Establishing the Mind-Muscle Connection

Linette Teerlink • June 11, 2024

Well folks, the time has come to pay homage to our bodybuilder forefathers. It sounds funny, but a lot of what has been passed down through the fitness industry, from a resistance training and muscle building standpoint, has come from....bodybuilders?!


Now I know what you're thinking. "why in the world would I care about reading this. I don't want to get too bulky or look like a bodybuilder." For starters, lifting weights will NOT make you bulky (but that's a topic for another day!) Resistance training is beneficial for increasing bone mineral density, preventing injury, improving your metabolic rate, etc. Strength training is also beneficial for mental health. Researchers at the University of New Mexico found that strength training led to lower reporting of anxiety and depression in adults. (Check out the study here!)


So we all know that we should be resistance training (whether it be body weight, lifting weights, or using machines) in some capacity. A big component of resistance training is building the mind-muscle connection, or in other words "feeling" the proper muscles working. Every human movement is controlled by higher brain center function. It takes time to not only learn how to perform an exercise, but to "feel" the muscles working during that exercise.


A very complicated process, but this diagram shows the simple mechanism. Go science!


Think about a baby that is learning to walk for the first time. Walking is a skill that takes time to learn. At Progressive Athletics, we often say "exercise is a skill." The mind-muscle connection is important to establish to make sure we target the proper muscles, prevent injury, and build body awareness.


Performing an exercise, such as a bicep curl, is not simply moving a weight from point A to point B. While performing a bicep curl, it's important to consciously think about the bicep as the main mover of the weight. A good trainer will give you certain cues during any exercise to make sure that you "feel the muscle" working. When we perform an exercise, we should consciously be thinking about how our bodies are producing the forces to overcome the resistance.



It takes time to learn exercise form and to establish a mind muscle connection. After a few months of training, these movement patterns begin to feel effortless and fluid. Then we get to bump up the weights or reps *insert evil laugh here*


Don't forget to lift heavy (relative to you), properly, and with purpose!


---

Ready to Transform Your Life? Join Progressive Athletics Today!


At Progressive Athletics, we specialize in helping adults over 40 safely and effectively lift weights, workout, and move better. Our expert guidance has empowered hundreds of Howard County residents to embrace active lifestyles and achieve their fitness goals. Now, it's your turn!


Don't wait to take the first step towards a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant you. Click the link below to learn what makes us different.


https://www.progressive-athletics.com

---


Empower yourself with knowledge, transform your body with action, and discover the joy of movement. Let's do this together!

4 Delicious Ways to Prepare Brussel Sprouts

By Linette Teerlink • November 28, 2024
Brussel Sprouts: 4 Delicious Prep Ideas

Do you really NEED carbs?

By Linette Teerlink • September 28, 2024
If you love carbs, like most people, this is the blog post for you! Spoiler alert: they are not evil. Out of all 3 macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbs), carbohydrates are perhaps the most frequently misunderstood nutrient in food. It has been given a bad name, but is it really as bad as some nutritional trends claim it to be? In this article, we’re going to tell you the most important considerations about carbs, which will allow you to make them a functional part of your nutritional plan.

How good is your protein?

By Linette Teerlink • September 28, 2024
Protein. It's the biggest buzzword in the health and fitness industry right now. When most people hear the term "protein," they immediately think of a particular brand of supplement. First and foremost, I'd like to emphasize that supplements are not the focus of this article. Instead, we'll look at different types of proteins and how they're processed by the body. It's worth noting, however, that the protein you get from supplements and the protein you can find in food is almost the same. The only exception is that certain powdered proteins are well-isolated and absorb more quickly than others. Supplements were designed to complement and improve your diet plan. They're also handy and can be used in a pinch, such as after a workout or even for breakfast if you're running low on calories.

Age is not a terminal sentence!

By Linette Teerlink • September 28, 2024
"I'm too old for that." If you’ve ever tried to talk your dad into going to the gym with you, it is likely that the response was something the above. Or maybe you've said it yourself. Well, people of previous generations have grown with the belief that age is a terminal sentence that inevitably deprives you of the ability to do anything body-care-related. And while this is relevant and valid for individuals who believe it is so, it is not really the ultimate truth that no one can escape. Let’s Face The Facts… If you are of older age and don’t have any severe physical/health issues, here are some facts for you: You can still exercise You can still eat well You can still treat your body right In most cases, refusing to do those is simply the end result of giving up, or in other words, it is your mind that thinks age is stopping you.

How to train while losing fat.

By Linette Teerlink • September 28, 2024
Imagine you're freezing in your own house and the only source of heat is your fireplace. There's no firewood, so you start burning stuff in your house. Do you reach for the furniture and tearing down walls right away? Of course, not! You go for fluffy pillows expendable junk first. If you’re working to shed fat, your body is essential looking for stuff to burn for energy and survival. But unlike you in your scenario, your body does not care what it burns. It's tearing down weightbearing walls and burning your great grandmother's antique table. It doesn't care where the energy comes from. So as you gleefully celebrate weight loss, you've actually lost water, muscle, and bone. And now you're setting yourself up for injuries, insulin resistance, and a falls. Do you still feel like doing a bell-kick? But don't fret, there is a way to protect your body's essential structures while losing weight. First you need to make a change to your lifestyle. I know, easier said than done. But hear me out. Start by manipulating your nutrition and activity levels in small increments. Though fat loss sounds simple, there are many important considerations to take into account when you are going through that period. One of those is namely the approach to training while losing fat, as it can make or break your process. In this article, we’ll go through every important detail regarding fat-loss training. Without further ado, let’s get to it!

The Western Diet

By Linette Teerlink • September 28, 2024
The more time passed by and the more we transitioned from a life in nature to life in big cities, the more human nutrition changed. Needless to say, when you make changes to what you do multiple times per day (eating), there are physiological changes that occur.  The “western diet” is one of the things that made the biggest impact on human health.

Ready for the Court: Strength Training to Improve Your Pickleball Game

By Linette Teerlink • August 30, 2024
Part tennis. Part badminton. Part ping pong. All around fun! With 36.5 million players - and counting, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. And with good reason. It’s easy to learn and has a strong social element. In fact, fans of the game say it’s downright addictive, confessing that they lose track of time and play for hours a day without realizing it. If you’re a “picklehead” and want to amp up your game while avoiding the common overuse injuries for all those hours of play, we’ve got you! We reached out to our resident pickleball expert, Dr. Gabby Mace, DPT of Pioneer PT here in Maryland. She plays tons of pickleball herself so we asked her how enthusiasts can improve their game and bulletproof their bodies and she helped us put together this workout for you! “Players obviously need endurance and agility. And don’t stop there. Add strength training! Just like with other sports, strength is essential for improving you abilities on the court and staying safe from injury.” said Dr. Gabby. “Due to the size of the court, and the speed and style of play, players require a lot of functional flexibility - and strength throughout those ranges of motion.”

Why You Shouldn't Care About Your Weight

By Linette Teerlink • June 30, 2024
Yes, you read that right. Some of you are more than likely sliding your mouse to the back button thinking "this lady calls herself a trainer...how could I not care about my weight?" But before you get your sweet new Under Armour panties in a bunch, hear me out... I get it, we all have an ideal weight we would like to be. Some of us want to gain, most of us want to lose. So we hop on the scale every morning, heart racing, hoping that because we walked past the Dunkin Donuts box in the office yesterday, we will magically shed that extra pound or two. The scale blinks in a taunting manner as if to say "don't waste your time", and somehow, you're up an extra pound or two...

Ellicott City Fitness- Gettin' Fit in Howard County

By Linette Teerlink • June 30, 2024
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable”

The 5 Foundational Movement Patterns

By Linette Teerlink • June 30, 2024
We live in a magnificent era. We can have anything we want delivered right to our doorstep, we have access to any type of food our heart desires without having to hunt for it, and we could potentially go through an entire day without having to exert any sort of physical effort. This is fantastic, but also super terrible for our bodies. We no longer have to to hike up the mountainside to go hunting (unless we choose) nor do we have to sit in a squatting position while building a fire thanks to the wonderful invention of chairs. While this is all well and good, our bodies have this tendency to "use it or lose it." You see, our bodies are smart. Our biological makeup today is roughly the same as it was as much as 200,000 years ago. Evolution is an impressive happening, but it takes time... Lots of time. And we as a species are inventing technologies at a speed that far outpaces our ability to evolve and adapt to it. Our current biological makeup has us prepared to survive in an environment where food isn't guaranteed. Now, you may be wondering... "Linette, how did people eat if there were no restaurants to serve us food?... What did they post pictures of on Instagram... Did they plate the food themselves or something?'
More Posts
Share by:
Wodify Iframe