Many people who want to get into shape don’t realise there is more to fitness than well-toned muscles. There is no shortage of exercise regimes that just promote the perfection of the body, or the idea of fitness as part of
a weight loss plan. Catherine Kerr talks us through alternative fitness routines that can be used to
train the mind.
Centuries ago, Western culture lost its focus on the interconnection between the body and the mind, or spirit, and how each has the power to affect the other. Whether you are facing an opponent on the tennis court or walking two miles on
a treadmill, success largely depends on your ability to engage your mind and keep
it focused.
Fitness is a mental as well as a physical pursuit and many celebrities benefit from mind-body training to keep them on track. It doesn’t matter if you are a yoga enthusiast or a marathon runner, the following methods used in Hollywood have something to offer, no matter how you exercise.
These techniques have the power to focus your mind when you’re distracted, increase your motivation and, perhaps, even lower your blood pressure.
 Relaxation
WHAT IS IT? Relaxation methods clear your mind and loosen your muscles by easing tension. They include breathing exercises, meditation, progressive relaxation and yoga.
HOW IT HELPS: Sports are full of potentially stressful events and,
when we are stressed, our bodies react with the primitive survival mechanism known as fight or flight response. Metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure all rise and blood flow to the muscles increase 300 to 400 per cent, preparing us to run from danger or fight our foes.
The opposite of this is the relaxation response. With all relaxation methods your muscles relax too, this is good for your athletic performance as tense muscles make it tough to produce the fluid motion needed for sports. After you’ve relaxed, however, you don’t want to stay completely limp and empty. The balance is get the muscles relaxed, but for the energy and the mind to be intense.
While relaxation can reduce mental and physical tension immediately, long-term changes occur only after weeks or months of practice. Research shows that the daily use of relaxation techniques can reduce your body’s reaction to stress hormones, not only while you’re working out but also throughout the day.
CELEBRITY USERS: Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele Bundhen both meditate. Gisele has credited meditation and yoga for keeping her healthy when she was pregnant, and kept her sane when she gave birth in a bath!
Pretty Woman heart-throb Richard Gere meditates daily; “It helps set me my motivation up for the day,” he says. Kate Bosworth says of her experience of progressive relaxation, “It’s just a really incredible state of mind; just a beautiful place to try and be at.”
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