SmarterFitter

I've been doing a lot of day dreaming lately, especially in the pool. If I catch myself looking at the clock, I fix my gaze on the stripe at the bottom of the pool, and count my strokes. Even though I have my attention fixed on something else, this somehow has the effect of keeping me in the moment.

Psychologists give this state of mental separation a name: dissociation. Athletes use it all the time to push their physical boundaries. From last Thursday's New York Times:

The first thing to know, said Dr. Benjamin Levine, an exercise researcher and a cardiology professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, is that no one really knows what limits human performance. There’s the ability of the heart to pump blood to the muscles, there’s the ability of the muscles to contract and respond, there’s the question of muscle fuel, and then, of course, there is the mind.

“How does the brain interact with the skeletal muscles and the circulation?” Dr. Levine said. “How much of this is voluntary and how much is involuntary? We just don’t know.”

But since most people can do better, no matter how good their performance, the challenge is to find a safe way to push a little harder. Many ordinary athletes, as well as elites, use a technique known as dissociation.

Dr. Morgan was inspired by Tibetan monks who ran 300 miles in 30 hours by fixating on a distant object (like a tranquil mountain) and breathing in time with their movement. He tested this technique on a sample of runners against a control group and showed that the runner's who used the monks' strategy has a statistically significant increase in endurance.

The lesson is: dissociation works for elite athletes who want to push themselves to their maximum physical capacity. But what about us normal folks? Aren't we the ones who really need the Jedi mind tricks to get ourselves off the couch and onto the track/pool/treadmill/whatever?

A little searching reveals this article which covers TWO (count em', TWO) mental techniques, association and dissociation. Unlike dissociation, association involves focusing on bodily sensations such as breathing and monitoring any changes that occur. Both can help you relax and enjoy exercise.

Dissociation Techniques

1. Music – This can generate positive thoughts, improve your mood and distract you from the physical demands of your sport.


2. Counting game – Count the number of blue cars you see, or the number of dogs of post boxes. Be inventive.


3. Alphabet game – Work through from A to Z for a chosen category, such as women’s names or countries.


4. Rainbow game – Try to notice as many colours as possible while you work out: aim for all the colours of the rainbow.


5. Active fantasy – Imagine yourself as a lottery winner and decide how to spend your winnings.

Association Techniques

1. Focus on your breathing: controlled, relatively deep rhythmic breathing is the key to relaxation. When you breathe out, try to imagine the tension leaving your body;


2. Try to remain relaxed while running (or cycling or swimming), but be aware of tension and fatigue in your muscles. It’s often a good idea to start from the head and work down, giving each area or group of muscles your attention. If you notice tension, try to focus on a cue word, such as ‘relax’ or ‘easy’ and try to let the tension flow out of the muscles;


3. Keep your pace in line with the information you gain from body monitoring. You might, for example, increase the pace if you feel very positive.

Link to Association / Dissociation article
Link to New York Times article (via FitnessFixation.com)