HOME > Health & Fitness >

HOW TO GET SMART WHILST YOU GET FIT

COMBINING AN INTELLECTUAL WORKOUT WITH A PHYSICAL ONE IS AN EXCELLENT LIFESTYLE CHOICE

Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 26th June 2018

Getting fitter and getting in shape are no doubt noble goals. We, collectively as a society, need to do more to stay in shape. As individuals, going on a diet and working out aren’t signs of vanity. They are a sign of respect for the body that you inhabit and your desire for it to reflect the virtues within. Other people pursue fitness as an almost spiritual exercise. Their hope is that, by enacting rigorous self-discipline and setting out on a path of self-improvement, they are doing more than just losing fat and gaining muscle. While you are working to improve your physical fitness, you can enhance the experience, and make an even greater and longer lasting change in your life. By also giving your brain a workout at the same time, training both your mind and your body simultaneously, you will be giving yourself a holistic workout that will encompass all your physical and emotional self. If you are only used to working on one side of this coin, and you aren’t sure how to transition to incorporate the other into your daily routine, this guide is for you. The good news is that, if you have the willpower, it is actually quite easy to develop a comprehensive emotional and physical workout.

Use Rest Periods to Work Your Mind

Any intense workout routine needs to include a reasonable number of rest periods. Overexerting yourself physically won’t do you any favors. In fact, pushing yourself too far will likely end up setting your workout regimen back rather than enhancing it. Your workouts will be considerably more effective when they include time to rest and catch your breath. By designing a workout routine that lasts longer, and includes more rest periods, you can give yourself time between physical exercise to read a page or two, to tackle a problem, or to look at a crossword. There are many things you can do to give your brain a workout, but if you aren’t sure what to do with these rest periods, try a bit of everything! If you own a DS, those brain training games that were all the rage a few years ago are now dirt cheap. The jury is out on how much difference brain training games make to a person’s overall intelligence and reasoning ability, but many people swear by them. If these games aren’t to your liking, find a subject that interests you and keep a book on hand. By combining audiobooks or audio lectures in the form of Podcasts and even YouTube videos with some structured learning materials, it is possible to pursue an education during your workouts. If you’re looking for further help, you can work out with Superprof personal trainers who are an excellent choice for those who are looking for a subject to pursue in a more formal and structured format. You can choose to either learn locally or online with their fitness tutors. Whichever way you discover it, once you find the right kind of intellectually stimulating material for your mind, figure out how you can fit it into a workout routine.

Listen While You Workout

Many people like to have background noise while they are working out. In some cases, this will be music, for other people it will be a Podcast or an audiobook on Audible. The purpose of this background noise is to give you something to focus on while you are working out. By diverting your attention away from the physical strain that you are placing yourself under, or so the theory goes, you are allowing your body to push itself further. There is some evidence to support the notion that music can be useful to anyone looking to push their workout routine to the limit. However, if the above theory holds true, an audiobook should be just as useful in providing your brain with something to distract itself from physical sensations. Your workout is a perfect time to listen, even if you can’t take it all in while you workout (repeat listening might help). Many people find that listening whilst working out is useful practice, as it trains their ability to focus on their workout while remaining aware of the world around them.

Focus on Your Focus

For some people, their workout routine will, for one reason or another, be unsuitable for the above advice. If you are forced to separate your education and your workout routine, do not despair! By practicing your ability to focus while you are working out; making sure that your mind doesn’t wander as you consider your every move, you will be developing a very valuable educational skill. Bringing learning materials into your workout environment is a very positive step to take. The more you can create an association in your mind between both activities, the easier it will be to undertake both simultaneously. Whether you want to develop a wider range of skills, or you are hoping to demonstrate your self-discipline, combining an intellectual workout with a physical one is an excellent lifestyle choice.