Boost health, reduce stress, and sharpen your mental focus with mind-body exercises

CapeTalk and 702's Africa Melane speaks to fitness presenter and mental fitness coach Liezel van der Westhuizen.

Listen below: 

What’s the best kind of workout? According to Van der Westhuizen, it’s one that strengthens both your body and your mind.

Mind-body exercises combine physical movement with intentional mental focus, often incorporating breathwork and mindfulness techniques.

Unlike traditional workouts that prioritise muscle gain or weight loss, these practices aim to regulate the nervous system, support emotional well-being, and guide the body into a more restorative state.

Examples of mind-body workouts include:

• Yoga paired with sound bath meditation

• Tai Chi

• Boxing

• Dance

• Pilates

• Qigong

These exercises are designed to foster mental clarity, ease anxiety, and build emotional resilience. Research shows that mindfulness-based movement activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the part responsible for rest and recovery... helping the body better cope with stress.

Van der Westhuizen suggests integrating a mindfulness-based workout into your regular fitness routine at least once a week for a more balanced approach to health.

At the very least, just try "being present" during your workouts, she adds.

"We need to differentiate between traditional workouts and mind-body exercise. 2023 Research from the Umbrella Review found that mind-body exercises has the greatest effect on cognitive function in adults (aged 50+). Chronic mind exercises show that it has moderate positive effects on memory, attention and processing speeds. It's also found to lower blood pressure, improve sleep quality, and boost your immune function."

- Liezel van der Westhuizen, Fitness Presenter & Mental Health Coach

"The hardest class you're ever going to go is not deadlifting or weightlifting - it's going to try and slow your mind down, because we rush through the day, are in fight or flight mode... we don't take time to pause. So this is really about intentional moving and getting your mind focused."

- Liezel van der Westhuizen, Fitness Presenter & Mental Health Coach

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.