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How would you like to dramatically improve your weight training results in a matter of weeks…?

This probably sounds like another supplement gimmick or an infomercial sales pitch for a new fitness contraption. After all, something that sounds too good to be true usually is, right? However, simply integrating a tried-and-true approach into your training regimen can help take your physique to new heights: the mind-to-muscle link.

Contrary to popular belief, weightlifting is more than just a physical endeavor. There is a large mental component associated with this activity, and harnessing your mental acuity can substantially improve results while decreasing the potential for injury. In fact, two people using identical workout routines will achieve vastly different results depending on the level of mental focus that they apply during training.

In essence, a mind-to-muscle link is the ability to visualize a muscle and to feel it working through a complete range of motion during exercise performance. Rather than thinking about where you feel a muscular stimulus, it requires you to think about where you are supposed to feel the stimulus. This might seem like a foreign concept to many, and its relevance to training might not be initially apparent. However, until you are able to develop a mental link with your muscles, the effectiveness of your training efforts will be severely limited.

Many aspiring trainees believe that weight training is merely the action of lifting a weight from point A to point B. Unfortunately, while these individuals might perform an exercise with what appears to be satisfactory technique, they fail to adequately stimulate their target muscles. For example, in the lat pulldown, it is quite common for a person to feel the majority of stress in his biceps and forearms. Since the biceps and forearms initiate the movement of weight in this activity, the arms will necessarily receive a good deal of stress during the lift. Hence, without applying the mind-to-muscle link, an individual will be inclined to use his arms, rather than the target muscles of the upper back, to lift the weight. Obviously, this will diminish the overall effectiveness of the exercise.

To maximally induce muscular stress, you must consciously visualize the muscle being trained and use that muscle exclusively to raise and lower the weight. You must be oblivious to your surroundings, with all outside distractions purged from your mind. As your perform each repetition, the target muscle must remain under continuous tension, making sure it is the primary mover throughout the movement.

In the example of the lat pulldown, your entire focus should be on sculpting your back to muscular perfection. Accordingly, you must make an effort to pull the weight down with the muscles in your upper back without assistance from supporting muscles. Continue moving the weight in this fashion and, when you reach the bottom phase of the movement, squeeze your shoulder blades together, feeling a distinct contraction in your lats.

As you let the weight ascend upward, your back muscles should resist the gravitational force of the weight. It is all-too-common for a person only to concentrate on the positive (concentric) portion of a movement and mindlessly let the weight drop uncontrollably on the negative. Not only does this release tension from the muscle and compromise results, but also it substantially increases the risk of bodily injury. By maintaining muscular control throughout both phases of a movement, optimal benefits will be realized.

Finally, when you approach the starting point of the exercise, you should feel a complete stretch in the lats, and, without hesitation, should proceed to the next repetition by repeating the process. This will force the target muscle to remain under constant tension, assuring that your mind is locked into the movement. Keeping your mental focus channeled in this manner will direct the majority of stress to the muscles of your upper back and maximize muscular stimulation.

In order to enhance your mind-to-muscle link, it is beneficial to use a technique called "guided imagery". With this technique, you visualize the way you want your muscles to look and then imagine them taking this form as you are training. For instance, when working your abs, you should envision yourself with a well defined six pack, devoid of any bodyfat. As you perform your set, think of your midsection becoming tighter and harder. With each repetition, try to make this image a reality, applying the same thought process to each muscle group that you train.

To enhance your sense of guided imagery, it can help to use a role model as a source of inspiration. This entails visualizing the muscles of someone's physique who you admire such as a famous celebrity, bodybuilder or perhaps even someone who works out in your gym. You may, for example, think of Arnold Schwarzenegger's biceps as you perform a set of standing curls. As you curl the weight, you should imagine your biceps looking like Arnold's, growing to Olympian proportions. This type of association can have a motivational effect and allow you to become more in tune with your own body.

Finally, don't be discouraged if it takes longer to develop a mental link with certain muscles than with others. As a rule, it is easier to mentally connect with the muscles of the arms and legs than it is with those of the torso (i.e. back, chest and shoulders). Since your arms are used in virtually all exercises for the torso, a higher degree of mental attention is required to isolate these muscles. Regardless, with a little practice and patience, you soon will be able to connect with all the muscles in your body.

Thus, if you want to achieve your ideal physique and maximize your body's potential, it is essential that you develop a keen mind to muscle link. Once you have mastered this concept, you will undoubtedly notice a big difference in the quality of your workouts. Training is a highly mental process and you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible simply by having a proper mental approach!

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