Thinking can strengthen muscles. Visualizing yourself lifting weights can stimulate muscle growth even without engaging in physical activity.
You can strengthen your muscles by simply thinking about it.
Mental imagery of weightlifting can stimulate muscle growth through neurological mechanisms because visualizing muscle contractions activates neural pathways, triggers motor cortex activity, and enhances motor unit recruitment.
This practice strengthens brain-to-muscle signals and indirectly boosts muscle development through psychological factors.
Another study also shows that internal imagery (visualizing oneself lifting weight from within one's body) is more effective than external imagery (visualizing oneself lifting weight as an observer) in enhancing strength. This is due to greater muscle excitation, stronger brain activation, and higher physiological responses like increased heart rate and blood pressure associated with internal imagery.
While visualization can promote muscle growth, it's not a substitute for physical exercise. Actual weightlifting still provides a stronger stimulus for muscle development. Visualization is a complementary technique to enhance physical training rather than a replacement.