When practicing yoga, weightlifting, and other forms of movement, we often hear the term 'mind-muscle' connection. This is the practice of purposely focusing your mind on the muscle being exercised to boost muscle activation and enhance the result of your workout. It may sound hard to believe, but various studies have tested the theory - the results are striking.
In one such study, researchers from Ohio's Cleveland Clinic Foundation split 30 young adults into groups. For fifteen minutes a day, five days a week for twelve weeks, Group One imagined moving the muscle of their little finger, Group Two imagined exercising their bicep.
By the end of the 12 weeks, Group 1 increased their finger strength by 53%, and Group 2 increased their bicep strength by 13.4%! Remember, no actual exercise had taken place - every participant's brain activity during each visualization session was measured, and the data suggests that gains in strength were correlated to improvements in the brain's signalling of muscle activity. With this understanding, it's easier to see how visualisation alone can in fact improve muscle strength. So, now consider how much the ‘mind-muscle’ connection can impact the results of a workout when you really are moving your muscles.
Many studies like this demonstrate that harnessing the power of the mind can help pro athletes, stroke patients, and even those with spinal cord injuries to repair and heal from damage. If this is possible, imagine what our mind can do for our skin and wellbeing...
This is where Puja comes in. Our luxury formulations are paired with mindful ritual cards to encourage the ‘mind-skin’ connection, giving rise to a new generation of skincare.
Shop the collection now to experience PUJA for yourself: experiencepuja.com