The Practice Session: "The Emotional Check-In Workout"
Purpose: Learn how to stay emotionally engaged and present during endurance efforts rather than resisting discomfort or getting lost in self-doubt.
Workout Structure:
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Before the Workout – Setting Intentions (5 Minutes)
- Before starting your run, ride, or swim, pause.
- Take three deep breaths and ask yourself:
- How do I feel emotionally right now?
- What do I need from this workout?
- What is my intention for today? (It could be presence, flow, or simply staying open to the experience.)
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During the Workout – Check-Ins (Every 10-15 Minutes or at Key Points)
- When discomfort arises, instead of pushing it away, acknowledge it:
- "I feel this fatigue in my legs. That’s okay."
- "My breathing is hard, but I am still in control."
- "This is temporary. Let’s just stay with it."
- If your mind starts drifting into negative self-talk, gently redirect it to curiosity:
- "What happens if I relax into this instead of fighting it?"
- "How can I be with this sensation instead of against it?"
- When discomfort arises, instead of pushing it away, acknowledge it:
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After the Workout – Reflection (5 Minutes)
- Write down:
- One thing you learned about yourself today.
- A moment when you noticed an emotional shift (good or bad) and how you handled it.
- A word or phrase that describes how you want to feel in future workouts.
- Write down:
Why This Works for the Intuitive Feeler:
- Encourages emotional awareness rather than avoidance.
- Reinforces that discomfort is not the enemy but part of the experience.
- Builds self-trust—showing the athlete they can move through emotional highs and lows without being controlled by them.
This week’s lesson is about learning to stay with yourself, even when training gets hard. Instead of resisting discomfort, lean into it with curiosity. Let yourself feel everything, knowing that no emotion, no sensation, and no moment is permanent.
This is endurance. And you already have everything you need to develop it.
