    Well, I guess thinking about it more, if I squeeze my eyes shut, and it's an intense thing, then no. I don't get dizzy. But if I were to close my eyes, take a deep breath, and squat, I'd probably trip myself up and step out of my starting stance to "catch" myself.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    Once I am sure of my form and as the set progress, I will usually close my eyes to concentrate on the lift.

    That makes me dizzy!
    Really? When the lift gets intense its sometimes the only way I can keep myself from going off the rails.

    Well, I guess thinking about it more, if I squeeze my eyes shut, and it's an intense thing, then no. I don't get dizzy. But if I were to close my eyes, take a deep breath, and squat, I'd probably trip myself up and step out of my starting stance to "catch" myself.

    I can see how that would affect you squating. I will close my eyes during squat, but only through the sticking point.

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