Most people tend to either work out before they meditate or work out after they meditate. But what is the best way to meditate with a workout?
There are many benefits to both working out and meditating. Hence, it’s no wonder that many people are wondering, “should I meditate or workout first?” There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this. The best approach depends on your individual goals and needs.
You can try this meditation before working out!
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In Reality, Is It Better To Meditate Before Or After Working out?
Even though there’s no specific answer to this, the good news is that it’s beneficial both ways. It also depends on the type of meditation. For example, a progressive relaxation meditation will be best after working out.
If you’re looking to improve your focus and concentration, meditating before working out is recommended. This way, you can start your workout with a clear mind and really focus on your movements and form.
If you’re looking forward to boosting your energy levels and maximizing your workout, it’s recommended to workout before meditating. This way, you can capitalize on the energy and endorphins released during exercise. You can use this time to help you relax and focus during meditation.
Both working out before and after meditation have their own benefits. If you work out before meditation, you will be more alert and focused during your meditation. If you work out after meditation, you will be more relaxed and calm.
Inward calm cannot be maintained unless physical strength is constantly and intelligently replenished.
– Buddha
Ultimately, the best way to do it is to simply do whatever feels best for you. If you want to work out before meditation, go for it! If you want to work out after meditation, that’s fine too. Just listen to your body and do what feels most suitable for you.
Let’s look at the benefits of meditating before the workout and meditating after the workout. Knowing the advantages will help you make a better decision on if it’s better to meditate before or after exercise.
Related: 7 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Do Daily to Stay Positive and Focused
Advantages Of Meditating Before Working Out
Why wouldn’t it be beneficial to calm and focus your mind before a great workout session? You will be able to focus a lot better during workouts. You will have more control and Awareness of your breath. Additionally, you can also take this time to prepare your mind for an intense workout session.
More Stamina And Control Over Breath:
We all know how vital it is to inhale and exhale at certain times during the workout. It is crucial to maintain your stamina and strength and benefit from the exercise you are doing. Mindfulness meditation with deep breathing before a workout can be very beneficial. It will allow you to stay aware of your breath as you are working out. Taking deep breaths during meditation will also help you feel refreshed and ready.
Set Intention For Workout And Prepare Your Mindset:
Meditation before a workout is the best way to set your intention for the workout. Just knowing what you want to achieve through working out every day is not a now. A constant reminder of your goal can be a motivational factor for staying consistent. Visualization meditation will also be great for setting intentions for your workouts. You can also set the intention by repeating affirmations as you meditate.
As A Warm-Up Before the Workout:
If you engage in an active form of meditation, then it can act as a warm-up before the workout. You can combine stretching and meditation by being aware of your every movement. If you already have a warm-up routine, try combining it with meditation to get the most out of it.
Advantages Of Meditation After Work Out
Post-workout meditation practice is incredible because it can make you feel more energized. Meditations after a workout can also help you pause before getting back to your busy day. If you are not meditating after the workout, you might also miss out on what your body is trying to signal.
Meditation can be a post-workout mood booster:
Those who do high-intensity workouts can experience increased stress levels after a workout. Even though workouts are a good kind of stress, after-workout exhaustion is also real. Meditating after a workout can make you feel calmer and allow the feel-good neurochemicals to increase.
Help you understand your body better:
Many of us make the mistake of excessively working out. Sometimes out of excitement or sometimes because working out makes us feel good. If you do body scan meditation after a workout regularly, it will help you recognize if a workout is making you feel better or not. It will allow you to notice how your body feels and the amount of stress you are putting it through. This will be helpful to avoid those days when you push your limits during workouts.
Speed-up the recovery:
Meditations like progressive relaxation and Yog Nidra can help with faster recovery. When doing progressive relaxation, you are also doing a body scan and relaxing muscles one by one. You will be letting go of all the stress that you just put your body through. This will definitely speed up the post-workout recovery. It can also be great for preventing injuries. Because as you meditate, you are taking time to relax all your muscles.
Guided meditation can also help you achieve deeper relaxation. Enhanced meditation app has plenty of advance guided meditation that you can use after workouts. There are also many breathing and mindfulness meditations to be used before a workout. The best part is you can download and sign up for free.
Related: Finding Time To Meditate Feels Difficult? Try These 9 Tips
Final Thoughts
Meditating before or after a workout are equally beneficial. But they offer different sets of advantages. It is also important to select the right type of meditation for pre-workout and post-workout. You might feel sluggish during the workout if you do a progressive relaxation meditation before exercising.
So, it’s equally important to choose the correct type of meditation, but combining exercise and meditation is a great idea.
Research shows combining meditation with exercise can benefit neural substrates of executive function. This helps us focus our attention, plan, multitask, and recall instructions better.
You can check out this article here to understand how you can combine exercise with meditation if you don’t have enough time for both.
