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Mind-Muscle Connection

In order to move, we need to voluntarily tell our muscles to contract, choosing how, when, and what we move. In simple terms, our brains send messages to our muscles via nerves. Thanks to our consciousness, we have the ability to voluntarily control which muscles we use and in what proportions we use them.

A study conducted by Bret Contreras showed that experienced weightlifters could significantly alter muscle recruitment without significantly altering form1. In other words, experienced lifters could actually change what muscles they used in any given exercise simply by using their minds!

This may not come as a surprise to some of you but the mind-muscle connection has serious implications for trainers and coaches.

The take home point is that just because a client’s form may “look good,” doesn’t mean that the client is actually using the muscles that the exercise is intended to target. Don’t get me wrong, proper form is very important when it comes to training, however, form alone doesn’t provide the whole picture. In order to get the most out of a specific exercise/lift, the client needs to be firing specific combinations of muscles in appropriate proportions. 

Here are a few tips to help maximize the mind-muscle connection for clients and trainers alike?

1.    Use lighter weights
By using lighter weights you will be able to channel more of your attention internally allowing you to concentrate more on what muscles you are using.

2.    Practice flexing your muscles (visual feedback)
It may get you some weird looks at the gym, but flexing in the mirror can actually help improve the mind-muscle connection. By being able to target a muscle with your mind and see that muscle flex in the mirror, you give yourself valuable biofeedback where you can visually confirm what muscles you are targeting with your mind.

3.    Use proper form
Aside from decreasing injury risk, improving efficiency and increasing power output, using correct form will help to position your body in a way that maximizes your ability to use the intended muscles. 

4.    Use your voice (verbal feedback)
In addition to visual feedback, verbal feedback can also be helpful. Verbal feedback will mainly help to reinforce proper form and put the body in the best position to recruit the desired muscles.

5.    Ask for help (physical feedback)
One of the best ways to improve mind-muscle connection is to receive some type of feedback during and exercise. Tactile (touch) feedback may be the most important type of feedback when it comes to developing the mind-muscle connection.
In addition to visual and verbal cues, physical cues tend to work best when it comes to creating and strengthening the mind-muscle connection. By having another person physically touch the muscle that you are attempting to use, you give your body extremely important information about where exactly the targeted muscle is located on your body. This physical cue can take the form of lightly touching, tapping, patting or rubbing (for deeper muscles) and often results in an immediate increase in muscle recruitment.  



I hope that this post was helpful to you in some way, shape or form. As always, thanks for reading!


Until next time,

- Joe Rinaldi


References

1. https://www.t-nation.com/training/mind-muscle-connection-fact-or-bs

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