This is a follow-up to the article shared a few days ago where I gave a few of my go-to mental health strategies.
Mental Health Matters: A Few Of My Mental Health “Training” Strategies
My training is absolutely a tool I use for enhancing my mental health. Like many people, I consider my training ‘’therapeutic.’’ To be very clear, training is NOT the same thing as actual therapy. There is no comparison, and stating otherwise is completely irresponsible.
How I make sure my training is positively impacting my mental health:
1) I LOVE to train. I know that some can’t relate to this. But I always listen to my body (and mind) and back off if I need to. If I need a day off I take a day(s) off. If I need to modify a workout(s) I will. Also, don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t love to train. Find something you enjoy doing, and that you will do consistently.
2) I have fun when I train/do workouts I enjoy. I strongly believe that working out should be enjoyable and empowering. While I do follow some structure, I give myself a lot of freedom to play and experiment, particularly when it comes to calisthenics.
Here is a fun flow I did a few weeks ago. My energy wasn’t the highest on this day so I played around and experimented with movement.
3) I no longer compare myself to others. Back in my 20s I was definitely guilty of doing this. As I believe Theodore Roosevelt said, comparison is the thief of joy!
4) I don’t train for aesthetic reasons. I train to have fun, feel healthy, be able to do cool things, improve my performance, and feel good (and sharp) mentally. I train for life (a motto of mine). To be so clear, while there is nothing wrong with having aesthetic goals, and they can be very helpful for some, no part of me trains for aesthetic reasons. This is best for MY overall results, and mental health.
As muscle-ups are a top training goal of mine (now 10 consecutive muscle-ups, and a 25 lb weighted muscle-up), they are a key part of my training. Here is a 15 lb weighted muscle-up I did yesterday. This is my best at this weight to date! My training leaves me feeling empowered, and this is vital for me!
These are just a few of many strategies I use to make sure my training is having a positive impact on my mental health. Remember, there is no ‘’one size fits all’’ approach. Do what works best for YOU.
How do you make sure your training is positively impacting your mental health? Let me know by responding below my post on Instagram.
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