“If you can see it, you can do it,” an old cliché that describes envisioning your goals. A new study conducted at Ohio University has taken that saying to the next level, and found that mental visions of exercise possibly play as critical of a roll in muscle growth as actually exercising. The study put casts around participants’ wrists and divided them into two groups. One group would spend five days a week doing mental exercises—imagining their wrists were going curls when they were really still in the cast—the other group did nothing. When the study was over both groups had weaker wrists but the group that did the mental exercises wrists had degenerated less—just 25 percent compared to 40 percent of the non-exercisers. So I guess it is all in your head, or at least around 15 percent.
Mind matters when it comes to muscle strength
More of Today's Solutions
How the Environment Leaders Programme cultivates climate action in schools
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The climate crisis can feel like an overwhelming storm—literally and figuratively, but young people across the UK are ...
Read MoreHoliday survival 101: how to navigate awkward social moments with style
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The holidays are a season of joy, togetherness, and—let’s be honest—a healthy dose of awkwardness. Whether it’s your ...
Read MoreSan Francisco police won’t send officers to respond to non-criminal calls
Cities across the US are finally seeing some tangible police reform and defunding changes. San Francisco is joining the movement with their recent announcement ...
Read MoreIt’s kitten season! How to help overwhelmed shelters manage the influx of kit...
Kitten season has arrived, bringing with it an irresistible wave of feline cuteness. However, behind the scenes, animal rescues and shelters are dealing with ...
Read More
