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Force muscles to work without movement, simply concentrating on them? The idea sounds fantastic. However, studies have shown that virtual exercises for muscle development give an effect – just like real ones.
In the course of research, American scientists from the Cleveland Clinic (USA) attached electrodes to the muscles of volunteers, which recorded changes in muscle tension, and using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), they recorded the electrical activity of the brain.
The results showed that when we force a muscle contraction with the effort of thought, the brain is just as active as when we perform normal exercises. The scientists then assessed the benefits of these mental exercises: muscle strength increased by 35%, and muscle tone was maintained for about three months after the mental training was stopped.
Physician and yoga teacher Bernadette de Gasquet is so confident in the benefits of this method that she developed and implemented this “imaginary gymnastics” in France.
Benefits of virtual gymnastics
Before developing and publishing her own technique, Bernadette de Gasquet repeated the experiment of American doctors on the abdominal muscles. And I was convinced that mental work is as effective as the real work of the muscles.
“When we clearly and concentratedly make mental movements, they turn out to be even more effective than real ones: by concentrating on certain muscles, we do not lose excess energy. Fatigue, as a rule, is insignificant, and the blood circulation of the brain and the supply of oxygen to it are greatly improved!”
Thought training can be useful for lack of physical activity, but … cannot replace it at all
Bernadette de Gasquet argues that classic abdominal exercises come with risks. “Pulling the shoulders to the hips is often detrimental to the back,” she says. – In addition, these exercises pump up the abdominals too quickly, which can cause descent of the genitals in women. But this doesn’t happen during mental muscle development exercises.”
Another advantage of virtual gymnastics is that it is available to everyone. It is very suitable for people in a cast (prevents muscle atrophy), for the elderly, for pregnant women (who are contraindicated in classic abdominal exercises), for those who are forced to use a wheelchair.
Finally, many of these exercises can be done anywhere. Gliding, for example, is especially recommended on an airplane, during long flights, in order to improve the circulation of blood in the legs and avoid the danger of phlebitis.
Unfortunately, this gymnastics does not replace flexibility and endurance exercises. For health and bodily harmony, it is worth adding to it stretching (stretching exercises) or yoga, as well as aerobic exercises (dancing, jogging, cycling).
Hip Exercises
- Slip. Sitting on a chair with your feet on the floor, imagine that you are shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Then add to this an imaginary movement – as if you are sliding, like on skis, but without moving your legs. If you can visualize this movement, you will feel the work of the thigh muscles and the transverse and oblique abdominal muscles, which you act on from one side, then from the other.
- “Scissors” and “bicycle”. Lying on your back with your knees bent, imagine that you are pulling your knee towards your chest as you exhale. You will feel the work of the hip, as well as the transverse and rectus abdominis muscles. For greater effect, set the imaginary work of both legs at the same time – as if you were spinning a bicycle. Try this exercise with one leg extended and the other bent. And finally, mentally raise straight legs alternately, as in the “scissors” exercise.
3 keys to success
Be consistent. Practicing for 15 minutes a day, you will find the first results in about three weeks. Practice a little every day. For example, when you arrive at the office, allow yourself 5 minutes of slipping, then spread 10 minutes of other imaginary exercise over multiple sessions throughout the day.
Remember to breathe. Standing, lying down or sitting, begin with a calm breath, while contracting the muscles of the perineum, as if you were holding urination. The inhalation should be equal to the exhalation in time – let’s say, you can perform each of them in four counts. Following this rhythm, move on to imaginary exercises.
Do not despair! If at first your body makes weak involuntary movements, do not worry: it will gradually get used to it. Those who are accustomed to special (pain) sensations after intense training may be a little confused by their absence. However, listening to yourself, you can feel something like a weak current that passes through the tensed area, and feel the effort being made. With a certain persistence, you will master the ability to concentrate, and this is a very useful skill – and not only for the work of our muscles.
Limitations of mental training
“Training with the help of thought can be useful with a lack of motor activity, but … cannot replace it at all,” says Irina Zinchenko, sports coach, five-time world fitness champion.
The connection between the muscles and the brain is obvious: our mental desire is enough for the muscles to contract and do the work we need. My experience with the body suggests that the mental focus on those muscle groups that we train is very, very important. I would say that this is half the success of training.
Concentration teaches us to feel our body, to strengthen our connection with it – in this sense, imaginary gymnastics is certainly useful. But such static loads have their limitations. With their help, you can strengthen the muscles, but it is impossible to radically change the figure, improve its basic proportions.
In addition, we must keep in mind that our body consists not only of muscles that should be kept in good shape. Exercises without movement do not involve our joints and ligaments in the work – this, of course, reduces the risk of injuries to zero, but it does not improve their blood supply and nutrition, that is, it does not strengthen them.
Such gymnastics does not put a load on the cardio system, but we can strengthen the heart and blood vessels only by loading, training them. And, of course, while remaining motionless, it is impossible to improve the flexibility of the musculoskeletal system, the spine.
Exercises for the abs
- Vertical twist. This exercise is for the oblique muscles of the press: sit Turkish on the floor or just sit on a chair, the back is straight, the body is slightly tilted forward. To begin with, perform a real twist: as you exhale, turn the body to the left, first in its lower part, then with each exhalation – in the waist, chest, and finally turn your head. Now do this exercise mentally: don’t move anymore, but exhale every time you “twist”. Then do an imaginary twist to the other side.
- Lateral twist. This exercise forces the oblique muscles to work. Lying on your side with your knees tucked (but not tucked) to your chest, lower your head to the hand below. As you exhale, mentally pull your knees even closer to your chest, and then imagine that in the same position you transfer them to the other side (to the left if you are lying on your right side, to the right if you are lying on your left side). Next, do this exercise while lying on the other side.