Here's how to create an exercise routine for your body and mind

We already know that exercise is good for our bodies, but it’s also an essential tool for managing our mental health. However, many people still separate physical fitness from mental well-being, viewing them as two separate goals rather than parts of a whole.

Too often, workout routines are designed with the body in mind, focusing on burning calories, building strength, or improving flexibility . What’s often missing is intentionality—movement designed not just to make you sweat, but also to help you feel better mentally and emotionally.

Research shows that consistent physical activity can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance executive functioning, and improve sleep quality, a key factor in emotional regulation and overall mental health. But not all movement is created equal when it comes to mental health. The type of movement—and how you approach it—matters.

As a mind-body coach in professional sports for over two decades, I’ve helped elite athletes build strong, mobile bodies while also supporting their mental resilience—using movement and breath to regulate the nervous system, stay balanced under pressure, and maintain sharp focus. These same tools and principles can help anyone strengthen their body and mind, improving how they move and feel every day.

Pushing yourself through a high-intensity workout while mentally disconnected from your body doesn’t offer the same mental health benefits as moving mindfully. True mind-body conditioning involves being present during movement , using intentional breathing, and training in ways that support your nervous system.

The brain and body are deeply interconnected through the nervous system. One of the key elements in this connection is the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain stem to the gut and influences functions as varied as heart rate, digestion, mood, and emotional regulation.

When you exercise with deep, focused breathing, you stimulate your vagus nerve, which activates your parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and recovery” state). Doing so can calm your mind, reduce stress, and improve focus by taking your body out of “fight or flight” mode, helping you reach restful states more easily.

On the other hand, when exercise is overly intense or performed with poor breathing patterns and lack of recovery, it can increase stress hormones and leave you feeling more drained than energized. That’s why it’s important to choose exercises and formats that align with your needs and goals — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too.

How to Create an Exercise Routine for Your Mind and Body

You don’t have to completely overhaul your workout regimen to make it more mind-body focused. Start by incorporating these five simple strategies. Before starting any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you feel pain.

Breathing is the most efficient and effective way to influence your nervous system. Use slow, intentional breathing before, during, and after your workouts.

In the warm-up: use diaphragmatic breathing to slow down from your day and connect with your body.
During mobility work: Use your breath to move your rib cage in ways that support better posture, positioning, and rotation. For example, when rotating your upper body to the right, use inhales to expand your ribs on the right side and exhales to contract your ribs on the left side, to facilitate rotation.
During strength training: Exhale during the effort phase — as you would when pushing up into a push-up or rising from a squat — to activate core control and regulate tension.
During cool down: Practice long exhales, which further stimulate the vagus nerve to promote relaxation and recovery. I recommend doubling the length of your exhales during recovery sessions, practicing a four-count inhale with an eight-count exhale.

Mobility training improves flexibility and joint health, but its benefits go beyond the physical. Practicing breath-guided mobility exercises, such as the three-way hip flexor release and the windmill twist, also sharpens body awareness and supports nervous system regulation. Add exercises like these to your warm-ups or active recovery days, focusing on the coordination between breath and movement to develop physical control and mental clarity.

High-intensity workouts have their benefits, but overdoing them can chronically elevate stress levels and impair recovery. To support your nervous system, balance your weekly workout with lower-intensity sessions. Activities like walking, yoga, breath-based mobility, and bodyweight exercises help keep you active while promoting resilience, emotional regulation, and injury prevention.

No matter what type of workout you’re doing—strength, mobility, cardio, or recovery—your mental presence affects how your body behaves and adapts. Rushing through reps or getting distracted increases your risk of poor form, injury, and lost benefits.

Focus on the quality of your movement: pay attention to alignment, pace yourself, and stay aware of how your body feels. When your mind starts to wander, use your breath to ground yourself in the present and reconnect with your body. Presence transforms each exercise into an opportunity to develop both physical skill and mental clarity.

Before, during, and after your workouts, take 30 seconds to assess how you feel. Ask yourself: Where am I holding tension? How is my breathing? What do I need right now—intensity or balance?

These moments of self-awareness transform your fitness practice into a tool for emotional regulation, not just physical conditioning.

How to structure a week focused on mind and body

Here is an example weekly structure for balancing strength, mobility, and nervous system support:

Two days: strength training with movement preparation focused on breathing and mobility relaxation;
Two days: breath-guided mobility or Pilates and low-intensity cardio (walking, light cycling, etc.);
Day One: A recovery day with breathing exercises and gentle stretching or yoga;
Two days: Mixed training (circuit or flow) that combines mobility, strength and cardio.

While having a plan is important, mind-body fitness is all about listening to how you feel and adjusting accordingly. Movement can change your mental and emotional state, but it works best when you start with awareness and choose what best suits your needs, whether it’s to calm down or boost energy. The goal is to support—not overwhelm—your system.

Remember, a mind-body fitness routine isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing what serves you most fully. By training with awareness, incorporating breath and movement, and respecting the needs of your nervous system, you won’t just feel stronger—you’ll feel more focused, resilient, and balanced in your everyday life.

See also: Physical activities prevent physical and mental illnesses