How to Tackle a Tough Workout—with Your Brain

Adrienne Lerner, women’s varsity soccer captain at the University of Pennsylvania, says that her method of working out revolves around setting goals and completing them. “I enter every workout knowing exactly what I want to get out of it, whether that be my pace or length of time, and then I work off of the goals I set,” she says. During the workout, Lerner concentrates on reaching that destination and what she has to do to achieve it.

Lerner says she’s an “in the zone” type of athlete, refusing to read a book or magazine during a workout at the gym in order to fully focus on the physical experience. Rather than finding this focus stressful or exhausting, she says it’s a release from everything else going on in her life, a little vacation for the mind.

For those who need a little distraction during a workout, don’t fret. Fish says that there is no benefit to being an “in the zone” or “out of the zone” athlete—everyone is different. Fish has encountered athletes who really like to focus on everything that’s going on, such as exactly what their arms and legs are doing, and that helps them increase their concentration and composure.

He’s also encountered athletes where that method is detrimental to their performance, as it makes them self-conscious and hinders their confidence. Out-of-the-zone athletes allow their minds to wander while their bodies simply do what they’ve been trained to do. And of course, it isn’t always one way or the other. Some athletes zone in at the beginning, out during the middle, and back in at the end—it’s all up to individual discretion.

I’m addicted to my iPod and find that it gets me more excited and amped up during my workouts. A lot of research has been conducted on the effects of music on athletic performance, and studies such as this one suggest that listening to music can enhance workouts by inspiring athletes to work harder, distracting them from fatigue, and helping them to settle into a rhythm. Lerner definitely supports the benefits of listening to music. “Sometimes an upbeat song can help motivate me to go faster.”

I asked Lerner a question many of us novice athletes often wonder: What do you think about when you hit the wall and feel like you’re about to die? Lerner says it’s almost always one of two things: either how good she’s going to feel when she finishes, or how badly she’ll feel if she quits. Anyone who’s ever copped out towards the end of a strenuous workout can relate to that feeling of failure and disappointment, and it definitely isn’t one that’s fun to repeat.

Be a champion, not a quitter. And remember, it’s all in your head.