30 Seconds SummaryCan we feel muscle activation?
- The mind-muscle connection in bodybuilding suggests we can sense and focus on target muscles during exercise, potentially increasing their activation.
- However, Golgi Tendon Organs (GTOs) in our muscles provide feedback on tension, but this feedback is not always a reliable indicator of actual muscle tension due to several limitations such as insensitivity to passive tension and non-linear signal processing in the brain.
- Much of the GTO feedback to the brain is processed subconsciously, leading to a lack of conscious awareness about the actual muscle tension during self-generated movements.
- There are significant discrepancies between what we feel in muscles during exercise and the actual muscle activity measured scientifically, suggesting limitations in our proprioceptive abilities.
- Factors like metabolic stress and muscle stretching are often more perceivable than true muscle tension, leading to misconceptions about which exercises are effective for muscle activation.
- Despite feelings of muscle engagement during training, scientific research often shows no correlation between these feelings and actual muscle growth or activity.
- The article concludes that relying on feelings of muscle activation during training is less effective than using scientifically backed methods and understanding of biomechanics to plan exercise routines.
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Menno Henselmans
