You might not realise it, but every time you go for a workout, you’re in some sort of mood. You might be angry, sad, happy, bitter, frustrated, irate, disconsolate, moody, or just bummed out. Often, it isn’t something we think about – well, unless we’re angry as hell! Instead, we just turn up for out workout and carry out our regular routine. Did you know, though, that your moods affect your muscles? This is because our mood affects our mind – and our mind affects how much effort we put into our workout.
For example, if you’ve got a girl on your mind and she hasn’t texted you back for a few hours, your mood could alter your workout in one of two ways: It could make you decide “I’ll show her!” and help you work out like a beast. Or it could leave you distracted and cause you to skip a few exercises because your heart simply isn’t in it. Knowing what type of mood you’re in will allow you to focus more on your workout regime. We’re here to help you choose exactly the right workout for your mood. Let’s take a closer look.
Mood: Mad As Hell
You’ve just been given a dressing down by your boss in front of your colleagues (unfairly, you believe) and although it’s tempting to go straight to the bar, it’s much more productive to hit the gym and channel that anger into something productive. Did you know, for example, that being angry can make you feel stronger than normal?
Because of this, we recommend that you get your mad self down to the gym and go heavy. That’s right, push your body to do more and enter the zone. You won’t believe how far you can push your muscles whilst you’re in this mood!
Mood: Happy As A Sandboy
Your team has just won, your girl has told you she loves you – you couldn’t be happier! So what better way to celebrate than nipping down to the gym? Victory will never taste so sweet. Whilst anger can definitely make you feel stronger than usual, happiness can make you feel over the moon.
In fact, it can make you feel as though you could lift the moon. Our advice? Go even heavier! If you feel as though you’ve been in an exercise rut recently, being happy should give you the perfect chance to raise the bar even more by experimenting with something you’ve previously thought was beyond you.
Mood: Bummed-Out
The great thing about exercising is that it releases the so-called happy hormones that are usually in such short supply – endorphins, dopamine and so on. The problem you have when you’re bummed out is finding the motivation to even get to the gym. If you’re having girl trouble, the only thing you wanna do is lie on the couch and check your phone every 5 minutes.
To help you through this, you can make shorter schedules. Instead of doing lung-busting workouts, you could just prepare yourself for a quick 15 minutes workout. At least you’re doing something, and the chances are it could make you feel better
