Awareness 1: Body Scan

In this guided body scan, we show you how to build awareness by establishing, holding and releasing attention. Designed specifically for mixed martial artists.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Michelle and thank you for taking the time to download this guided body scan exercise.

Before we begin,

I'd like to remind you what we at My MMA Brain are trying to help you do.

Our goal is to help you understand how mental training techniques work and how to do them properly.

Eventually,

You should be able to combine several techniques into one single practice,

One that works best for you,

Without the help of a guide.

For that reason,

We recommend becoming familiar with each technique – breathing exercises,

Body scans,

Priming and visualizations,

And any other mental training technique you acquire – to develop a daily routine that serves you well.

Body scans train the mind to establish,

Hold,

And release attention.

In a way,

These mental training exercises are like lifting weights for your mind.

They build regions of your brain associated with being able to focus – a skill that is so important in a sport like mixed martial arts.

In doing this body scan,

The purpose isn't to change anything,

But simply notice what is present – what is happening right now.

To be in total control of your mind,

Body,

And emotions.

Noticing when your attention has wandered,

And then returning attention back as you systematically move your attention around your body.

Your mind will wander,

And this is normal.

But by practicing focused attention exercises regularly,

You'll encounter a full range of experiences,

Including tendencies to react,

Judge,

Plan,

Or fantasize about the past or future.

You may have a range of bodily sensations,

Pleasant and unpleasant.

Remember that the intended outcome is simply awareness.

Now,

Let's get started.

Find a comfortable spot away from distractions,

Lying on your back,

On the floor,

Couch,

Bed.

Loose comfortable clothing works best,

Allowing your eyes to close.

Now,

Let's get in touch with your breath.

In the future,

You may do breathing exercises for an extended period of time until you're ready to do a body scan.

Five or ten minutes of mindful breathing may work well.

Sensing the movement of your breath.

Sensations in your body.

Feeling the touch or pressure of your body where it makes contact with the ground.

Sinking deeper into the chair,

Couch,

Or bed with every breath.

Let's begin the scan.

Starting at the toes,

Bringing your attention or spotlight of your awareness to your toes.

Perhaps imagining a laser scanner or a spotlight,

Which will slowly scan your body from your toes to the top of your head.

Beginning with your toes.

As the wall of light slowly begins scanning the tips of your toes,

Or as the spotlight focuses your attention on them,

Feel any sensations in your toes,

Bringing a gentle curiosity to any feelings that arise.

Investigating the quality of sensations you find.

Coolness or heat.

Soreness.

Perhaps no sensation.

Perhaps a sense of tingling,

Warmth.

Allow the spotlight to begin to engulf the toes and past the toe joint.

Feeling any sensations in the balls of your feet,

The tops of your feet,

The arches.

Light engulfing both of your feet now.

Feeling the sensations in your heels,

The instep,

And the bottom of your feet.

The light at your ankles now.

Allowing the awareness to expand to the ankle,

Completely aware of any sensations on the skin,

In the flesh,

And in the bones.

Perhaps feeling the light penetrate the ligaments of your feet and ankles,

Penetrating the muscle fibers and even the cells in your body.

Allowing the light to continue to slowly move up your lower legs,

Bending and conforming to the shape of your body.

Rest your focus on any sensations in your lower legs.

Be aware of any discomfort you feel and let the light rest on this spot until the feeling subsides.

Continuing to bring awareness to the lower leg,

The bottom of your calves and shins.

If your mind wanders,

That's entirely normal.

It's what minds do.

However,

When you notice that your mind has wandered from your body,

Gently return your attention to the part of the body you intend to focus on.

Moving up now,

Halfway up your shins.

Rest under the kneecaps now.

Moving over the knees now and the back of the knees.

Resting on your knees for a moment,

Feeling any pain or no sensations at all.

That's fine too.

Staying focused.

Trying to scan your thighs,

Quads and hamstrings.

Aware of any sensations.

You may feel bruising or tenderness,

Perhaps soreness from training.

Your thighs might simply feel heavy.

Scanning their weight as they rest.

Feeling the sensation of contact between your legs and the couch or bed.

Scanning further now,

The spotlight passing over your fingers by your side.

Scan each finger with curiosity and notice any sensations.

Even noticing the space between your fingers.

Feel your hands engulfed by the entire spotlight now.

Feeling any stress in your tendons,

The muscles and your finger joints.

Now allowing the light to cover your wrists.

Feeling any discomfort or nothing.

Just being aware.

Up your forearms now.

At the same time,

Light continues to move up your thighs towards your groin.

Feeling each body part as the light moves over you.

Returning your focus each time your mind wanders.

Feel your genitals and buttocks resting for a moment on your hips.

The light just under your belt line.

Moving around your hips.

Feeling at a steady,

Controlled pace so as not to miss any part of your body.

Continuing up toward your belly button.

The sensations on your skin inside your lower belly,

In your lower spine.

Sensing the sensations or lack of sensations.

The tingling,

Numbness,

The inner organs.

Slowly moving over your belly.

Allowing the light to penetrate through your body.

Now engulfing your elbows.

Rest for a moment on your forearms and hands.

Assess them with this light.

Feeling anything from heat to soreness to temperature to the pull of gravity on these parts of your body.

To your sternum.

Your lower biceps.

And your torso,

Including your ribs,

Scanning each rib.

Slowly over your chest.

Noticing any sensations.

Pressure,

Itching.

Your triceps and shoulders.

Feeling any discomfort and staying with it until it subsides.

Calm and controlled breathing,

Focusing on how your body feels.

Around the widest part of your chest.

And the thickest part of your back.

Over your shoulders and into your armpits now.

Slowly scanning.

Eventually your collarbone and upper back.

Not just noticing sensation on the surface of your skin,

But in every cell,

In every part of your body.

Beginning now around your neck.

Noticing any sensations.

Warmth,

Coolness.

Soreness from that rear naked choke you barely escaped earlier.

The Adam's apple,

Scanning,

Scanning.

The place where your spine meets the base of your skull.

The spotlight approaching the tip of your chin.

Then just below your lower lip.

Over your lips and below your nose.

Feeling the sense of this light as it continues to move over your body.

Now over your nose and all around your head.

Under your eyes now.

And then your eyelids,

Around the skull in the back of your head.

Your eyebrows and forehead now.

Scanning your own brain and feeling any sensations.

Feeling your entire face and any expression you may be holding.

Feeling to keep or release any tension in the muscles of your face.

Continuing to scan the cranium.

The circle around your head slowly getting smaller toward the top of your head.

Now scanning the top of your head until only a small circle remains.

Slowly scanning to the very top of your head.

The circle getting smaller and smaller until the last hair or skin cell is scanned.

Once complete,

Lying in this position,

Spending a few moments simply being aware of the body as a whole,

Feeling the weight of your entire body.

Return your attention to your breath,

Sensing the breath flowing in and out.

Breathing freely.

Bringing your awareness back to your body.

You are right here,

In this spot,

And nowhere else.

Be thankful for the opportunity to have taken the time to practice this exercise.

Let the calmness and focused attention from this exercise follow you into your life and into the cage,

More calm and more in control.

With patience and dedication to these and other types of mental training exercises,

You will see noticeable improvements in your ability to react intelligently under pressure.

For more mental training exercises,

Please visit MyMMABrain.

Com.

Reviews

I simply loved it! It helped me focus and cleared my head 🙏🏼 You don’t have to fight in a cage and be a martial artist fighter to benefit from it.

This was a great body scan meditation! Helped me focus, clear my mind, relax and re-energize.

Excellent 🤛🏻👊🏻👏🏻👊🏻🤛🏻✊🏼👋🏻🤜🏻👊🏻🤛🏻

Very pleasant. I don't know how useful yet. The MMA slant is interesting but not intrusive. Invites another experience or two.

Workable user friendly style! 5!

Wonderful scanning meditation. I am not a mixed martial arts person but find the technique presented to be very helpful.