It’s all about the mind-muscle connection.
Kai Greene is one of the most famous bodybuilders for his mind body connection, but can his mindset be yours? We’ve all heard Kai Greene sport the phrase “Thoughts become things.” This might have a bigger scope beyond lifting itself – but it fits very firmly into one bodybuilding perspective that Kai carries very strongly… namely willing your muscles to grow. People like CT Fletcher and other top tier athletes seem to be able to literally “command their muscles to grow,” but are these mindsets real or just a placebo pill… well we might finally have it all backed by science. The results are in:
“The mind has a bigger influence on the body that we think,” says researcher Lars Anderson, Ph.D.”
According to a recent Danish study the more you concentrate on the specific muscle you’re building, the more your muscle fibers grow. If your mind is divided between your bench press and your bills, research has found that your body isn’t giving your muscles want they need to grow to their potential. This means you maybe wasting your reps, and time is money.
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Movement begins in the brain. The first step towards muscular contraction is when a signal is sent by your brain telling the muscle to move. Where the mind meets the body is a place called the neuromuscular junction, the brain releases a neurotransmitter called “Acetylcholine”to communicate with the muscles.
When Acetylcholine is released at the neuromuscular junction it crosses the “synapses”, this is the space between the nerve and the muscle. This where it binds to receptors on the surface of muscle fibers – congratulations, it’s a contraction.
The more you can utilize this connection in it’s greatest capacity, the more muscle fibers you will build. By improving your mind muscle connection you get better contractions which ultimately lead to a better workout.
Researchers find this especially evident in isolated body movements. In one experiment done by T-nation, when subjects performed a back extension without specific focus, their glute activation was 6%. When they performed the same exercise focusing on the specific area (glutes), their glute EMG activation rose to 38%. Even with variances that would skew results, a 32% increase is nothing to scoff at.
So next time your performing your curl, lateral, and calf raises, concentrate on the area of focus and stay present throughout the entirety of the contraction… even the negatives! Feel each muscle head and pay attention to which area is most effective. Remember – it’s easy for your daily workouts to feel routine. You’ve done them in and out for years. It’s all old hat. But you need to really focus on each and ever rep like it’s the first rep of your life. Literally command your muscles to grow.
“Thoughts become things” – not just theory anymore.
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