How to Design an Exercise Program for Pitta Ayurveda Mind-Body Type

Pittas are solidly built, often muscular and the most athletic of the three mind-body types in Ayurveda. Dating back 5,000 years to India, Ayurveda is a system of self-care the provides information on diet and how to treat illness. Pittas are often the hardcore athletes among us but they are also the weekend warriors, too. Unlike the waif-thin Vatas or heavyset Kaphas, Pittas are best suited for exercise. As many of us are sedentary office workers, everyone can benefit from some type of regular exercise.Competitive, confident and build for sports, Pittas like a challenge. If they are not competing in triathalons their daily schedule will look like one in other ways. Biking to work, picking up children after work and perhaps coaching their daughters’ soccer teams, is a textbook day for Pittas. Learn how to challenge a Pitta’s competitive drive in designing an exercise program for this athlete.

Instructions

• 1

  Define specific athletic benchmarks for yourself. If you are a runner and do not race formally, evaluate your current mileage and set new goals. Do you want to add speedwork and build up to 10-mile runs on weekends? If you are returning to exercise, start a running log and record your weekly workouts there. Type A Pittas enjoy measure progress and they excel at improvement as they are disciplined athletes.

• 2

  Participate in group and individual sports. Hard-driving by nature, Pittas excel in almost any kind of sports they enjoy. Moderate to very strenuous forms of exercise are appropriate for a healthy Pitta with no serious chronic diseases or illnesses. Pittas have the physical stamina to tackle swimming, running, biking, tennis as well as surfing and resistance training in the gym.

• 3

  Cross train to avoid injuries and mental burnout. No one has to ask a Pitta to exercise as she is already jogging every morning and playing tennis on weekends. Cross training can mean biking on days you don’t run and lifting weights three times a week, while swimming for distance to replace one hard cardiovascular workout a week. Hardcore athletes can suffer burnout if they do not vary their routines or take a season off and take up a completely different sport. Distinguish between high-impact and low-impact sports. Protect your joints, practice proper warm-ups, cool-downs and light stretching to stay healthy.

• 4

  Consider yoga and meditation. While not strictly exercise in the textbook sense of keeping the heart rate at an elevated level to burn calories, there are many benefits to practicing yoga and learning meditation. Very athletic styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, Bikram or what is called “vinyasa yoga” or “power yoga” (both based on Ashtanga) will likely appeal to athletes.

• 5

  Practice meditation as a form of mental exercise. Learn breathing techniques from a yoga teacher or in a group class. Professional athletes often visualize themselves performing at their best prior to competition and John McEnroe learned "Transcendental Meditation" to quell his fiery nature that was often on display in his televised matches.

• 6

  Coach or teach young people or volunteer. As talented and athletic as Pittas are, consider coaching children or as a volunteer during the summer. It is true that you can sharpen your skills by teaching others and in working with children, the reward is far greater than sheer athletic performance. Doing this also softens the very competitive nature of Pittas.