06/03/2023
Amazing what our brains can do!
What do we do when we suffer from injuries or if we are very tired and can't exercise? Well, given my fractured toe this is a very relevant topic! In my case I've been doing more floor work to avoid putting pressure on the toe. But for everyone here's a hack: while rest is crucial for healing, we can use our BRAIN to create muscle strength while being sedentary. Yes! It's been proven that even without moving our muscles, "mental contractions" can create stronger muscle fibers and enhance cortisol output signal.
In a study back in 2003*, some test subjects trained their fingers to lift weights Their fingers got stronger by 53%. But those who only did so mentally also boosted their strength by 35%. Other subjects who mentally trained their elbow to lift weight saw a 13.5% improvement in power. Meanwhile those who neither lifted weights nor imagined doing so showed no difference.
So, while I might not be working out as much as I normally would, I've been mentally stretching, moving and training my body. Of course, it isn't comparable to actually doing it, but it is still invaluable. Therefore, if you are nursing an injury, or if you are too tired to get up and move, relax and simply watch a workout video and mentally do along. You can get stronger without even lifting a finger! 😄🤩
*Vinoth K Ranganathan, Vlodek Siemionow, Jing Z Liu, Vinod Sahgal, Guang H Yue
