Little Finger Strength

This experiment is fascinating and consists of two groups. Both groups had the strength of their little finger measured at the start and at the end of the experiment.

The difference part was the bit in the middle of how each group was tasked to increase their little finger muscle strength:

• Group 1 was asked to practice each day for 4 weeks by physically moving their little fingers
• Group 2 was asked to imagine practicing moving their little fingers each day for 4 weeks

The result after 4 weeks were quite astonishing:

• Group 1 after 4 weeks physical practice their little fingers had got 30%stronger
• Group 2 after 4 weeks imagining the practice their little fingers had got 22% stronger

So just by imagination alone you can improve strength, this is because the to imagine doing the action of moving the little finger use the same brain pathways as actually doing the action physically.

This could be why Arnold Schwarzenegger was so successful as his quote below helps demonstrate:

“I never set limits or created mental barriers. You may have read that I imagined my biceps as big as mountain peaks when I did my curling exercises. This visualization process was essential if I was to gain the kind of mass and size I needed to win the Mr. Olympia contest against monsters like Sergio Oliva and Lou Ferrigno.”

We would love to hear your views on this experiment also if you have any mind body connection experiments which you would like to share we would love to hear from you.