NEWS ROUND-UP

Your brain is as important for building strength as any kit

Including why strongman is for you

Any self-help book will tell you positive thinking is vital for success, but recent research published in the Journal Of Neurophysiology shows mental strength can actually be translated into physical gains. Two groups performed wrist exercises designed to induce weakness, with one group also visualising strong muscle contractions. These subjects performed significantly better at testing, suggesting the mind is a key component of strength. Time to visualise yourself smashing through sets as part of your preworkout routine. Who knows? It might even help you win friends and influence people at the gym.