You Can Think Your Way To Stronger Muscles

We can only train so much, some of us spend an inordinate amount of time at the gym, but for others, time might not allow for that. Even for the exercise addicted, rest, as we know is just as important, in letting the body recover and get ready for the next onslaught. For anyone that pushes the body too far, either by not having any rest time or simply trying to push it too hard in a single session, injuries often follow.

Injuries are bad, and stop us from continuing in our training for usually annoyingly long lengths of time. Perhaps that’s not entirely the case, as new research depicted here in an article from Huffington Post would suggest that just the act of imagining yourself training is enough to work your idle muscles.

The experimental group in their test was led through a rehab exercise each day where participants were asked to imagine themselves using their immobilized muscles for an intense task.

Four weeks later, that pretend task proved incredibly effective at helping the participants retain their strength… even though they never actually used their muscles. It demonstrated the importance of the neurological pathways between your mind and your body for building strength; it’s not just about muscle tissue.

This is good news not only for those with injuries, but for anyone at any time where you’re stuck at a desk or indoors. Just start thinking about working out, or playing a sport, or any physical activity that takes your fancy, and allow that mental muscle to power your body when it can’t do it itself. Read the rest of Huffington Posts article for all the research and how it works.