What do you think about during your workout?

[megalicious]

I asked H this, and he was all like, "when I run, I'm concentrating on my form, breathing, etc; when I swim I'm thinking about my stroke". Really? I'm off in la la land day dreaming, or gawking at other people at the gym. Maybe that's why I'm so slow!  

[trigal]

Sometimes I am very focused, especially when swimming. I have to concentrate on counting my laps! I think about breathing and form while swimming (and trying to go faster than DH!). I think about form and nutrition while cycling. I think about breathing and form while running. If I'm not feeling great, I try to fix the problem.

Other times, my mind wanders while cycling and running, especially when I don't have a specific workout (based on power or speed).

[hannahb]

Notmally what I'm going to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner depending on the time of day. Today during my swim I was off in La la land thinking about random stuff ranging from what I needed at target to what I need to get done this week. This is why I really have no idea how far I swam, I kept losing track of my laps. I have a hard time turning my brain "off" from what needs to be done
Never do I think about form or breathing. Well except for maybe during yoga. However I've found myself daydreaming then too.

[jeanl]

I do Crossfit so there is no time to think about anything except to keep moving and breathing and keeping good form during lifts. It is so nice to just shut the "thinking" side of my brain off for an hour. Thank god for crossfit right now, otherwise I would have way too much time to stress about my separation/divorce mess.

[joenali]

Swimming: sometimes I sing (in my head) I count laps, watch the clock, try to beat other people and say things to myself like "try to pass this person one more time."

Bike: try to remind myself about form, remind myself to drink, if its a speed workout I try to beat other people and talk myself into going, faster. Today it was more like "holy shit, another hill, I can do it!"

Run: stand up tall, count my foot strikes to make sure my cadence is fast enough, keep an eye on my HRM. Sometimes I think about how much it sucks, but how good I'll feel when Im done.

[jchokie79]

Honestly? When I'm running, most of the time I'm like "I hate running! Why can't I breath? Why am I so slow!?" You get the picture. Sometimes I think about food, like what I'm going to eat when I'm done running. Today I was thinking about making a green monster and all the mango I was going to put into it.

[grk2012]

Depends on the day. During my run this morning, I was thinking about how my shirt kept creeping up, how I could cut my (3mi) run short, but would feel dumb about that, and really it wasn't that bad, and I'd still have time to clean up for church, and how hungry I was getting. Tonight at yoga, my thoughts revolved around the sirens going past the studio and how I hoped they weren't for my son and husband who were playing at the park across the street, how I was a little nervous that the owner of the studio parked her mat next to mine, how my sweaty towel was bunching under my feet, and psyching myself up for a wheel pose instead of bridge.

[wambam]

Counting.

I am notorious for losing track of my reps.

[cinco]

Nothing. Everything. It depends on the day! I daydream about races and PRing a good bit. I think about the kids and the move, vacation plans.

ETA: I do NOT think about my form.

[gumi]

I hate it when I zone out when I swim because I have no idea how far I swam (my speed on a bad day vs good day varies so much that I can't go based just on time). So in the pool, I always focus on my form.

When I run, I think about many things. Only during track workouts and specific pace workouts do I think I about perform. But if I do an hour track workout, I dont think about anything except my running for that hour.

When I bike, I pay attention to traffic. I try to be really aware of everything around me. I take turns focusing on my balance, my peddle stroke, my breathing, etc. If I am in a group ride though I get super chatty and focus on nothing! I am really about that.

[venice2007]

All kinds of stuff. Songs in my iPod, I say long prayers, count, zone out, think about my day, etc. my mind wanders bad!

[HiC]

Yoga, I'm paying attention to how I feel and if I should push myself a little more or not.

Running, On my long runs for my half, I run out of things to think about and then have been getting bored out of my mind. I don't know what more to think about so I think, "Please let this be over soon." Such a terrible mantra.

[sadlebred]

Anything and everything or nothing depending on the day.

[katandkevin]

Being in the pool is my zen time. I usually work through problems if I have any or think of my to do list. If I am doing a longer set I count laps and focus on form.

Biking I usually am trying to figure out where we are on the route and how much farther we have to go . Ha!

Running, I zone out.

[ddi741]

I'm all over the place. I sing in my head, I look to see what's going on in the neighborhood as I run past people's houses and then there is the "Why hasn't the Nike + guy said I've gone a mile yet, I'm sure I must have gone a mile by now"

[gt7301b]

Lol, it depends, but I don't think about my form.

Today at my 5K my thoughts went like this....

Weeeehhhhh, I'm running fast...... Oppsss, 7:40 first mile.... G$%^D damn hill... I hate running.... Why is it so hot... I hate running...... 1/2 a mile to go.....I'm never running again.... Finish strong... I LOVE RUNNING

[taratru]

Depends on the day. My best runs happen when I'm thinking about nothing, but it's hard for me to quiet my mind like that.

[clseale]

Jun 2, 2013 19:51:35 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

Nothing
It's awesome. Working out is the only thing that get's my brain to be quiet.

Yes, it's awesome! My sister once asked me what I thought about on my 20 mile run (I was solo with no music.) I thought about it a second & replied,"I honestly can't tell you. Lol Nothing. Everything. Anything. I don't know.i don't remember." I completely zone out. My mind wanders all over the place, but I only remember silence. A few uninterrupted hours of peace. 

[emilyj]

I'd say about 70% of the time I'm thinking about something workout-focused; strokes, swim form, remembering to kick, or form/cadence on my bike.

The other 30% I zone out and think about my research projects. I've gotten 2 publications so far from ideas I've had while out on my bike, so I'll happily take that!!

[pixy0stix]

Lifting: Counting, and then wondering if I messed up the count
Running: Zoning out to the audio book.
Classes: "My form is perfect, I bet I look just like the teacher." Then I see myself in the mirror. "Oh crap, uh... better focus." Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Deleted]

Running--I'm either chatting with my running partners or, if I'm solo, mulling over my to-do list or concentrating on whatever podcast/book I'm listening to at the time.

Spin--if i'm teaching, a lot of counting, watching form, and evaluating the playlist. If not--autopilot problem solving.

[libbygrl109]

Anything and everything. If it's a good run, it's usually nothing associated with running. I'll be singing along to whatever song I'm listening to, take in the sites, what I'm going to do once I'm done. If it's bad, it's every negative thing I can think of - Why did I think I liked running, why do I have to be soooooo sloooow, that's what you get for eating that XX last night, fattie, just get yourself to that spot up there, just get the damn mileage over with.

If it's a class, I'm usually focused on the instructor, and hoping I don't look too ridiculous in the mirror.

[penelope]

If I am spinning, I focus on the music. Sometimes that brings back memories, or makes me think of my kids. I tend to think about daily life while spinning.

When running, I think about how much longer until I am done (or can stop for a walk break). I do focus on form when running, however I also wonder what the kids are up to, what we'll have for dinner, the homework they must get done when I return, etc.

Lifting weights is more a "my time" workout. I do not think about daily life while lifting.

[bluelikejazz]

Lifting: I'm usually people watching and laughing inside at all the guys checking themselves out in the mirrors (I saw a guy give himself two thumbs up last week, it was awesome)

Swimming: usually counting laps and watching the time. "racing" people who don't know we're racing I tend to add up how far I've gone and how much further I have every 30 seconds as well.

Running: On the rare occasion I run, I usually think about how much I don't like running because I don't do it enough and I should probably be better about running. Then it never happens.

[jillybean222]

Jun 2, 2013 19:51:35 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

Nothing
It's awesome. Working out is the only thing that get's my brain to be quiet.

this!  i have to think and do all day and running is my break from all that!  i don't even know how i get to where i am sometimes!!! 

[laurack]

food often

or how much my body hurts.

[shorty20]

It just depends on the day.  Sometimes I think about my to do list, crap I have to do at work, how hot I am, how nice it is out, whatever pops in my mind.

[LWoods]

A good portion of the time it's thinking about how my coaches clearly want to kill me. If I'm just running it depends, if I'm listening to music sometimes I'm thinking about the lyrics (what does getting "guap" mean? is it getting pretty, like el guapo?) or I'm thinking about whatever the heck is stressing me out, or nothing, or what I'm going to eat later in the day. If it's a race I'm thinking "go faster, keep up with that guy, keep that girl in your sites...oh crap, she was probably too quick, don't jump the gun" etc. My brain doesn't understand "turn off."

[So_Fetch]

This is an awesome thread.
Mostly I think about not dying and just getting it over with. Lately I've been more confident so I spend some time with positive self talk (you got this! you can totally do this! omg look at your pace!) During crossfit I think about form, during swimming I focus on breathing (as in - don't stop breathing out or the water comes in!).

[gustafngrete]

During spin class I think about the songs that are playing,(whether they suck or not), I count how many people are in the class, then look to see how many people are wearing the color purple etc., I also play this game to see how long I can go before turning around and looking at the clock.

I run for fun, so I am not thinking too much about form, other than to check in periodically to see if any areas of my body are in pain. Otherwise, I have the best thoughts when I run. I think about the future, plan out my next career, vacation etc. The time ends up going very quickly.