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Interesting film. My grandfather, who was born in 1887, was an expert in this. I remember him demonstrating abdominal isolations in the 1970s when he was in his 80s and just before he died. He also taught me some of these skills and I can still do some of these muscular contractions. I’m now 63. He also taught me how to swing Indian clubs and to hold a handstand.

For years I studied bellydancing. Bellydancers learn how to consciously to flex and roll their diaphragm, which creates the distinctive abdominal movements of the dance. It took me a couple of months of daily attention and practice before I gained the ability to move this muscle, which is 'normally' supposed to be outside our conscious control. It made me realize we are capable of far more consicous control over our bodily processes than we think.

As a stroke survivor as well as brain cancer survivor some of this is true. Mind muscle connection takes alot more work. I always enjoy these videos.

Maxick was always an incredible role model for me. After my second hip surgery I felt very helpless my ability to use my body and felt almost betrayed. Similar to maxick in his book “muscle control”,I was bedridden only with the ability to contract and release. The simplest of all techniques and yet the most underrated.

Those old school bodybuilders like Maxick or Eugen Sandow knew something that's missing nowadays.

Your ability to explain complex concepts to be understood simply is unsurpassed sir.. The ball bearings example..brilliant..👌..this is why you're undoubtedly one of the best fitness youtubers..keep it up..

*Focusing on improving proprioception / mind-muscle connection is the healthiest and most exciting long-term training philosophy for intermediate/advanced athletes - yes, I believe this!* Training can be such an engaging experience, especially when we focus on learning more about our bodies and what we can express as we gain more degrees of integration. Beautiful video and demonstrations, thank you!

i've spent a significant portion of my life with a lot of my muscles "turned off" from mind muscle connection. its been really difficult to try to gain control of those parts back. find myself constantly having to consciously activate certain areas in order to be able to do simple things like good form push ups... severe malnourishment and inactivity / limited movement activity really did a number on me

I started my training life doing isometrics and dynamic tension. I did it for a good few years and never lost that mind muscle connection when I went on to other forms of training. I would recommend anyone to do this for a few months and see and feel the difference. I started at 25 and I'm now 61 and in very good shape with no injuries. I put this down to good mind muscle connection. Good to see younger guys talking about this.

Great video. Bodybuilding when done properly is functional - but too many people just focus on lifting heavy.

There is this guy, the creator of Mindful Wing chun. He is an australian who trained Wing chun in Hong Kong for years, he trained in a internal way to do Wing Chun. He explained that body has joints (not like our normal joints, it's like a visualization), these joints act like cogs, you train to move these cogs simultaneously, this way you can generate maximum powers at weird angels (standing still, sitting in a chair, laying on the floor, etc). I remembered that analogy when you talked about the small ball bearings one. Maybe internal martial arts (real internal martial arts) know something we are just discovering with modern science. I really like your channel, you are distillating and explaining with modern terms, things that some disciplines already knew but didn't explain it with modern terms. I hope one day you could talk about the physical part of ballet.

YES so as someone who lost a LOT of muscle mass (from 155lbs down to 108lbs due to intestinal tears, now up to 180lbs!) i had to basically re-learn how to do everything during recovery. after getting into fitness i read Maxick and noticed that i did a lot of the things he did as far as trying to develop active control over my muscles. now i am stronger, more coordinated, faster, than i ever was before. this stuff really worked great for me :D

After I started training my observational drawing this past year(using sight-size, comparative measurement, and grids to draw references) I found that after months of carefully measuring out hundreds of drawings in pen and ink, my general hand-eye coordination improved, so I also became a little more accurate when playing shooter video games or pinball. It's interesting to compare writing and drawing because in both cases, the brain tends to simplify observations to symbols and then draws the symbols, but writing is focused on repetition of the same symbols, which allows form to break down to the bare minimum of legibility(many people can do calligraphy, but not everyone writes with calligraphic form all the time), whereas when drawing, you're actively training against symbolic representation and trying to break down novel information into lines, so it forces you to move your hand more precisely as you observe the subject more precisely.

Super slow strength training combined with isometrics is time efficient, safe and will definitely tap into the mind muscle connection since there's no way of cheating in this particular training methods. Great video💪👍

It makes perfect sense- I've heard more than one physiotherapist mention- that a lot of people have difficulty with delt growth because their traps take a lot of the load. So in theory if you have the ability to only activate a particular muscle you can train it to it's fullest with less weight.

My taichi teacher can do mind boggling feats of muscle control. It defies how I understand the body can work

I have scoliosis and while meditating I realised you can do that. While doing so, my back started straightening a bit. It felt as if it was doing it on its own and I was only watching my body move. Then I realised I was simply letting certain muscles relax that I didn't even know you could relax. Later I spent a lot of time standing in from of the mirror and just trying to move different muscles in my back/neck. Feels really cool and makes you feel present in your body.

I tried Sandow's light dumbbell system for about a year just for shits and giggles, went from 28cm circumference around bicep to 34cm with a 1kg weight. I don't understand the mechanics behind what happened, but it does work

Im new to the bioneer channel but this is the absolute best fitness channel out there, especially how Adam doesn't put on a fake "you tube" personality. Another great video thanks Mr Bioneer.

Started doing this because I noticed some asymmetrical contractions in my facial expressions (lot of muscles in the face). Some of them were imposible to control or even to feel the area. Within days I gained sensibility and a consciousness of the area. Learned how to move better my lips, cheeks, ears and scalp. Then extrapolated to other muscles in my body, specially the deep ones, breathing muscles, pelvic floor, and feet muscles. Amazing video.

Makes me think of the incredible muscle-brain connection that Popping & Locking dancers demonstrate. Thanks for the thought-provoking content, Bioneer!

Stumbled across the Maxalding books on a dedicated website over a decade ago, it's since disappeared. So glad to see someone covering this aspect of physical culture after so long.

Keep up the great videos Adam and don’t ever lose your uniqueness, it is what I love about your channel and is why I have watched almost all of your videos.

Great video as always! Gaining finer motor control over specific muscles is something I've been thinking about for a little while. Some of the things Norman Doidge wrote about in his book The Brain That Changes Itself came to mind when you spoke about moving your toes independently! I look forward to part 2.

Adam, words cant describe how well Put together this video is. Truely top Notch work and Information!

Mind muscle connection and how well I could work a muscle group I found were truly linked

Been watching your channel for years as this may be your greatest vid yet. It's like a 14min condensation of your best insights.

From 23 to 25 I did this exclusively, always in front of a mirror. Went from a skinny 170lbs to a very fibrous 185lbs (6'2" tall). The one thing that I always try to explain to people is just how unbelievably strong you can get when all you do is focus on using your muscles rather than a specific exercise. I never felt so strong, and could do some pretty incredible things for a tall guy. Things like pushups with just my thumbs, sets of incline pushups maxing at 75+ and total reps per day averaging 500-1000. It was really amazing, and people assume that you live in the Gym when you never leave your house. This all ended with 2 severely herniated discs in my neck that took all of 10 years to get properly diagnosed, and eventually replaced. I'm now 34 and my damaged nerves are finally healed up. Looking forward to getting back into the swing of using this technique. Just do it slowly and easily at first, it's all about breathe and individual muscle contraction. If you overdo it, you'll fry entire groups of muscles and they'll take days to come back.

This is exactly how iyengar is practised and was taught by the great legendary guru BKS Iyengar. Alignment and awareness of not just the muscle group but also the skeleton and organs which create huge neurological impact.

The Bioneer is slowly teaching us the Weirding Way of the Bene Gesserit and I'm completly on board

Adding to what you're saying. Some fighters avoid building muscles, due to the thought of slowing down. Which is reasonable, and what you're saying support that. What they don't know is the fact that you can train yourself to utilize and use only the muscles needed. That's when a fighter becomes dangerous.

Loving the exploration of all aspects of mental and physical capability. Looking forward to part 2.

Super functional training 2 does exactly what it says on the tin. Only a few weeks at it consistently and have a better mind muscle connection. Mental clarity was the first thing I noticed. Keep up the good work Bioneer, you are providing excellent educational content just like the Huberman Lab.

Awesome topic Mr Bioneer - always inspiring minds and bodies 👏🏽 keep up the great videos and excellent work. I'd love to access your program if not for currency differences making it costly at this time. Big fan from South Africa

You are a truly brilliant and inspiring gift to many people around the world. I'm going through a lot with motor neuron control, ancient head/neck injury. I've made pretty good strides but I have a long way to go to stand up and flourish in life for once. This helps as much as you can imagine. Thanks.

I've been really looking forward for quite a long time for a vid like this. Exeptionally explained! I love a follow up video

It's also been found that trying to move immovable objects using progressive application of tension activates more muscles and trains tension.

Only watched a few of your videos here and there in the past, this one is so good im subscribing. The way you use science is great. Its not just exercise were being taught here. Great work!

I was waiting on you to cover Maxick for ages. Nice! 😁

I’ve recently been trying muscle control. Glad you made this video.

Feldenkrais Method, Qigong, Maxalding all focus on improving proprioception to more more efficiently. The extreme isolations of Maxalding later on allow one to integrate them with the rest of the body in extremely refined ways.

Mind muscle connection is understudied and understated. Anyone that’s gone through physio therapy knows how important this is. I was able to rebuild the arch in my feet that were a consequence of week and tight pelvic muscles. I had to fix the cause of the problem and the consequences of it both by working muscles that I no longer had a mind muscle connection too. I had to practice sliding a quarter with my big toe on the floor by not squeezing my toes but raising my arch of my foot. I also had to practice squeezing my pelvic floor, kegals or whatever they’re called

Thank you brother...great video as always.You always have new things to learn .I love it!thanks again for all you do.

Control is power. You always talked about this and it's why I enjoy your channel a lot.

Dope edits I loved the implementation of the animation

Really interesting topic, thank you!

Very interesting, I would love to see a part 2. Thanks for the video.

Good stuff big guy, you inspire me to be more of an athlete rather than just training to be huge

Crucial information that many miss out on. Thanks for posting this type of content!

SUUCH an important episode man! This idea of finessing your level of muscular control is so important for optimum performance and well being in your body, the awareness to relax contracted muscles when you're just sitting and going about your day is actually a huge factor in your happiness levels! - Big Love as always brother!

Love this! Tons of interesting information, excellently presented! Thank you 🙏

fantastic information very well put together, I have always tried mind-muscle connection since I was young, it's essential in any moment upstanding and activating a particular muscle or group of muscles, it helped me to train to achieve doing muscle ups on the rings from a full hang was almost a pensioner lol, just using certain back muscles to start off the move to then incorporating arms abs and legs for the full moment. I am working towards that goal again in my 60's, consistency is so important, I keep losing my strength due to chronic illness and it takes such a long time to get it back, ten times as long as building muscle, this is why I am trying to learn how to gain a lot more strength at an old age much quicker. Sorry for the long post, I am so inspired by your videos to try harder and train smarter. awesome channel, thank you.

You finally made it A video about muscle control I remember the first time you mentioned it

You are a gift to many people out there! Thank you, friend! 🙏🏼

The amount of information in your videos is incredible 🤘 very very useful videos thank you 👍

Really glad you made a new video about this stuff,was abou time you showed it some polish.

I love the old time physical culture movement, they had so much more to offer than bodybuilders of today. They were equal parts strongman/woman, gymnast, athelte and with a great physique! Plus, back in the 1920's there was a connection with the physical culture movement and Yoga. A lot of the Indian Yoga Guru's were also strongmen and bodybuilders and the two movements borrowed ideas and techniques from one another. An example would be the stomach vacuum of early bodybuilders which originated from Uddiyana Bandha (upward-flying stomach lock) from Yoga. I think modern bodybuilders should have to perform feats of strength on stage, somersaults, full splits, bend iron bars, etc to prove they can use their body to full capacity as modern competitions give a false sense of ability which can influence the younger generation and lead them down a dark alley! Great video as always! 💪🏼🙏🏼

You really are a wonderful man. Weirdly I enjoy stretching, individually activating individual muscles after a spliff! Not sure why

I practiced Maxalding for quite some time. This is awesome! It helped me to rehab after serious Cov-infection. I still am figuring out how to combine the old concepts with modern training. What I can say is that it has an awesome relaxing efect

Ive been waiting for this Soon I'll be able voluntary contract and relax each individual muscle fiber

You're helping so many people. Thanks for this.

I lost a ton of muscle, due to a health crisis, followed by covid, and was unable to build back any significant muscle mass, until I started doing intense muscle control exercises, followed by a bunch of stretching. At 194 lbs, after 4 months, I can lift my whole body off the ground, while doing a pike with my legs, and supporting my bodyweight with the tips of my fingers instead of my fists or a flat palm.

Thank you so much for covering this subject. After an injury and a few surgeries I stumbled on this and really think there is so much more we need to learn about this.

Great video as always.

This is good stuff! I look forward to more on the subject.

my friend, the stuff you talk about on this channel is the stuff that I have based my life on improving (granted I didn't know the specifics of what I was doing as I just moved in a way that felt like it was working) with the end goal of becoming stronger than any animal or beast. granted its a far fetched goal but hearing some of the concepts that you talk about helps me get a better understanding on how I can actually make my goal real.

When I was a teenager I bought Charles Atlas route for a comic book, I eventually learned to manually tension my muscles, which was a good thing when working in construction out of town, when having time off I would use a broomstick and imagining it was weighted and I would tense the muscles for that exercise

I love this. When I was first learning about biology/anatomy for exercise, there was an analogy that stuck in my head and I will continue to repeat, it goes like this. Think of your muscles as a forest, and there are pathways through that forest but they are just small walking trails. The trails what connect your muscles to your CNS/intentions, and by training them, you cut down the stuff along the path that makes it hard to walk through. I've since added to it, saying that the QUALITY of your lifts insofar as your conscious attention to the muscles involved and getting maximum contraction, full range of motion, slow eccentrics, pauses, etc. is like adding tools to your construction efforts in the forest. Eventually you have paved roads connecting every part of that forest to the main highway and can access any part easily and quickly. The physical expression of this will always be far more impressive than size to me

I really appreciate how much you put into this video! Though I think the editing in the first half of the video before the add was a bit too distracting from your essay. Love your channel unblievably inspiring!

Love the video!

Tai chi is Qi and Xue. Blood and breath. As someone whos self taught in meditation over the course of 19 years i will say tai chi is influence over the blood directly. Even the static poses. Blood can be identified as a sensation during any movement. This sensation is created because its density is different. When it comes to hormone manipulation or mental manipulations of consciousness the concept is the same. Identify the sensation. For example, dopamine is the name we give a neurotransmitter. However, this neurotransmitter " true name" is something we can manipulate. The true name simply identifies the sensation directly connected to the neurotransmitter. That sensation is something we can inhibit and coerce. Science backs this up funny enough. building muscle has nothing to do with "weight". Weight is a concept of gravity, do astronauts exersice? Yes, they do. Building muscle has to do with force. HOWEVER, force isnt the only thing needed. Otherwise, isometrics would build significant amounts of muscle, right? So whats the difference? We use Force + movement. A weight is a static amount of force in the form of weight. LOL. We move it. More weight to build more muscle because its more force. Going to failure because it increases force. Not as much as weight but by its own degree. This was the thing with Mike Mentzer. Reps, to failure, Slowly. Because slow increases the force by its own degree. Hypothetically if you did any isometric, and then MOVED while doing it, it will build muscle. Youre coupling force + movement. The gymnasts with his ability to generate max force, and the body builder who muscle mass but not maximal muscle contraction. Side note, Isometrics we well as body building increase bone density over time. Both are force. Astronauts are required to exercise in space because the baseline force of gravity is removed. If you ever wish to coffee and zoom let me know. we can talk more crazy goodness. XD

Your ball bearing explaination is so logical. Well done

TOP Man!!!! Keep on going your amazing work!

This idea is very similar of the prana-bindu training of the Bene Gesserit in the novel "Dune".

Great Work! Excellent Video! Thank You!

Bioneer, you are really something! Thx for sharing your wisdom

Bicep and fingers were clearly moving while showing off the forearm muscles. Enjoyed the video, thanks.

FINALLY! I WANTED A VIDEO ON THIS !

This is so cool! As a tai chi teacher who's been following your excellent content for years now, I love that you made that connection to the internal arts. Also, I would think that poppers (dancers) would probably be the most skilled at this. They have it down to an art form (literally), throughout the whole body.

This is a very profound research, thank you very much.

Excellent information and presentation 👏

Such a cool concept!!! Need that follow up video for the lower back👍

Remarkable video, love this kind of stuff

You always find topics that I find to be interesting. Bodybuilders and their muscle control while still being useful only uses parts of the art but still. If you want to use your body you have to know your body and having a 5 minute muscle control session while meditating or watching stuff is a great aid in that. Muscle imbalances will shine up and your kinesthetic awareness will improve Practicing your skills is still better for that but muscle control will still be useful and fun

Interesting video, as ever, and good to hear the credit to Golden Era Bookworm who has researched a lot of old school sources. The most prominent Golden Era strongmen trainers, Sandow, Zass, Charles Atlas, etc, may not have understood the science behind their successes (,and, yes: individual genetics is important/decisive) but they certainly found interesting approaches that worked for some

Love the videos-any vids or advice on what muscles or methods of muscle awareness can help improve scoliosis in upper back and neck?

Definitely needs more videos on this concept

Great video dude.

Already looking forward to the followup. =D You da best, Adam.

Hey Bioneer! I absolutely love your vids and what they have to offer, this is yet another deceiving deep dive into human anatomy that is often looked over! I have problems with my muscles in my body staying clinched and cannot relax, for up to 8 years now stress has been internalized. Specifically, my psoas, chest/ribs and knee. Curious for your point of view, much love mate cheers!

Thanks! Very good to consider!

I'm ecstatic that you're covering Muscle Control!

You sir are an amazing scholar, athlete and topnotch human being. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your contribution to bringing wellness, knowledge and balance to the world!!!

Excited for part 2

Simple, farming as strength & endurance. Tai Chi as breathing & movement control. San Shou & Muay Thai as training exercise. Yoga 🧘‍♀️ as flexibility & meditations.

Fascinating topic!

looking forward to the next one

After that buildup I feel like a 10 part series is coming and at the end Bioneer will be levitating

J'aime beaucoup ce que tu montres sur tes vidéos. Un mélange parfait de développement musculaire et d'esprit éveillé . Un véritable guerrier dans l'âme . Merci