Meditation during exercise?

[Crimzen]

ok so lately i've been getting back into shape after a long period of doing 'sweet fuck all'
i've done meditation on and off for a couple years very inconsistently

recently during my exercises (running, push ups, sit ups and knocking around the punching bag) i've realized that i find a level of clear headedness that i most often only get from meditation
when im working out i can empty my mind from the usual cluttered thoughts and i can focus on a single motion (ie. running, left, right, left, right)

i find that exercise is a good way to better both my body and my mind and after a period of exercising i feel refreshed both physically and mentally
this could be partly due to endorphins and whatnot but it certainly helps to structure my thoughts and focus
its helping in a very noticeable way with my studying

 

[ophiuchus]

good to hear! i've been doing this pretty consistently now for about the past year or so with kickboxing, and even before that with skateboarding, and i have to say, idk what life would be like without it. i love how it improves my awareness and concentration

 

[Crimzen]

my major problem has always been procrastination and a lack of routine
people think im lazy but im always down to do stuff, i just need the initiative to do it lol

so ive been sorting out my daily routine a bit and sort of setting a time to do things (im sure its normal to do that but i never really have, kind of a wanderer i guess)

the added bonus to all the exercise is that im getting into shape again
i used to be an athlete, now i cant even run 100m without gasping for breath (soon to change )

im gona start with muay thai as soon as i can afford the membership (im broke as a joke atm)

 

[ophiuchus]

can definitely relate

 

[heshani@1999]

I know meditation give a relax mind and also a body.basically by meditating you can concentrate the in a one thing easily.As beginner how we can start to do meditation ?

 

[DaZeD]

Man, i wanted to improve myself (mind/body/soul) too so i started 3 weeks ago with an exercise program called p90x i can really recommend it to everyone who wants to become fit, it improved me already, the only thing you need is motivation, if you don't wanna do it you just can't.

It's extreme though, it takes 6 days a week one hour a day, but the results are great!

Theres also a program called Insanity Workout and Assylum Workout, you ought to be in top condition in 30 days, it's a training program with exercises professional sportsmen also use so i guess it works but i haven't tried it yet.

On topic, my mind can't be cleared or meditative when i'm exercizing, it's totally occupied with the exertion, but afterwards i usually feel blissfull and happy though, when i draw i can go into a more meditative state, and i wish i could go there when i was working, like at work too, i tried many many times but i fail each time.

 

[ophiuchus]

p90x is pretty cool.

i've seen insanity, but haven't tried the workouts yet.

concerning motivation, that's why i prefer to do my workouts at a gym, i'm much more motivated when there is a group of people there for support. on my own i can do it, but the intensity is never the same. my coaches at the gym are just so motivating.

i find that by focusing on the exercises, that all of the rest of my concerns of the world tend to go away for the most part, in this regard i consider it highly meditative. although exercising is not inherently this way, it can be easily with a little practice. all it takes is being fully present and really concentrating on doing the exercise the right way, instead of worrying about how tired one is, or bitching about how hard something is. my view is, if it's hard, good, your making progress to be seen later right then and there. if it's easy, then something is wrong and you need to push yourself. obviously if one can't do it at all, then another approach needs to be taken, but i think that people get really down on themselves when they can't just automatically do A LOT of something. in my opinion, pound for pound you gain more progress in those first few times when everything is really hard and you reach failure, than you do when you can do rep after rep without becoming tired.

 

[Crimzen]

yea im with you in regards to making the most progress at the start of your workout journey
because when you've done it for awhile you have a better idea where your physical limits are and how much of what you can do

i've fallen off the wagon :x
did a decent workout with a couple of my mates last week, that was good but before that i hadnt done much for about 2-3 weeks
which is terrible really, i dont know why i stopped, maybe because its winter, i need to make it routine so that its not something i have to force myself to do

tomorrow i'll be pushing myself to go and exercise
i need to work on my cardio really badly because i want to start doing muay thai and atm my cardio is horrid

 

[DaZeD]

Allusion, i couldn't have said it better, small steps are important, you can't climb the mount Everest in after a week, it takes a lot of patience and time.I also started Start to Run now, since i was never able to run very long without getting wasted very quick, like after 3 minutes , i'm getting better at it now, i can run 15 minutes on a row now, nothing big, but i'm taking the small steps, and my wife runs with me so that's a motivation.

'bout the motivation, i think the guy in the video Tony is really motivational, it works on me at least, the reason i don't go to the gym is simply because i don't have the time, and it costs a lot of money.

When i get home from work i immediatly push play and do my hour of P90X, then i go running with my wife 3 times a week and then i eat, shower and relax or read some bit before going to bed.

I used to get home, roll a fat joint get behind my computer or PS3 and stay there till my dinner was served, then i did the dishes and watched a movie or continued what i was doing before.

I'm wasted every day now, but i feel much better about myself then i used to, now a joint is like a sacred sacrament, it's special again, i'm only smoking once a month or so.
I really love my new lifestyle and i'm determined to keep it up.

Hey Crimzen, no worries, you can always jump back on the wagon right?
It's about routine, doing a half day of workouts and the nothing for a while doesn't do much, when you do some exercise like 2 or 3 times a week a half hour or an hour but very intensly is much better then doing a lot at once, but i'm sure you know that.

Good luck with the Muay Thai, i'm thinking about going back to Aikido, but at the moment i don't have the time, i'm already doing an hour of Tai Chi too, it would be too much to handle.

P90X contains an excellent cardio excercise too BTW.