How much of fitness is in the mind?

[OneKickWonder]

I know at first that seems like the world's daftest question, but bear with me:)

Sometimes I feel like a decrepit old man. Getting up out of a chair or walking up a flight of stairs actually feels like effort. I often ask myself, when is my training going to pay off and make me feel youthful again.

But recently a thought struck me. When I train at tang soo do, it is no longer a given that I'll be the first to duck out. In fact often it is people half my age that need to take a break first. And when I work in my garden, I can work for hours without a break doing fairly heavy graft, and not even think about aches and pains and effort. I can run as far as I'd like, but that's largely because I'm not used to running. Shin splints and lower back fatigue get me before anything else does.

So then I got to thinking, sure, without doubt, fitness is largely physical. I'm not suggesting we can all take up smoking and drinking and lounging about and just imagine ourselves fit (although many people seem to think you can do that lol). But I do now wonder if you can imagine yourself UNfit.

[singularity6]

As a math instructor, I find that my biggest challenge in the classroom is convincing the students that they CAN do it. With that, I've been exploring the idea of Mindsets, and injecting those concepts into my lectures. Sure, everyone will have limitations at what they can realistically do (I'll never be a center for the NBA, or a lineman for the NFL - yes... I actually had to look up positions online.) We can all do a lot more than we typically think, however. If one lacks interest in something, there's a bigger tendency to give up after only a few unsuccessful attempts.

My advice to everyone (in my classes, and in life):

Push yourself outside your comfort zone, embrace your mistakes, and be patient!

[LLLEARNER]

If I would hazard a guess based on my experience...

90% mental

4.95% physical

4.95% diet

.1% genetics

I say 90% mental because it affects all other aspects. You have to motivate yourself to exercise and eat right. I find it is a much larger time commitment as well. Your mental awareness has to be there to not snack unhealthily, prep meals, and decide to get off the couch and do something. Maintaining the motivation makes it easier to maintain the motivation. Inertia counts for a lot.

The smallest part is genetics. Everybody has the potential for gains. The maximum gain potential is limited by your genetics even with perfect exercise regimens, and diets. I know super skinny guys that will never bulk like Arnold.

For example, running.

I hate running. I do it But, I hate every step.

It is the mental boredom that gets me. I have to have my mind occupied and music does not do it for long, so I listen to books. I know, nerd alert. I do this for most activities that require little active mental engagement.

I have also found that in addition to conditioning the body, running also conditions the mind.

Last Sunday I ran a 5k mud run in 30-33 degree weather. I came in under an hour, but I finished.

In a couple weeks after finals, I am picking up my exercise regimen.

[Nidan Melbourne]

The Mental Aspect plays a vital role that dictates everything in Health and Fitness.

If your head isn’t there, then it impacts your nutrition and physical well-being.

That is coming from experience, where I have tried time and time again to lose weight. But progressively getting better at if.

[OneKickWonder]

Thanks for the insightful responses. But I was thinking more literally.

In the example I gave where I find walking up a flight of stairs to be an effort, but can train at high intensity for hours, going up the stairs is boring. It's never going to give me an endorphin rush or anything. And I wonder if it is therefore psychological that it's an effort. Whereas I can carry my kids up the same flight of stairs effortlessly.

To be honest I find the same at training. Most of the time I thoroughly enjoy it, but I think we all have days when we're not in the zone, then it suddenly feels like work.

So now I'm thinking, if a big chunk of fitness is in the mind, then perhaps we can condition the mind to squeeze more out of the body, not in 6 months or a year, but right now.

[LLLEARNER]

Thanks for the insightful responses. But I was thinking more literally.

In the example I gave where I find walking up a flight of stairs to be an effort, but can train at high intensity for hours, going up the stairs is boring. It's never going to give me an endorphin rush or anything. And I wonder if it is therefore psychological that it's an effort. Whereas I can carry my kids up the same flight of stairs effortlessly.

To be honest I find the same at training. Most of the time I thoroughly enjoy it, but I think we all have days when we're not in the zone, then it suddenly feels like work.

So now I'm thinking, if a big chunk of fitness is in the mind, then perhaps we can condition the mind to squeeze more out of the body, not in 6 months or a year, but right now.

More interactive exercise, like training partner drills, is more interesting than running or stairs because the mind is occupied during interactive training. The mental monotony is the major reason I hate running. But, all that non-mentally engaging exercise also hardens the mind as well.

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/04/19/10-ways-that-running-changes-your-mind-and-brain/

https://www.thecut.com/2016/04/why-does-running-help-clear-your-mind.html

https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19519812/the-science-of-running-part-1/

[MatsuShinshii]

Being able to push past your breaking point is in the mind 100%. In the Marine Corps I found out that what I thought was the breaking point wasn't even close. Your mind will stop long before your body will. It is very much mental.

[bushido_man96]

Its the discipline side of things, so I think it figures pretty heavily into mindset. "Everyone has the will to win, but not everyone has the will to prepare to win."

[Fat Cobra]

Its the discipline side of things, so I think it figures pretty heavily into mindset. "Everyone has the will to win, but not everyone has the will to prepare to win."

This is 100% true!

[Alan Armstrong]

In Kung Fu, the phenomenon of a mother possessing incredible strength, freeing her baby if trapped is legendary,

Which if those that have forgotten this concept here is the reminder.

That mind over matter is the highest level.