Just thinking about moving your muscles on a regular basis can strengthen the electrical impulses that command the motor neurons to fire up muscles.

According to Newscientist.com a report from Guang Yue, an exercise physiologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio who says “That suggests you can increase muscle strength solely by sending a larger signal to motor neurons from the brain.”

Early research showed significant strengthening of the little finger in test subjects and they’ve now moved onto biceps.

Volunteers aged 20 – 35 were told to imagine maximum muscle contractions without actually contracting the muscle five times a week. They reported a 13.5% increase in muscle strength compared to a non thinking control group.

For the full report see Newscientist.com, but it’s something to think about anyway……..