Can mindfulness make exercise more rewarding? A group of researchers at Utrecht University in The Netherlands thinks it might. Gretchen Reynolds reports in the New York Times on their research, which surveyed 400 physically active adults, asking about daily exercise habits, personalities, typical feelings during any given exercise session, mindfulness in general, and mindfulness during exercise. Leaving aside for the moment what exactly is meant by “mindfulness,” the envelope please… The study revealed, unsurprisingly, that people who exercised most were the same people who were most satisfied with exercise. It also revealed, as Reynolds tells us, that “people who reported being mindful during exercise also generally reported satisfaction with exercise.” Now the confusing part: there was little correlation between the amount of mindfulness people reported and their exercise habits. How to explain that? “The message is that mindfulness may amplify satisfaction, because one is satisfied when positive experiences with physical activity become prominent,†says Kalliopi-Eleni Tsafou, a Marie Curie Research Fellow at Utrecht University who led the study. “For those experiences to be noticed, one must become aware of them. We would argue that this can be achieved by being mindful.â€Â
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Sunday, April 20, 2025
It makes sense but is indeed, hard to explain well. If you go through a workout just to get through it, you probably won’t be at it very long. If you “think” about the movements, what they are doing and keep trying to improve technique and progressing, your workouts will probably be more satisfying and rewarding. Maybe then, you will be more likely to return to the gym at least one more time and again and again……
Gary…I could not agree more. “Being present” during a workout makes it profoundly more enjoyable and afterwards helps clear my mind. For lack of a better phrase I’ve often called working out this way “moving meditation”.