seabee

...I know I'm gonna get hammered for this, but (after 6 years/good gains), I've never had the mind / muscle connection. Is it important? I lift out of desperation. It is the only way I can break through to new highs. I lift as much as possible for as many reps as possible and when I hit 8, I shoot for a new weight. I have no idea if my mind and muscles are connecting!

Anyway, I'm going to concentrate on the mind/muscle connection for 5 months to see the results. I started this week. I can't even come close to the same weight on lifts with the emphasis on feeling the muscle (from start to finish) vs getting heavy weight to move 20 inches.

I called it a double latte mocha, because it fills like designer weightlifting...like those frilly drinks at Starbucks (make mine black). Anyway, I'm gonna try it. Trouble is, I can make 5 lb dumbells difficult if I concentrate hard enough.

Anyone else go from throwing up as much as possible to this slow, careful, mindful approach...and what result if any?

Mudge

It doesn't mean you have to lift slowly, to me it begins with the simple recognition that the biceps are not worked by doing bench presses. These are people that are completely clueless and obviously aren't paying attention to thier body.

So while advanced people can flex muscles in any position at any angle at will while not flexing others, it begins with the simple feeling of where does it hit you. Vince Ghironda (not going to spell check that) used to recommend doing double your working sets to find out where an excersize hit, or you can simply try doing 20 reps or so. Where it burns, is where you are being hit.

However there is also isolation, when doing back rows, make sure you are working the back, not overly working the biceps. This is where quality comes into play along with your 'mind to muscle' connection, by using the muscles intended for the movement firing away at your will.

Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench
Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu
I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

Dante B.

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

seabee

Thank you for responding. I know that I have been a dumb lughead in the gym. Early on (I was skinny and disgusted with the amount of weight I was using at the gym) my goal was to move a certain amount of weight (took me 5 years to achieve my goals), and then look at my body from a bodybuilding stand point. The results were pretty good. Now I'm going to workout as you have described, and strictly like a bodybuilder concentrating on mind to muscle feel. See if I can turn some modest slabs of beef into knots.