Mind Body Connection

[beggar]

How many of you can say that you actually have a mind body connection for every bodypart you work? I can honestly say that I don't and it shows from lack of growth.

For example I have no connection to my inner calf muscle. I can get an initial pump from doing any type of calf raise with my toes pointed forward. But I can't seem to isolate that inner muscle like I do the outer. I am open for suggestions on that. lol

I also lack major mind body connection when doing flat barbell benchpress. Normally by the time I start to get any type of pump, I am already done with the exercise or my tris are too exhausted to continue. I started doing more dumbell presses when I am not trying to be macho in the gym and trying to keep up with the guys who can bench all day long.

I seem to have good mind muscle connection with my quads. But i don't start getting a pump until the 3rd set of squats and I only do 4 or 5. Because the first 2 sets are light weight my form maybe a little sloppy and my back is normally toast by the time I get to the 4th or 5 set.

So today I did something I haven't done in a while. I started of doing leg extentions to get an initial pump and pre exhaust my quads. I did 4 sets of 12-15 reps increasing the weight with every set.

Then I went over to the Squat rack and loaded up 135 for 12 reps and I felt every single rep. I was forced to use good form and my back loved me for it. From there I went up to 225 for 10 and then 315 for 10. I normally do one more set of maybe 385 for 10 more reps. But today I decided to drop from 315 to 225 and go for an all out 20 reps. lol I couldn't do it. My mind gave up on me at 14 reps. I had enough energy to finish but my mind thought otherwise. Happens to the best of us. When I was done with squatting my back felt fresh as ever and my quads were huge with veins and blood flowing everywhere.

I moved on to the legpress and did my usual 4 sets and was done with quads.

I think I will do the same thing when I work chest tomorrow. Pre exhaust with flyes and then move on to bench press.

Feel free to share your stories.


The Beggar

 

[tri-terror]

I'm not really a mind body connection kind of guy anymore. I would rather make heavy weight feel light vs light weight feel heavy.
FOR ME, if I hit maximum intensity I may not feel it right away in the gym as I'm doing the sets but when I get home and the next day, I know I hit the muscles I wanted to.

I like what you did with quads though, I have done that in the past when I was doing blood and guts and good results.

 

[beggar]

I like that analogy!!! But even though you pre exhaust, that doesn't mean you can't try to use the same weights. If fact I was able to use the same squatting weights but I just felt the muscle working more.

When I do chest tomorrow, I definately won't be able to use the same weights while pressing. But overtime if I am eventually able to use the same pushing weights after pre exhausting then I know I am progressing.



The Beggar

 

[cashrolling]

I only started training by feeling the muscles only about 6 months ago (been training for 15 years), and I think its the way to go:Lighter weights = no injury, and i can truly feel every single fiber working.But i still do a heavy weight week once in a while.Since training this way my overall muscle shape improved , but using lighter weights i got weaker......

 

[Ness]

THE EARLY YEARS (1-5): Progressive loading. Lift as heavy as possible, forget "feeling."

THE MATURE YEARS (5+): Feel the muscle working with the heavy loads that you attained during the early years.

 

[sammy555]

THE EARLY YEARS (1-5): Progressive loading. Lift as heavy as possible, forget "feeling."

THE MATURE YEARS (5+): Feel the muscle working with the heavy loads that you attained during the early years.

Yea this, i think it takes years to learn how to feel the muscle, i still can't master it. For me squats will always be go deep and just worry about getting the fuck back up again. You see some guy's that have mastered it and preach it and they do look awesome. I fo believe you've gotta build the strength and mass first though

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[cashrolling]

It took me way more than 5 years to be able to workout by feeling the muscles 100%, but its great, the way to go after years of hard training.

 

[Big Nelis]

THE EARLY YEARS (1-5): Progressive loading. Lift as heavy as possible, forget "feeling."

THE MATURE YEARS (5+): Feel the muscle working with the heavy loads that you attained during the early years.

what he said
i sometimes hate the way some super huge guy will say
it s not about the weight but about the contraction
and then you ll see him benching 350 pound

you gotta get really strong before you train for the feel of it
i made my greatest gains powerlifting
i can use 10 pound dumbells and pump the fcuk outta my chest
wont do shit

 

[btech]

what he said
i sometimes hate the way some super huge guy will say
it s not about the weight but about the contraction
and then you ll see him benching 350 pound

you gotta get really strong before you train for the feel of it
i made my greatest gains powerlifting
i can use 10 pound dumbells and pump the fcuk outta my chest
wont do shit

Exactly.

EDIT: Did you see the article Jay Cutler had in MD a few months back? It went over the weights he used in each lift. "See, I only squat 600x10, so you guys don't need to lift heavy to get big".

 

[Tom]

mind muscle connection......does it even exist? if you can do 10 reps at a given weight wether you are thinking about the execution of the set or the hot chick's boobs over on the treadmill doesn't the muscle respond the same?

 

[cashrolling]

mind muscle connection......does it even exist? if you can do 10 reps at a given weight wether you are thinking about the execution of the set or the hot chick's boobs over on the treadmill doesn't the muscle respond the same?

Maybe we'll never know, but looking at the boobs boost testosterone, so its the way to go!!

 

[beggar]

mind muscle connection......does it even exist? if you can do 10 reps at a given weight wether you are thinking about the execution of the set or the hot chick's boobs over on the treadmill doesn't the muscle respond the same?

I can tell you one muscle is going to respond and it is not the chest. But then again what will respond is not a muscle per say. lol

My issue is for example when benching is that I can fell more of my other muscles working as opposed to my actual chest muscles. But when I pre exhaust, my chest will give out before my supporting muscles as opposed to the other way around. It may take away some of the super weights people use, but there is always a give and take. And if it helps with my development in the long run I am all for it!!

The Beggar

 

[BULK_CITY]

Question:

Let's say you are using perfect form on squats or deadlifts. On one set you really feel that mind-muscle connection and on the other set you don't really feel it, but you perform the set exactly like the one you felt the connection on.

Will the results vary?

If so, why?

I don't understand how just "feeling" the muscles make them grow "better." Someone please explain this.

 

[beggar]

I did db flyes on Tuesday before doing my chest routine and I am still sore. My pecs haven't been this sore in a while. I think I will continue to pre exhaust until my body stops responding. Then I will try something else.


The Beggar

 

[NPCGUY]

I get the connection, but not on every single exercise. A few examples I can really feel the muscle being trained are bent over bb rows, close grip lat pulldowns, cable crossovers, flat hammer strength chest press, any military press, shrugs, any calf raise or toe press, seated and lying leg curls, leg extensions, etc. Even with me being able to truly get a mind/msucle connection, you have more size than I do (i'm a middleweight on stage) lol. SO i'd say F it and keep doing what you're doing lol. Slow and controlled reps with about 85% ROM to keep constant tension on the muscle, and squeezing hard at the top of the movement, all help tremendously.

 

[Chode Logan]

I honestly think it's the most important aspect of training. Getting progressively stronger while maintaining that connection. 9 times out of 10 (From my experience) when someone asks me how to bring up a certain bodypart, I ask them if they can feel it while training and get a good pump, and they say no.

 

[BENCH400]

for me: in some of my initial warm-up sets i pyramid up in weight and with these "lighter" initial weights i am really focused on the feeling and warming up the area/getting blood in there.... by the time i get to my working sets i have warmed up using the previous sets for a bit of a pre-exhaust

 

[naturalsux]

Question:

Let's say you are using perfect form on squats or deadlifts. On one set you really feel that mind-muscle connection and on the other set you don't really feel it, but you perform the set exactly like the one you felt the connection on.

Will the results vary?

If so, why?

I don't understand how just "feeling" the muscles make them grow "better." Someone please explain this.

Not every muscle needs a mind to muscle connection. If you can contract
your muscle hard, like enough to make it cramp. Then you have it reguardless if you know it or not.


Big muscle groups ie deadlift and squat do not need the connection. You will use those muscles rather you want to or not.


Muscles that need mind to muscle in my opinion, chest, tris, bis, and lats. In that order from me.

Some are harder than others to master the mind muscle connection.

I could go on and on on this subject. I think it is highly disreguarded by many people.

 

[naturalsux]

mind muscle connection......does it even exist? if you can do 10 reps at a given weight wether you are thinking about the execution of the set or the hot chick's boobs over on the treadmill doesn't the muscle respond the same?

It doesn't matter if you can do the weight without thinking about it. If your ancillary muscle are doing too much of the work. You either won't get a good work or you WILL have poor seperation. This is just what I've noticed over the last 10-15yrs.

 

[naturalsux]

I can tell you one muscle is going to respond and it is not the chest. But then again what will respond is not a muscle per say. lol

My issue is for example when benching is that I can fell more of my other muscles working as opposed to my actual chest muscles. But when I pre exhaust, my chest will give out before my supporting muscles as opposed to the other way around. It may take away some of the super weights people use, but there is always a give and take. And if it helps with my development in the long run I am all for it!!

The Beggar

Try doing pushups as a warm up working on contracting your pecs then start your chest workout. Keep that feeling throughout the workout. This really helps me with chest and warms my shoulders up.