Could VISUALIZATION be the key to massive muscle gains?

I certainly visualize, and I know it’s something that Arnold Schwarzenegger recommended.

In fact, visualization is something that almost all successful people have in common, no matter what their particular field of expertise.

I’m a big believer in the idea that anything we can get our subconscious to believe as true, will come true i.e. that which we impress upon our own subjective minds as real and true, will sooner or later clothe itself as concrete, objective fact.

So, what did Arnold do?

Let’s hear from the man himself,

“I also used a lot of visualization in biceps training. In my mind I saw my biceps as mountains, enormously huge, and I pictured myself lifting tremendous amounts of weight with these superhuman masses of muscle.”

We know from research that imagining lights up the same parts of the brain that illumine when you’re actually working out. Visualization produces electrical and chemical changes that activate the muscles that are being mentally ‘worked’.

There are 2 ways to implement this; Inside the gym and outside the gym.

Just before and during a set, see in your MIND’S EYE the intended body part as bigger and stronger than it currently is. I mean really EXAGGERATE that body part, or imagine your idol’s biceps, legs etc. as being on YOUR body.

Arnold imagined that his muscles would fill the entire room! I’ve found that doing this produces a mental response of strength and certainty. From the beginning to the end of your set continue to see those MASSIVE, cartoon-like muscles lift that weight with relative ease.

Outside the gym take some time out of your day to sit and visualize your body as you want it. If you want massive pecs, see them with crystal clarity in your mind over and over again until this subjective picture takes on the tones of reality i.e. you begin to FEEL as though it were true in the present moment.

You may find it useful to mentally repeat some affirmations during this exercise. As you’re seeing your perfect body, cite some positive statements like:

“Man, I’m really HUGE now!”

“Look at the size of my [insert a body part]” – No, not THAT body part!

“It feels great having this body!”

It doesn’t matter what the statement is. YOU say whatever makes YOU feel as though it is a present reality. It may also help to imagine others complementing you on your new size or successful fat loss. What you’re doing here is giving your subconscious a BLUEPRINT for what you want it to bring about.

The subconscious differs from the conscious mind in that it does not differentiate between true and false statements. Whatever you mentally affirm often enough will eventually be accepted as fact by the subconscious. It then works day and night to bring it about by AUTOMATICALLY influencing your behavior and thought patterns.

I’ve written a couple of other articles in this vain, check them out:

The Most Unusual Way To Build Muscle – How visualization produces strength increases

How To Make A ‘Mind Movie’ For Your Dream Body – How to create a ‘movie’ that impresses the subconscious for automatic success!

Dream Big!

Mark

image credit: longanthony

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