Find Your Flow

“Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.
- Wikipedia, Flow (psychology)

Do you know what it feels like to be in the zone? What it’s like to experience flow? To be completely immersed and focused on the task at hand, to feel ultimate control, making it almost effortless?

In work or daily tasks, when you achieve flow, you might completely lose track of time and lose any sense of personal need — “woah, I just realized I haven’t eaten in 6 hours!”  When you get in the zone in sports, things feel easy, almost effortless.  Like when the clock is running mid-workout, your brain “turns off” and rep after rep of power snatches are floating up.

It’s an amazing feeling, but it’s hard to force. Some people use visualization or meditation. Others follow a series a pre-game rituals that get them in the zone. I find visualization and deep breathing help during sports or workouts. And music helps me get in the zone regardless of the activity.

What works for you? How do you get in the zone or find your flow?

Awesome sauce with an extra serving of awesome (Casey Mara and Arlene Gaylord), 4/11/12

April 26, 2012 WOD

High-Bar Back Squat
1X10 @ 60%, 1X10 @ 65%, 1X8 @ 70%, 1X8 @ 75%
Rest 2-3 mins. between each set
* Use percentages of your 1-rep max

Then:

Knees-to-elbows x 21
Run 400m
Knees-to-elbows x 15
Run 400m
Knees-to-elbow x 9
Run 400m