Oh, that magic pill. You know the one that makes you instantly thinner, toner and healthier all around. Though you know Rome wasn’t built in a day, you still secretly wish it could be done. But what if there was something magical enough to change your body – perhaps, your entire outlook? And what if it didn’t cost any extra time or money? This probably sounds like any other quick-fix scam, yet there’s nothing to sell. It comes straight from your own free will.
As elusive as it all may seem, it’s actually quite simple. Learn to use the mind-muscle connection while exercising, and you’ll immediately start seeing big gains.
The mind is by far one of the strongest muscles in the body. When you link the mind to a targeted muscle, the brain consciously tells the muscle to contract and then relax. Engaging the brain in such a focused way increases the number of muscle fibers being used while performing the exercise. The more muscle fibers involved, the greater the benefits of the exercise. You also become more mentally aware of your body overall, which is always a good thing.
Not sure how to connect the dots? Follow these steps and completely transform your next workout!
Step 1: Warm up and visualize
Start the first set of each exercise with very light weight or use only your body weight. Close your eyes and concentrate on the main muscle performing the exercise. Envision that muscle doing all the work. Squeeze at the top of the contraction, pausing for a moment before returning to the start position. Do about 15 repetitions with low resistance and a slow tempo to get a good feel for the mind-muscle connection.
Step 2: Lighten the load while increasing the intensity
What’s most important is the quality of each repetition versus how much weight is being lifted. Trying to lift weights that are too heavy often results in bad form and expending too much energy, anyway. It doesn’t matter if five pounds is all you can curl. If you’re fully concentrated on the biceps muscle, the weight is less of a factor. Instead, it’s your laser focus that ramps up the intensity. And with all your attention in one place, you won’t even think of comparing yourself to someone man-handling 50-pound dumbbells. You’ll be in the zone, doing your own thing!
Step 3: Slow the pace
This isn’t a race, so don’t rush through your workout. Taking your time with each repetition will help you maintain that concentration and reap the most benefits from the mind-muscle connection. When lifting the weight up, count 1, 2. Pause at the top, and then lower down while counting 1,2,3,4.
Step 4: Flex it out
You may feel a little silly, but go ahead and flex in the mirror. In between sets, think about the muscle you’re training. You need to feel and see it tighten and then relax. So when you add weight to the contraction, you can replicate the exact effort and tempo. This will also help keep your focus for the entire workout – even during rests.
If you can’t fit in a gym session, you can still use this mind-muscle connection technique at home or on the go. Try it with push-ups, lunges, squats, leg lifts, crunches and any exercises you’d do with a resistance band. Though it may feel a bit easy-breezy your first go-around, the mind-muscle connection actually requires a lot of energy. That’s why this technique is best suited for mornings or whenever you feel your mental sharpest. So before the day’s distractions can consume your thoughts, get up and exercise your mind, body and (beastly) spirit! Remember: the more muscles engaged, the greater the gains.