The Zen Zone: How to Make Exercise Meditation in Motion

September 1, 2024

by Cathe Friedrich

It’s hard to find precious moments of peace in the fast-paced world we live in. For some folks, exercise is an escape and a chance to enjoy a moment of calm. Studies show exercise has mental health benefits and may lower the risk of depression or be an adjunct therapy for mild clinical depression.

But how can you make your workouts even more Zen-focused and still gain strength and stamina? Let’s look at how to transform your exercise routine into a calming, meditative activity. Taking this approach will give you the extra dose of calm we’re all looking for.

Understanding Moving Meditation

You may have heard runners talk about entering the flow state. During a workout, this is a sense of time standing still, where exercise no longer feels hard. It’s a time when you experience a burst of feel-good endorphins, natural hormone-like substances that ease pain and give a feeling of mild euphoria. It’s one of the reasons runners become “addicted” to their craft, yet it also applies to other forms of exercise. You can enter a flow state, for example, when you do push-ups or lift weights. How can you do this?

Focus on Your Breath

Breathing delivers oxygen to your hard-working muscles. Plus, getting enough of it helps you perform your best in any athletic endeavor. You need oxygen for your muscles to produce ATP during a moderate-intensity aerobic workout. But consciously focusing on breathing also helps you stay in the moment when you work out.

For example, if you run, synchronize your breathing with the time at which your foot strikes the ground. You can do the same approach when you take a walk for exercise or pleasure. Another approach is to inhale as you take a certain number of steps and do the same as you exhale.

Mindful Awareness

Do you listen to podcasts or audiobooks when you do an aerobic workout? You might be learning as you exercise, but you’re also missing out on the full Zen benefits a workout offers. Try putting aside your phone and paying attention to your movements and the way your feet feel as they hit the ground. If you’re taking a walk or running outdoors, notice the birds singing and the wind hitting your skin.

Mindful movement pulls you back to the moment, as it calms your mind. It’s part of a movement called moving meditation. Certain types of exercise naturally embrace meditation, like yoga and Tai chi, but it can extend beyond the yoga mat to all movement. Even if you’re doing yoga or lifting weights in your living room, you can tune into your surroundings and connect with the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Let in light as you work out by opening the curtains.

Set an Intention

Before beginning a workout, approach it with the proper mindset. Set a clear intention before tackling your warm-up. For example, you could focus on gratitude beforehand and how you’re grateful to be able to walk, run, and use your arms to lift heavy objects. You could also picture yourself doing the movements with joy and purpose. Having an intention can guide your practice and enhance the meditative experience.

Use Mantras or Affirmations

Mantras or affirmations can be your best friend when it comes to claiming your Zen. When you repeat a positive affirmation, it helps calm your mind. By doing this, you’ll feel more relaxed and focused during your workout. You’ll also feel more positive about the task ahead. Examples of effective mantras or affirmation might include:

“Breathe deep, let go.” Helps release stress.
“Mind and body, one.” Helps foster a connection between your mind and body.
“Strength in silence.” This helps you reclaim inner peace through silence.
“Every rep, a victory.” This reinforces your efforts and helps you stay motivated.
“Let go of the past, embrace the present.” Great for mindfulness and staying grounded.
“Find your rhythm, find your peace.” This mantra helps you foster inner tranquility.

But be sure to choose a mantra that speaks to you on a particular day. It’s okay to change it from workout to workout. Nothing is set in stone!

Make Strength Training Meditative Too

You can even use strength training to relax your mind and reclaim your Zen. The key is to focus more on your movements. As you flex your muscles to move a weight, focus with laser-like precision on the muscle group or groups you’re working. Do the same when you push your body off the floor to perform a push-up or lower it into a squat. Feel the tension in your muscles and the rhythm of air moving in and out of your lungs. Too often we lift without full awareness.

You can use mantras and affirmations during strength training too. Remember, the goal is not just to build physical strength but also to nurture mental clarity and inner peace. When you lift or do bodyweight exercises with mindfulness, it becomes a deeply enriching and transformative experience.

Make Your Warm-Up Meditative

Start your workout on a meditative note. You can do this by adding Qigong-inspired movements to your warm-up. Before or after your usual warm-up, try this:

Place your feet shoulder-width apart with your knees soft and slightly bent and your arms against your sides.
Inhale deeply as you raise your arms above your head in a slow, leisurely manner.
Exhale slowly as you lower your arm and feel your body release tension.
Repeat several times.

With this approach, you prep your body for a more focused and mindfulness-centered exercise session.

The Benefits of Exercise as Meditation

So, what are the benefits of making an exercise session more meditative?

Mental Clarity: Cultivate a mindful state when you move your body. Doing so helps clear the clutter from your mind, so you feel more relaxed and have a greater sense of mental clarity. Scientists say one of the best ways to relieve stress is to keep your mind on the present moment.
Emotional Balance: The rhythmicity of exercise is a powerful force of regulating emotions and calming anxiety. As we walk, run, or lift weights, our minds and bodies synchronize, so you feel a greater sense of calm.
Physical Health: Of course, you’re still getting the physical health benefits of exercise as you nurture your mind.

A study published in Frontiers of Psychology found that being in a mindful state reduces stress and anxiety and has other benefits as well. For example, the research found that mindfulness improved engagement at work too.

Tips for Cultivating Zen During a Workout

Know that you’ll encounter distractions, as you try to cultivate mindfulness. Be aware of this ahead of time and know that it’s normal. Gently, pull your mind back toward your breathing, the rhythmicity of your movements, and the way your body feels. Stop focusing on perfection but on the experience of exercise and movement. Try deeply focusing for short periods of time during a workout and gradually work up to longer periods of mindfulness. Keep at it!

Conclusion

Whether you’re running, strength training, practicing yoga, or simply walking, exercise meditation can become a powerful tool for achieving mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical health. Embrace the journey with an open heart and mind and discover the profound benefits of meditation in motion.

References:

Bartlett, Larissa, Marie-Jeanne Buscot, Aidan Bindoff, Richard Chambers, and Craig Hassed. “Mindfulness Is Associated with Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants.” Frontiers in Psychology 12 (September 10, 2021). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724126.
Cameron, Laurie J. “How to Meditate through Exercise.” Mindful, May 16, 2018. https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate-through-exercise/#:~:text=Is%20it%20to%20train%20your,that%20are%20working%20extra%20hard%3F.
‌Zhang D, Lee EKP, Mak ECW, Ho CY, Wong SYS. Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review. Br Med Bull. 2021 Jun 10;138(1):41-57. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldab005. PMID: 33884400; PMCID: PMC8083197.
Schneider J, Malinowski P, Watson PM, Lattimore P. The role of mindfulness in physical activity: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2019 Mar;20(3):448-463. doi: 10.1111/obr.12795. Epub 2018 Nov 23. PMID: 30468299.