A very important concept you are unaware of

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While compiling the course material for training the 1st batch of “Functional Fitness Instructors” few years back while I was managing a Fitness Academy, the very first chapter I decided to include was on “Flow State”. I wanted to make sure that the new Instructors understand the value of this powerful concept. I learned about this concept very first time when I was in Australia, training to become a “Wellness Coach”. This concept of “Flow” or “In the Zone” was part of Positive Psychology in my Wellness Coach learning material.

Before I expand into what “flow state” means, who coined this word, it’s characteristics, the conditions essential to achieve this, be sure to checkout this article by Pavel Tsatsouline, Founder and Chairman of StrongFirst Inc. The link is here.

I have experienced myself to be “In the Zone” or “Flow State” many a times while being involved in various activities such as while painting in my school days, playing sports, practicing Martial Arts, and practicing Hardstyle Kettlebell movements.

To give an example from my Hardstyle Kettlebell practice, whenever I practice Bottoms-up Turkish Get-up, I need to choose a bell that’s challenging enough for my Skills level. I have realised that this bell needs to be 24 kg as if I choose a lighter bell, it seems too easy and I get bored easily whereas if I choose a heavier bell such as 28 kg, it’s too heavy or challenging and my skills level doesn’t match it resulting in anxiety.

As a Strength Coach, when I design the session plan for my PT client, I keep in mind the “flow state” concept and calibrate the client’s level for that particular Kettlebell movement and suggest the appropriate weight he/she should use.

Inorder to get the most out of your fitness “work-outs”, start treating them as “Practice”, be more mindful of your form while performing the movements, make sure your breathing matches while doing the different phases of the movement, make sure you are barefoot if possible to get the bio-feedback from the ground, make sure to use the appropriate weight to match your skills level. This and much more will get you to experience Happiness, Success and a sense of Fulfilment.

Let’s dive more into what “flow state” is.

The term “flow state” was coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist and professor emeritus at Claremont Graduate University. He defined flow as “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”

Csikszentmihalyi identified eight characteristics of flow:

Clear goals: People in a flow state have a clear sense of what they are trying to achieve.
Immediate feedback: People in a flow state receive immediate feedback on their progress.
Balance between challenge and skill: The challenge of the activity is neither too easy nor too difficult.
Action and awareness are merged: People in a flow state are so focused on the activity that they lose track of time and self-consciousness.
The sense of control: People in a flow state feel a sense of control over the activity.
The loss of self-consciousness: People in a flow state lose their sense of self-consciousness and become completely absorbed in the activity.
The transformation of time: People in a flow state experience a distortion of time, feeling that the activity is either passing very quickly or very slowly.
The intrinsic motivation: People in a flow state are motivated by the activity itself, rather than by any external rewards.

Flow states can be achieved in a variety of activities, including sports, music, art, and work. They can also be achieved in everyday activities, such as cooking, cleaning, or walking.

There are a number of things that can help people to achieve flow states, including:

Setting clear goals: Having a clear sense of what you want to achieve can help you to focus your attention and stay motivated.
Finding challenging activities: Activities that are neither too easy nor too difficult are more likely to induce flow states.
Removing distractions: Distractions can break your focus and prevent you from entering a flow state.
Being present in the moment: When you are fully present in the moment, you are more likely to experience flow.
Enjoying the process: Flow states are more likely to occur when you are enjoying the activity itself, rather than focusing on the outcome.

If you are interested in achieving flow states, there are a number of resources available to help you. There are books, articles, and websites that can teach you about flow states and how to achieve them. There are also a number of apps and software programs that can help you to track your progress and stay motivated.

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