imbalances, compensations and weaknesses so that these issues
can be corrected.
Corrective exercise for your mind
Corrective exercise for the body typically begins with some form
of self-myofascial release. These techniques help identify and
rejuvenate areas of the body that have been adversely affected
by muscle and movement imbalances (Price and Bratcher, 2018).
Corrective exercise for the mind begins with a similar process of
identifying destructive mental habits and negative thinking patterns.
Step 1: Identifying and releasing bad mental habits
times needed after activity, and shortness
of breath (Pert, 1997). These physiological
reactions to mental processes and patterns
negatively affect one’s ability to work out
successfully and recover effectively.
Your mind has imbalances, just
like your body
As a fitness professional, you know that
the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular
systems can develop imbalances that
affect physical appearance and movement
capabilities. Similarly, the mind can
develop bad habits and negative thinking
patterns that can adversely affect the
body’s performance (Sarno, 2001). Just as
you would regularly assess the body for
disparities, you must also learn to observe
and evaluate the mind to understand its
Just as one would search around
the body with a foam roller to
uncover areas of tension, the mind
should be explored for problematic
tendencies and stress.
28 | NETWORK SUMMER 2019
Just as one would search around the body with a foam roller (or
similar massage tool) to uncover areas of tension with self-myofascial
release techniques, the mind should be explored for problematic
tendencies and stress.
Begin by paying attention to any recurring negative thoughts
or emotions you have throughout the day. Make a note of these
propensities in a notebook or journal. For example, you might notice
that every time you are warming up for a run you have recurring
anxious thoughts about the knee pain you tend to get after running
a couple of miles. Alternatively, you may realise that you always feel
guilty or demean yourself after eating a piece of cake or other desert.
It doesn’t matter the subject of your thoughts, but rather the negative
mindset that accompanies them. Whatever your mental tendencies,
record them in your journal.
Step 2: Introducing new mental habits
Corrective exercise for the body typically progresses from self-
myofascial release to stretching exercises (Price, 2018). Stretching
introduces new ranges of motion to the body to enable new
movements, improve physical confidence and facilitate better
function. Corrective exercise for the mind employs comparable
strategies to produce similar results.
Look at the list of negative thoughts and emotions you have written
down. Now stretch yourself mentally by considering alternative and
positive ways to think about the same topics.
In the runner’s scenario above, for example, recurring stressful
thoughts about knee pain were identified. The optimistic alternative
to this is to replace the destructive thoughts with a buoyant substitute
such as ‘I have been integrating corrective exercise into my workouts
consistently now for almost three months and the cause of my knee
pain is being addressed. I’m confident that I’m doing a great job of
making sure my knee doesn’t hurt when I run’.
Alternatively, in the eating scenario, a more positive way to think
about having a piece of cake might be to say to yourself ‘It’s my
friend’s birthday. I feel extremely fortunate to be celebrating their
happy day and enjoying a piece of cake with them’.
Step 3: Reinforcing positive mental habits
The final stage of any corrective exercise program involves using
strengthening exercises to reinforce those areas of the body that
require it in order to maintain and/or develop optimal function (Price
and Bratcher, 2018). The same goes for reconditioning exercises
designed to strengthen the mind. In Step 1 of your corrective exercise
program for the mind, you identified your negative mental habits.
In Step 2, you came up with alternative points of view to replace
your recurring problematic thoughts and emotions. In Step 3, you