By Without connecting to our bodies, attempts to strengthen and build muscle will become fruitless. I see so many people attempting to change their physique but making the usual motions that don’t require any thought, feeling, or connection. Our bodies are holistic. We are not just one part – but a whole. Everything works in unison to make a movement or muscle contraction possible. Research shows that focusing on the target muscle you are contracting leads to increases in size. This is called “attentional focus” or what I have always called “the mind and muscle connection.” All it involves feeling the muscle work with every single repetition. The repetition must be a full range of motion to activate the muscle fibres to their full extent. The great news is that when you start to train yourself to do this, you are more fully and actively engaging the muscles, which means they will grow more! Let me ask you a question – what are you thinking about when you lift the weight? If you aren’t thinking about anything – then you might as well go home! This is likely the reason why you aren’t seeing any changes in your physique right now. But there is a solution, and I will give it to you straight up. Solution: Get away from the mirror, and don’t allow any pre-conceived thoughts to fill your mind. When you lift the weight, focus your full intent on the movement you are making. Feel the muscles contracting on the lift and then when lowering the weight. When this doesn’t work: This method does not apply to you when doing explosive movements, such as power snatches. It can distract you from using proper form. Next time you are in the gym or working out at home – feel the muscles contract. If you are doing some ab crunches, feel the burning sensation. It won’t last long, but you want to make sure you get to that phase in the movement because the burn causes the muscle to tear and grow. That means it’s going to change shape. A happy mind and muscle connection, everyone!