Design your workout for peak performance and optimal health and you’ll achieve physical gains and cultivate a balanced and vibrant life.
Here’s a structure to up-level your workouts and produce life-changing results. Add any or all of these practices to your existing gym routine or what you like to do to stay fit:
- Breathe! (1–2 mins or more): Begin your workout by centering yourself through simple abdominal breathing. Hands-on belly, breathing in and out through the nose, feel your abdomen expand and relax with the breath. Exhale through the mouth (or sigh) at any point, to aid in releasing any tension or stress. If you’re familiar with more elaborate breathing practices, feel free to incorporate them here. The power of breath cannot be overstated — it sets the tone for your entire session.
- Warm-up and Release Compensation Patterns: Before diving into intense exercises, take the time to warm up your muscles and release any compensation patterns accumulated from daily activities or previous workouts. Dynamic stretches, mobility exercises, and foam rolling can help prepare your body for movement while addressing imbalances.
- Your usual gym routine or your favorite form of Exercise.
- Supercharge by adding Functional Movements: Whether you’re lifting weights, doing bodyweight exercises, or incorporating kettlebells and resistance bands, focus on movements that mimic real-life activities and challenge multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This not only builds strength but also enhances coordination and agility.
- Mix High-Intensity with Low-Intensity days/workouts: Integrate high-intensity muscle training periods to stimulate myokines’ release — biochemicals that promote systemic health and resilience. Pair this with low-intensity exercises to aid recovery, manage injuries, and alleviate stress. Mixing up intensities keeps your workouts dynamic and enjoyable while optimizing overall fitness.
- Train Core Strength as Dynamic Cool-down: Strong, supple core strength supports your physical endeavors and builds a foundation for cultivating mindfulness and inner peace.
- Breathwork/Meditation/Savasana: As you near the end of your session, choose one or more practices to wind down and amplify the health benefits of your training. Whether it’s breathwork to calm the mind, meditation to enhance focus, or Savasana (corpse pose) to relax the body, these all support mental and emotional well-being alongside physical fitness.
Pro Tip: Even if you do nothing else, commit to integrating 3-10 minutes of consistent conscious breathing after each training session. This simple practice jumpstarts recovery, reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and combats post-workout fatigue. Over time, it accumulates into significant health benefits, making it a non-negotiable component of your workout routine.