Boost Your Workout: Using Incense for Pre-Workout Energy | Incense Shop SG

How to Use Incense as a Pre-Workout Ritual for Energy


Ditch the workout dread and find your flow. We explore how a simple incense stick can transform your fitness motivation.

Let's be real. It’s 5:30 PM. Your gym bag is packed, your water bottle is full, but your sofa has suddenly developed a gravitational pull stronger than a black hole.

We’ve all been there. The biggest battle in fitness isn't the last rep—it's just getting out the door. We try everything: chugging pre-workout drinks that make our faces tingle, blasting motivational playlists, or scrolling through fitness influencers, hoping their energy is contagious.

But what if the secret to consistent motivation isn't a jolt, but a shift?

What if, instead of forcing it, you could prime your mind for performance?

Welcome to the world of pre-workout rituals. And at the heart of this new wellness hack is one of the oldest tools in history: incense.

We know what you might be thinking. "Incense? Isn't that for temples or relaxing baths?"

Yes, but it's also a powerful psychological tool. When you use a specific scent as part of a consistent routine, you are creating a powerful mental trigger. You're teaching your brain: "When I smell this, it's time to perform."

This article is your guide to building a simple, 5-minute pre-workout ritual using incense sticks. We'll explore the science of how it works, what scents to use for energy (hint: your coffee and sandalwood incense are about to become your new gym partners), and how to do it without filling your room with smoke.


Why a Ritual? The Power of "Priming" Your Mind

First, let's talk about rituals. Top athletes, from basketball players to Olympic swimmers, all have them. It might be the way they tape their wrists, the specific song they listen to, or the visualization they perform.

These aren't just superstitions; they are a form of psychological "priming."

A ritual is a consistent series of actions that signals to your brain that a specific event is about to happen. As one article from The Mental Game Clinic on pre-game rituals explains, these routines act as "mental anchors" that help athletes tap into a state of focus, confidence, and readiness [Source 1: The Mental Game Clinic, The Role of Pre-Game Rituals].

When you perform your ritual, you are effectively:

  1. Switching Context: You're drawing a line between "tired, after-work you" and "focused, workout you."

  2. Creating Control: On days when you feel chaotic or unmotivated, a ritual is a simple, controllable action that grounds you.

  3. Building an Anchor: Over time, your brain builds a strong association. The ritual becomes a shortcut to the "zone."

A ritual can be anything, but the most effective ones engage the senses. And the most powerful, under-used sense for this is, by far, your sense of smell.

Why Incense? Your Nose is a Superhighway to Your Brain

Here’s the fascinating part. Your sense of smell, or olfaction, is unique.

Unlike your other senses (sight, touch, hearing), which first get routed to the brain's "logic center" (the thalamus), smells take a direct flight. Information from your nose goes straight to the limbic system, the part of your brain that governs emotion, memory, and mood.

A 2015 review from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) highlights that odors are "relayed directly to the limbic system" and have a "potent power to influence mood" and behavior [Source 2: NIH, Olfactory memory networks].

This is why a specific perfume can instantly transport you back to your high school dance, or the smell of baking bread can make you feel safe and nostalgic.

When you light an incense stick before your workout, you are tapping into this neurological superhighway. You're using a potent scent to send a direct message to your brain's emotional center: "Get energized. Get focused. It's time to move."

This combination—the psychological power of a ritual plus the physiological power of scent—creates a trigger that is far more effective than willpower alone.


The 5-Minute Pre-Workout Incense Ritual
(A Step-by-Step Guide)

This isn't about a long, complicated ceremony. It's about a quick, repeatable action. Here's a simple ritual you can try today.

Step 1: Set Your Intention (1 Minute) As you're changing into your workout gear, grab your incense and holder. This simple physical action is the start of the ritual. Set a simple intention for your workout. It could be "I want to feel strong," "I want to clear my head," or "I just want to finish."

Step 2: Light the Scent (30 Seconds) Light your chosen incense stick. As you light it, you're "igniting" the ritual. Place it in a safe holder on a clear surface.

Step 3: Breathe and Visualize (3 Minutes) This is the core. Don't just let the incense burn in the background. Engage with it.

  • Stand or sit comfortably.

  • Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, inhaling the aroma.

  • For the next few minutes, visualize your workout.

    • If you're running, picture yourself on the path, feeling light and strong.

    • If you're lifting, visualize the bar moving smoothly. Feel the power in your muscles.

    • If you're doing yoga, imagine yourself flowing effortlessly between poses.

  • With every inhale, associate the scent with this feeling of energy and success.

Step 4: Extinguish and Go (30 Seconds) Gently extinguish the incense (you can save the rest for tomorrow). The ritual is complete. The anchor is set. Now, grab your bag and go. Don't hesitate. Don't second-guess. Just move.

The next time you do this, the mental link will be even stronger. Within a week, the scent alone will be enough to get you into that energized headspace.


Choosing Your "Energy Scent": A Guide to Energizing Aromas


Not all incense is created equal. While some scents are designed for deep sleep (like lavender), others are perfect for focus and energy.

Here’s a breakdown of scents that are perfect for a pre-workout boost, including many available right here from Singapore.

1. For Laser Focus: Sandalwood & Cedarwood

Before a complex lift, a yoga session, or a technical sport, you need focus more than just raw energy.

  • Sandalwood: This is the king of "focus" scents. It's a classic for a reason. Its rich, woody aroma is grounding and centering. It doesn't hype you up; it clears your mind. As noted by wellness site Prana Beauty, sandalwood is revered for its ability to support "greater clarity and focus," making it ideal for meditation—or in this case, a moving meditation [Source 3: Prana Beauty, What Does Sandalwood Do for the Brain?].

  • Cedarwood: Think of cedarwood as Sandalwood's sharp, clear-headed cousin. It’s a clean, forest-like scent that is known for cutting through mental clutter and anxiety. In fact, a study cited by aromatherapy company Nikura noted that cedarwood oil improved "focus and attention" [Source 4: Nikura, 10 Benefits and Uses of Cedarwood Oil]. It's perfect for shaking off the stress of a long workday so you can focus on your form.

2. For an Uplifting Boost: Floral & Citrus Scents

On days when you feel low, heavy, or "stuck," you need a scent that will literally "uplift" your mood.

  • Jasmine: Don't let its sweet, floral nature fool you. Jasmine is a powerhouse. Research from wellness resource Dr. Axe shows that jasmine oil has a "stimulating/activating effect of the brain" and can "boost energy levels" [Source 5: Dr. Axe, Jasmine Oil Uses & Benefits]. It’s known to inspire optimism and vigor, making it the perfect antidote to workout dread.

  • Pomelo Leaf: This is a wonderfully bright, citrusy scent deeply rooted in local tradition. Culturally, pomelo leaves are used in rituals to wash away stagnant, negative energy. This translates perfectly to your pre-workout. A 2022 NIH review on citrus oils confirmed they are used in aromatherapy to "boost emotional and physical energy" [Source 6: NIH, Citrus Essential Oils in Aromatherapy]. This is the ideal scent for a "fresh start" before your session.

 

3. For Pure Alertness: The Coffee Scent

This is the ultimate modern hack. You know what coffee does (thanks, caffeine), but what about what it smells like?

The aroma of coffee alone is a powerful stimulant. A 2019 study published in the NIH database found that just inhaling coffee fragrance "enhanced cognitive parameters, including continuity of attention... and speed of memory, and also increased the mood score of alertness" [Source 7: NIH, Effect of one time coffee fragrance inhalation].

Burning Coffee incense is like a wake-up call for your brain, without the acidity. It’s perfect for those early morning workouts when you need to be sharp, alert, and ready to go.


"But I Don't Want My Space to Be So Smoky!"

This is the number one concern for modern incense users in. You want the scent, but you don't want to set off the smoke alarm or breathe in a heavy plume right before a cardio session.

We get it. And the solution is simple: low smoke incense or smokeless incense.

This is where you can be selective. Look for products specifically marketed as:

You can find options like Sandalwood, Agar-sandalwood, and Cedarwood in low-smoke formats. This gives you all the benefits of the pre-workout ritual—the scent, the anchor, the focus—with a fraction of the smoke. It's the perfect blend of ancient tradition and modern living.

 

Where to Find Your Ritual Toolkit in Singapore

Finding high-quality, locally-made, and low smoke incense in Singapore used to be a challenge. That's why we at Incense Shop SG decided to curate a collection for the modern Singaporean.

We believe that a scent ritual should be accessible, high-quality, and suit your lifestyle. You shouldn't have to choose between a powerful ritual and a clean-air apartment.

Whether you're drawn to the focusing power of our Made in Singapore Sandalwood, the uplifting energy of our Sweet Floral blend, or the clean burn of our Smokeless Sandalwood and Mild Woody options, you can explore the full collection on our online shop. We are an online incense shop dedicated to bringing these ancient tools to your modern life.

 

Your New Secret Weapon


The battle for fitness is almost always mental. Your body is capable, but your mind needs to be convinced.

Stop trying to fight your brain with sheer willpower. Instead, persuade it.

By building a simple, 5-minute pre-workout ritual with incense, you are creating a powerful psychological anchor. You're using the science of scent to flip that mental switch, transform your motivation, and finally find the consistency you’ve been looking for.

Try it for one week. Pick your scent, set your intention, and breathe. You might just discover your new secret weapon.

What scent will you use to fuel your next workout?

Sources

[1] https://thementalgame.me/blog/the-role-of-pre-game-rituals-in-enhancing-athletic-performance

[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4330889/

[3] https://www.pranabeauty.com/blogs/news/what-does-sandalwood-do-for-the-brain

[4] https://nikura.com/blogs/essential-oils/benefits-and-uses-of-cedarwood-oil

[5] https://draxe.com/essential-oils/jasmine-oil/

[6] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9774566/

[7] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6881620/