Although your mind's powers are highly limited, thinking alone can strengthen your body. Mental Imagery —that's the key concept here: the conscious mental rehearsal of movement. If used as a regular practice, mental imagery can improve your physical strength even without performing any actual movement. You can literally sit at home on your couch and grow stronger by merely thinking about lifting weights. Experimental Studies Most studies on motor imagery follow an experimental design … [Read more...]

Maybe you've seen Amy Cuddy's 2012 TED talk on how "your body language shapes who you are," based on her study (Carney et al., 2010) showing that power posing influences not only cognitive but also physiological processes (more testosterone, less cortisol) and behavior. It's an inspiring talk indeed, but... do expansive postures really work? Well, they do influence your thinking, feeling, and self-perceived confidence, that's for sure. However, their effectiveness at a hormonal … [Read more...]

Bodymind is a concept for understanding body and mind as a single holistic unit. You already know how mind and body influence each other. When your stomach is empty, it signals to your brain (via ghrelin secretion) that it needs food. Suddenly you're thinking about pizza—your body influenced your mind. Then you consider how beef is actually much better and you start cooking, eating, and digesting a delicious steak—your mind influenced your body. You also know the story about posture, … [Read more...]