One of the core factors of building muscle is to have a better connection with your muscles. More accurately a mind-muscle connection. But what is mind muscle connection and how can it help you build more muscle effectively? Let’s dive into it

How mind-muscle connection works

Whenever you do a lift, you feel the burn in the respective muscle you are using while performing the lift or the exercise. Doing bicep curls will give you a sensation in your biceps. How mind- muscle connection works is, when you are performing the said bicep curl you should focus your mind on your biceps and flex the bicep muscle, which results in more activation of the muscles and more growth.

Now, developing a mind-muscle connection takes time, but it’s not impossible and should not be ignored. In fact, it’s one of the most beneficial things you can learn in the world of body building and fitness. It allows for better contraction and activation of muscles and makes each rep count rather than just swinging through the motions.

How can you develop mind muscle connection

One of the simplest ways to do so is to take lighter weights and by lighter. I don’t mean weights that you can just hurl at the wall with no effort. The weights need to be heavy enough for you to be able to feel them, just not excessively heavy. Now, focus on the muscle you’re working on and visualize the muscle contracting while doing your lifts. Try slowing down your reps utilizing time under tension.

Time under tension is basically how long you hold a weight in their eccentric and concentric contraction to better feel the muscles. If you want to know more about TUT, here is a link (Time under tension ). Do isolation exercises. When trying to learn MMC, one of the best ways to achieve it is to do exercises that other muscles cannot support you in. Pause at the peak of the lift and squeeze whatever muscle you are training and release for better contraction as well as to build a better mind muscle connection. Don’t forget to always concentrate on the muscle that you’re training for the whole duration of the set.

How a better mind muscle connection helps with hypotrophy

If you cannot feel the muscle you’re working and are just lifting heavy and going through the motions, the chances are you’re not going to build much muscle, if any at all. But if you are able to activate a muscle by focusing on it and contracting it. You will get better muscle hypotrophy from it and you can feel it as you fatigue during your sets. Slow down the eccentric motion of your exercises to improve your mind-muscle connection. Soreness is not an indication of a good workout. It can happen just from swinging weights as well.

Having a better connection with your muscles not only helps you in achieving activation of the muscle but to train it optimally to failure while getting better at the lift your doing. It makes you stronger and helps you target your muscles better. Although keep in mind that you should always be utilizing the proper form of a lift if your trying to achieve mind-muscle connection. Learn how to flex your muscles to get better at developing mind-muscle connection.

Conclusion

• Focus on the muscle movement during every single  rep of every exercise.
• Do not swing through the motions. Its fruitless.
• Practice slowing your reps down on the eccentric motion of the exercise to put more stress on the muscles.
• The better mind-muscle connection you have with a muscle. The more hypotrophy you can trigger.
• Lift moderately heavy weights to activate your muscles better. Heavy weights will just allow other muscles to kick in to support the movement, aka the swing.
• Time your sets. See how long it takes for you to complete it. Making sure you do your sets properly, not just rushing them once it gets hard.
• Always practice better form. No amount of weight or strength is worth sacrificing proper form. Leave your ego at the door when in a gym.
• Here are the top exercises you can do either at home or at the gym. Read top-exercises-for-building-muscle-at-the-gym-or-home/
• To know more about what mindset you should have. Read Essential tips for a beginner.
• To know what food groups to focus on based on your goals. Read You are what you eat.
• To get a know-how about some weight-loss tips. Read Best tips to lose weight.