I am doing this in the gym now when I do my weight training – thinking about the muscles I am working out.  Feeling the contraction and lengthening.  When you focus on the muscle, you improve the quality of your workout.  Why?

According to Oxygen Magazine, it’s called the neuromuscular communication, neuromuscular control or neuromuscular concentration.  A mind-to-muscle connection.  Each phase – concentric (shortening – curling barbell up, for example) and eccentric (lengthening, lowering barbell down) – should take about five seconds. This is quite slower than what I was doing even a month ago! You get a stronger, longer contraction that increase your workout quality by 25% .  Watch yourself in a mirror when working out,picture the muscle contracting and resisting the weight.  You will be aware of the contraction, and the work the muscle is doing. You will also move slower, rather than bouncing the weight up and down.

One move where this is key, but I can’t see my muscle in the mirror, is when I’m doing the shoulder press.  I read in the latest issue of Oxygen Magazine that for the most efficient shoulder press, before raising the dumbbells, contract your scapula (shoulder blades) together.  This activates more muscle fibers.  When you press, lengthen the muscles (I can feel this).  Apparently this will help you develop your shoulder and back muscles quicker than not contracting the scapula.