Fitness: Using a Mirror

Mirror, mirror on the wall…

When I first started working with my coach, I dreaded the wall of mirror in the gym. As I worked out, he would often say “look at yourself in the mirror”. Completely self conscious, this was a hard task for me- as I think it is for many women.

I am a lot more comfortable with the mirror now and see it as a useful tool. When doing yoga at home by myself, I sometimes pull out the full length mirror. It is helpful to look in the mirror to determine if I am doing the poses correctly. Sometimes I feel like I am doing the correct pose but when I look in the mirror, I will see things that need to be corrected.

I highly suggest that you use a mirror as a tool with your workout program! Check to see what muscles you are using. What is your back doing? Are you overextending? Are your neck muscles kicking in? Are your shoulder blades pulled back into their sockets? These are just some of the questions that run through my mind when I use a mirror to help me. That being said, don’t use the mirror all of the time! I try to look in the mirror, see what needs to change, make the changes and then try to apply it without looking in the mirror. Then try to remember what the correct move felt like so you can apply it next time!

So break out the mirror, get over your self-consciousness and improve your fitness program!

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Renae Chiovaro

Renae is a married working mom of two handsome boys. She works as a registered dental hygienist by day and blogs here at How to Have it All by night. She enjoys cooking from scratch, working in her vegetable garden and functional training.