Mind-muscle connection

Understanding the mind-muscle connection and how it can impact your performance is extremely important. 

The purpose of this blog is to explain the mind-muscle connection and to emphasise how this can impact your workouts and long-term performance. We’ll also provide 5 tips to ensure you master this skill while you gain more insight into the mind-muscle connection.  

Bodylogix explains the mind-muscle connection as focusing your effort on a specific muscle, meaning the secondary muscles will not be used as much and, in turn, you won’t be able to lift as much. But how?! Do the exercise with a lighter weight and focus your mental energy on the specific area you want to target.  Mind-muscle connection influences your neuromuscular dynamics during resistance training. It’s where the mind meets the body! 

This is a skill that allows you to actively shift weight from one part of the body to another; also known as focused attention. 

There are two different types of focused attention: 

1. Internal focus:

   This is the conscious decision of performing the exercise the correct way and putting all your focus on the ‘how’ of the exercise.  

2. External focus:

   How your body reacts to your workout exercise. Focus on the impact and the outcome of the exercise.
   
   

But how can you improve your mind-muscle connection?! 

Here are our top tips to ensure you learn this skill: 

1. Technique

As for every fitness routine and workout, the technique is the foundation of your performance. You need to understand how and why. Focus your attention on the quality of your repetitions. You need to focus on the impact on your muscles. Slowly, but surely. This skill promises to yield results in the long term. 

2. Proper Warm-Up

This sets the foundation of what follows. Warming up before ANY workout session can’t be emphasised enough. When focusing on improving your mind-muscle connection, start off by doing high rep counts, with a lower weight. 

3. Slower pumps 

Take. Your. Time. It’s not a race ;). Focus your attention on the exercise and how it impacts your body. Remember to breathe and be engaged in the exercise. 

4. Track progress

Understand and see how your ‘skill’ is improving. You can flex in between sets, keep a fitness journal, and or take a progress picture. Flex those arms and in return you’ll experience muscle some memory :). 

5. Focus 

This skill set requires concentration. This is not the time to listen to a crime podcast, read the news, or catch up on emails. There’s a reason why it’s also known as focused attention. Ensure you are mentally prepared for this type of workout session.

If you’re struggling to keep focused for an entire workout, we highly suggest a pre-workout with added nootropic elements to boost your mental and cognitive function. Examples of these pre-workouts are Hyper Pump and N.O. Charge. Available here.

Let’s recap!

Improving your mind-muscle connection will help you to improve your mental and physical health and benefit your long-term fitness goals. It’ll also improve your day-to-day workout experience. It will take some time to master this, but you won’t regret the effort that you’ve put into it! Understanding the importance of the mind-muscle connection is important to ensure you make the most out of your fitness routine. Have you tried to improve this during your recent workouts? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Sources: 

The Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection - Bodylogix

https://play.decathlon.co.uk/articles/mind-muscle-connection-what-is-it-and-how-to-make-it-work-for-you