What are Your Intentions?

“I promise I did it with the best of intentions!” How often have we used this line in our own personal lives? We use it to explain a decision we’ve made and/or start an apology. In the social sense, I’d say this term gets used quite a bit. But, what if we started using it in the gym in regards to our own fitness and wellness? Do we actually have the best of intentions for ourselves while we workout in the gym? What I’m getting at is that if we are not at the gym for a purpose or we are not there with the intention of doing the absolute best for ourselves, then what are we doing there?

First, let’s define intentional or just intent. The best definition I’ve found from Merriam-Webster is, “A usually clearly formulated or planned aim or purpose.” If we have intent, and I mean REAL intent then not having a plan or purpose when we walk into the gym becomes pointless and your want to change might not actually exist. That plan starts with a general goal or destination like, “I want to lose ten pounds,” and trickles all the way down to each singular movement that leads you to this destination.

I can hear the silent questions now, “Nick, how I can have intention in one singular movement that usually only takes 30 or so seconds?” And that’s exactly how I want you to think! As a matter of fact thinking is the only way to have intention in each movement or exercise that you perform in the gym. You need to know where your head is positioned, your shoulders, your hips, your knees, and your feet. Once you begin being aware of your position and you start moving with the intention of allowing your body to master movement, your plan, or destination if you will, becomes that much easier to reach. But, with each new movement has to come an additional thought process in order to master it.

I have had the pleasure within the last few years to watch client after client have the proverbial light bulb go off in their head and finally realize why they walked into the gym. These are the people that you can see truly immersing their brain in each movement pattern they are taught. The ones that stop for a second and say, I’m tired of walking in this mindset of, “Maybe someday,” and start thinking that that someday is going to be today. They start living intentionally! Each movement, each leaf of spinach, each post workout shake and even each perfectly performed split squat (because we all know how much we love them) becomes their intent. They are giving their bodies a chance to be great and their minds a chance to be at peace. And, they will continue to strive to improve. THAT is being intentional. Don’t just promise your family and friends that you have the best intentions, prove it to YOURSELF!!