Muscle Over Mind

by: Pm - August 14th, 2007

We’ve all heard the phrase: Mind Over Matter. It has been used so often and for so long that it’s really more than a phrase at this point; it’s downright cliché. But like all clichés, this one is based in truth. (NOTE: I’ve taken the liberty of substituting “muscle” for “matter” throughout the rest of this article since the concept of muscle is more tangible than matter… not to mention, more relevant to this discussion.)

Failure to achieve that one last rep or to “bonk” after just 15 minutes into your post-workout cardio, doesn’t occur because of your muscles are out of fuel, overly micro-traumatized, or because of lactic acid/metabolic waste overload; the onset of fatigue is driven by your mind. Scientists believe that the body is programmed to conserve some readily accessible energy sources like phosphocreatine, ATP, and glycogen for survival (e.g., to provide enough energy to help you fight or run when two guys try mugging you on your way home from the gym). While it’s nice to know that you have a little extra juice in your batteries in the event of an emergency, as athletes we’re always looking to maximize our personal bests. So, if we can find a way to tap a little further into these reserves, theoretically, we can trick our minds into performing beyond their predetermined safety limits.

A quick dissection of “Mind Over Muscle” suggests that manipulation of the psyche is a means to better performance. In fact, the research supports this. British researchers found that elite runners were able to run longer and with less perceived effort when they were already familiar with the course that they were running on. Researchers speculate that familiarity reduces the body’s (specifically, the mind’s) need to conserve energy. In other words familiarity breeds [mental] contentment. There’s less risk that you’ll run out of energy prematurely. And, less chance that you’ll encounter an unexpected challenge, so your central nervous systems allows you to put more skeletal muscle oomph into whatever you’re doing.

Positive mental attitude (PMA) and visualization are other techniques oft-utilized by coaches and trainers to help their athletes reach greater heights. As the old saying goes, “whether you believe that you can or you can’t, you’re right.” This is what PMA is all about. As you tell yourself that you are strong and powerful, over and over again, your mind starts to really believe it. This shift in mental state enables you to fight off muscle pain and fatigue, so that you can lift more, more often.

The differences between PMA and visualization are subtle. Whereas PMA is more like SNL’s old Stewart Smalley affirmations, visualization techniques are more like conscious dreaming. With visualization, you imagine yourself in the activity. You feel the sweat running down your face, the burn in your muscles… even smell the stale sweat dried on the bench. You are going through the motions. You are in the “is it in you” moment. The main difference is here you visualize yourself getting over a long plateau. Because the mind cannot differentiate between real and imagined experiences, by skillfully developing this mental training technique you’ve already begun to overcome the biggest hurdle there is – you.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve likely noticed that the title of this paper is Muscle Over Mind, not Mind Over Muscle, as the previous paragraphs might suggest. Interestingly enough, it turns out that the converse: Muscle Over Mind might be just as true as the more-cliché phrase that I’ve been talking about up until now.

You see, while the mind requires mental stimulation to improve memory and process information faster, it also needs the physical activity (performed by the muscles) to enhance cerebral blood flow. The brain uses about 1/4 of the body’s total blood supply, so without efficient delivery, plaques, which can eventually lead to mental decline or strokes, begin to form. And, as we’ve already seen, without the mind, you’re little more than the 98 lb weakling.

If you’re taking the time to read this submission and to put the valuable information that you’re getting from R.A. members in the gym, chances are you’re already exhibiting Mind Over Muscle and Muscle Over Mind. Keep up the good work. As with any close relationship, this one is a give-and-take. Luckily, if you’re like me, you enjoy both the mental and physical challenges and nuances of lifting and bodybuilding. Progressive resistance in the gym builds bigger muscles, while all the reading that you do progresses your knowledge base, promoting the formation of sharp new brain cells.

A Healthy Body = A Healthy Mind (and vice versa).

Till next time…

Happy Heaving,

PM

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