Have you ever started exercising, only to feel like you’re just going through the motions? You’re running, lifting, or squatting, but your muscles aren’t engaging.
That’s because it’s more than just the movement. It’s about the mind muscle connection. I’m here to explain this concept and provide you with some tips on how to increase the mind muscle connection so you can have better workouts.
What is the mind muscle connection?
Simply put, the mind muscle connection is consciously focusing on engaging a muscle. Applying this technique while performing a movement can enhance muscle activation.
Example: Mind muscle connection while doing a push-up
To start a push-up, you get into a plank position and lower your body to the ground. When you reach the end of your lowering, start thinking about contracting your chest muscles to push yourself away from the ground.
Studies show that simply thinking about a muscle group as you’re using it can recruit more muscle fibers. Now that we know what the mind muscle connection is, let’s talk about some tips to increase it.
1. Create an optimal environment
The first thing you’ll want to do is create a space, both mentally and physically, where you can focus without distractions.
Pre-training ritual
Some athletes like to create a pre-training ritual before exercising. This helps prepare them mentally for their training. One example is taking a few deep breaths or reciting a mantra.
Right before starting a climb, I like to rock my neck from side to side and take one deep breath. This lets my body know I’m about to climb.
Find whatever works for you; it might be a quick physical gesture or a more prolonged routine.
Eliminate distractions
In the physical world, consider decluttering your space. This usually involves putting your phone out of sight. If you enjoy listening to music while working out, try turning off notifications to avoid getting distracted. There are also apps you can download to block distractions.
2. Start slow
As you’re starting your workout, focus on quality repetitions over quantity. Your brain and body can get overwhelmed if you jump too quickly into a high intensity.
Prioritize proper technique and form while performing your movements. Connect with your breath. You can think of these slow movements and as a moving meditation.
As you pick up the pace, develop a rhythm you can easily follow; this can trigger the flow state, also known as “being in the zone.
If you’re curious about that, I have another post discussing tips to enter the flow state.
Muscles over momentum
Starting slow can also mean literally doing the movement more slowly.
For example, if you’re bench pressing, try to avoid using momentum to perform the movement. Purely focus on using your muscles to push the bar up. And do the same as you’re lowering the bar; use your muscles to fight gravity as the bar comes down.
When we eliminate momentum, it allows our muscles to engage more, which is important to building the mind muscle connection.
3. Visualize the movement
Your brain and body are more connected than you think. It’s proven that visualizing a movement in our head can help us execute it better.
If you watched the 2022 Winter Olympics, you might remember Eileen Gu. She is standing on the halfpipe before her run. She closes her eyes, jerks her shoulders, and sways her arms. For a moment, you wonder, “What is she doing?”
Then you realize that she’s visualizing the trick she’s about to perform. Gu even said that before going to bed, she would practice visualization for 90 minutes in order to commit the movements to memory. (She went on to win two gold medals and a silver medal.)
This shows how powerful visualization can be. And it’s not just for professional athletes-anyone can do it.
Before the activity
Before you start your next workout, take some time to visualize the movement. If you’re about to do a pull-up, imagine your arms grabbing the bar. Feel your shoulders engage as you engage your lats and your body slowly rises.
This is something I like to do during my climbing sessions as well. Prior to getting on a route, I imagine myself climbing. I play out the movements in my head, and I might even move my arms and legs as I’m visualizing.
During the activity
As you’re doing the actual movement, maintain the mental image of your body engaging. Actively think about the muscle that’s working. Imagine that muscle flexing, then relaxing.
Slow down if you need to, especially during the eccentric phase (when the muscle lengthens), so that your brain can connect further.
You might not crank out as many reps, but that’s normal. You’re devoting more mental effort into strengthening the mind muscle connection, and the reps will eventually catch up.
“Where the mind goes, the body follows.”
— Arnold Schwarzenegger
4. Use movement cues
Movement cues are verbal or mental reminders used to direct our attention to a specific muscle. These cues can be external or internal.
Let’s go back to the pull-up as an example.
External cues
An external cue connects a movement with the physical world. If you’re doing a pull-up, an external cue could be “pull your chest towards the bar” or “pull the bar down”.
More examples:
- Drive the bar through the ceiling (overhead press)
- Explode off the ground (jump squat)
- Push the floor away (deadlift or leg press)
- Throw the ball as far as you can (medicine ball slam)
Internal cues
An internal cue focuses on how your body should move. These are some internal cues you might use during a pull-up:
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together
- Push the elbows down
More examples
- Squeeze your glutes at the top (hip thrusts)
- Flex your quads as you extend (leg extensions)
- Pinch your shoulder blades together (rows or face pulls)
- Drive your heels into the ground (squats — to activate hamstrings and glutes)
Experiment with different cues and find what works for you. Better yet, identify what part of a movement you might struggle with and create a cue that addresses that weakness.
Final thoughts
You might regress as you’re doing all this–that’s normal! When we first learn a movement, our bodies don’t know how to perform it properly. It finds the path of least resistance, sacrificing technique and form.
As we increase the mind muscle connection, we’re reteaching our bodies the proper way to move. Yes, it can feel like you’re starting from scratch, but stick with it and you’ll find it will pay off in the long run.
Hopefully, this post gave you some ideas on how to build the mind muscle connection. Let me know in the comments if any of this helped you and feel free to contact me with any questions!
