Should You Focus on the Mind Muscle Connection?

[@DAYONEMAGA]

yes I think it's really important to be able to feel that squeeze of your muscle going through your mind and if it really doesn't work is still feels real good to know that you're squeezing and feeling that muscle contract and squeeze through the routine

[@davidpuckdrag]

Something I haven't seen talked about in gym context with mind-muscle connection is the emotional/spiritual/mindful impact of focusing on it. When we are present with our bodies, listening to them, it is a deeply mindful, present and self-loving practice. It's like combining meditation/yoga with strength training. For me this was really crucial to actually enjoy strength training. Without it I just felt like I was being aggressive and self-hating to my own body, pushing it to grow and improve without actually being with it.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I very much agree with this 👍

[@lovindc2004]

Great content. Your videos are helpful and informative.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Thank you for the kind donation! Glad to hear the videos are helpful 👍

[@Yeargdribble]

A focus on mind muscle connection was a game changer for putting size on my lagging body parts. Even after 5-6 years of incredible strength gains, places like my chest just didn't get the growth I'd hoped for, but a focus on less weight and way more MMC changed that a lot. I made more noticeable size gains in the last 2 or so years of focusing primarily on MMC. Also flexing while not under load to see how in control I was of muscles helped me cure imbalances. Sure enough I could fire my right pec for all it was worth on command, but was very bad at the same with my left pec. Spending deliberate time working on it bit by bit every day fixed that. Even though my legs were great responders to a more strength focused training approach, I got even MORE gains by simply focusing on MMC, but also changing the exercises slightly. I bought into the hate on the Smith machine for too long, but now I realize how great it is to allow me to use foot angles that I couldn't with a barbell. I could also do things like bring my toes way up at the end of a rep which just makes my quads fire so much harder. There's also the benefit of being able to do things like partials in a specific range of motion. Specifically work between the middle and lockout where I never take tension off the quad are amazing. I'll usually follow up a set of say 8 full rom reps by immediately doing 8 partials which essentially pushes me well beyond failure. So many of the cues I use absolutely make me lift much less weight and gasses those muscles out way faster, but the gains are better. It's less cardiovascularly taxing during the set (which lets me put more focus on the muscles) and I find that I have way less issues with overall systemic fatigue.... which means I'm physically capable of more total volume across all body parts. Fatigue is much more manageable. And even if I'm feeling weaker on a certain day, I don't care because I can just use much less weight and go deeply close to failure with a much lighter weight (which may or may not mean more reps). It's so much less psychologically taxing than knowing I'm about to get under a very heavy bar OR feeling like I'm a failure because I'm so much weaker that day than I'd like to be. A lot of mixed strength and hypertrophy DID build my foundation, but I've definitely put on more aesthetic size more quickly once I switched my focus away from the numbers and more to the MMC and individual fatigue on a given set regardless of where it falls in progressive overload. It also means I use more drop sets, partials, and forced reps beyond failure... elements that are hard to track in a tradition progressive overload model. I'm not trying to figure out numbers. I'm just trying to absolutely fatigue that muscle.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I couldnt have said it better myself! Also, I too have adopted the smith machine for many lifts 💪

[@vlad06smirnov]

Look at my crazy 42 pull ups in a row on my channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKClaqSYmthkpsk

[@shaiknafisahamed5744]

This channel is underrated

[@18sadur]

Great videos man, very well explained, great informative visuals and thorough and unbiased information!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

glad to hear it 💪

[@aroundandround]

MMC is why I switched to cable flys from the “big three” bench press for chest because bench causes my shoulders to take over and fatigue well before my chest and I can’t seem to change that (yet).

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Yes, definitely a good idea to use sensations to guide training decisions

[@djrowe5010]

Just started following this account, kinda cool I got to Be the first view and comment on this vid, just wanted to say super informative, super understandable and very broken down. You’ve made a very unique, and powerful channel with the type of content you upload, overall great job and keep it up!!!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

How did you access this video, it is unlisted?

[@auzyx6138]

So informative from such a less viewed video. Thanks!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

no problem 👍

[@martlu95]

Great video once again! Can't wait for the next one! I have been watching your videos for years, and always provide for great content 👏👏👏

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Cheers, glad to hear it! Thanks for the support 👊

[@martlu95]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 🤙

[@patrickwendling6759]

THANK YOU for all you do.. I really appreciate you.. 💪🏼💪🏽

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

No problem, glad to hear it 👍

[@deadliftalot]

4:26 According to emg data does this mean the deadlift is better at growing the quads than the hamstrings ? Since the vastus lateralis saw some insane activation while biceps femoris activation was much lower

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Good question. Not necessarily, because EMG alone fails to consider factors such as ROM, biomechanics etc. However, i would say that conventional deadlifts probably arent the best hamstring exercise. I would prefer RDL's since there is minimal knee flexion during the lift 👍

[@Miller2h41]

As someone once said: "Let the mind control the body not the body controlling the mind."

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

🧠➡️💪

[@Edzi07]

It’s not necessarily about muscle gain, but control. It’s important for correct form, equal training and for me most importantly is skill training. I can just about do a hand stand push up from a strength perspective, but I need a lot more balance and mind muscle connection for form corrections to stop that “banana” back. Plus many other examples

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Yes, I agree 👍

[@Edzi07]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 Appreciate the response, Thank you

[@hrawat_]

Thanks for that great info.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

No problem 👍

[@lonewolf0690]

Please make video on resistance bands workout and its efficiency

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Probably not ideal to maximise muscle growth 💪

[@Audios2010]

Kinda taking this with a grain of salt. Could you please tell me a little of your background? Are you retired/current athletics coach, powerlifter/bodybuilder, do you have any real world results from your clients? Do you have a degree in sports medicine, or medical field in specific?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Take this with whatever salt you want 👍

[@martlu95]

@lowstressed Are you retired? Are you a current athletic coach? Powerlifter? Do you have any real world clients? Do you have a job? What do you do for a living? Could you please tell us?

[@Audios2010]

@@martlu95 @M J Sure! I've been working as an lineman electrician for PG&E for the past 11 years, and lifting is a big part of the job. My client is pretty much California and all the residents apart of it. And Yes, I am a powerlifter & have participated in 3 USA powerlifting meets coming to my 4th in October 22-23rd in Santa Barbara, come show some support if you'd like!

[@Audios2010]

@@martlu95 I'll be wearing yellow 💛 so you don't miss me

[@nboss968]

​@@FlowHighPerformance1 lol

[@baraamar3i946]

Sir can you do the next video on how to recover from a rotator cuff injury / how to train while having one and how to warm up properly before your training sessions to avoid injuries would be much appreciated🙌

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Diagnosing and treating injury is beyond my scope of knowledge 👍

[@vlad06smirnov]

Look at my crazy 42 pull ups in a row on my channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKClaqSYmthkpsk

[@kamilsaifi7974]

Make vedios on effects of micro nutrients on training...

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I don't know enough about how micronutrients influence muscle growth to make a video on. However, I would assume micronutrients would have minimal influence on body composition, presuming you are not deficient in anything, and don't have any specific chronic disease 👍

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Very possible. I haven't looked into this topic enough to be sure 👍

[@Cloppa2000]

Like you infer it will only make a difference if other muscles can do the work instead of the intended muscle. You can work pecs and delts in many different ways and if you want to target a particular delt muscle you have to be conscious of which muscle you are actually working! For compound movements you are working many muscles at the same time and focussing on one muscle is absolutely pointless.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Agreed. However, it may be possible to bias a specific muscle during a compound lift too - but this is only speculative at this point 👍

[@johndonson1603]

Just train strictly and push your poundages regularly , as usual expert trying to make training seem more complicated than it is.

[@PhiyackYuh]

Pipe down john wayne 🤣 training is actually complicated. Not every nail needs to be hammered ya know 🤓 your way is not the best highway and blah blah 🤷‍♂️

[@martlu95]

@@PhiyackYuh yes👏👏

[@steadystackin7250]

It is simple but at the same time complicated. Focusing and squeezing does in fact help the results you see. Simply moving the weight from point A to point B is sub-optimal

[@johndonson1603]

@@PhiyackYuh Pipe down why ? I'm right, training is made to seem very complicated by people who have a vested interest in selling products / training plans / clicks on KZbin etc. Training properly is extremely hard it takes dedication and perseverance, but it's not complicated. Plus this is a public forum, so I'll say what I want.

[@johndonson1603]

@@steadystackin7250 Not having it mate, just train strictly with possibly a bit of momentum on you last rep or two just to fully hit the muscle, what do you think is moving the weight, your mind or your muscle, you can wish that 300lbs bench up all you want, but it's your muscles that actually do the lifting.

[@zack4president]

If I dont focus on it, ill start cheating form.

[@nemonucliosis]

Sounds like you're lifting too heavy if you need to start cheating.

[@zack4president]

@@nemonucliosis I didn't say I had to cheat to get the weight up. Just that I get sloppy if Im not paying attention. But thanks, Dad.

[@nemonucliosis]

@@zack4president I'm just looking out for your wellbeing son.

[@nemonucliosis]

Over rated.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I think the MMC is a good way to indirectly help improve lifting technique, but it doesn't really seem to have any direct benefits 👍

[@mindlessfatemusic]

Whenever I workout I get really fried beforehand and just focus solely on that mind-muscle connection like it’s my job 🫡