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03.08.2012

You're less strong with your eyes closed

You lose strength if you close your eyes during physical exertion, sports scientists at Samford University in the US discovered when they did an experiment involving 27 students. But if you are used to doing the movement then the reduction as a result of sight loss is negligible.

Study
The researchers got the students to do leg press exercises on two occasions, using 60 percent of the weight at which they could just manage 1 rep.

On one occasion the students were blindfolded once they had got onto the machine, on the other occasion they weren't.

Results
The lack of vision reduced the power the subjects were able to develop - the speed with which they could push the weight away from themselves - by 6 percent.

In men and women who trained with weights in the gym twice a week or more, the loss of power due to loss of sight [white bar] was negligibly small. The blindfold reduced power by a statistically insignificant 1.1 percent.

In inexperienced test subjects, the blindfold reduced the power by no less than 11.7 percent.

The researchers also looked at men and women separately. The negative effect of vision loss occurred in both sexes.

Psychological factors
Studies have shown that the mind can help improve strength performance. A visualised training makes people stronger, as does visualising a movement between sets. A muscle works harder during a set if you direct your attention to that particular muscle. Imagining you are using a muscle seems to activate the same paths in your brain as the ones that are activated when you actually do move it, which helps you to better direct a particular muscle.

Visual input helps these mental processes. Studies suggest that you become stronger during physical exertion even if all you do is look at a photo of a tensed muscle. Which is why training with your eyes shut may be less effective than training with your eyes open.

Source:
J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Feb;27(2):495-500.

More:
Imaginary training can replace the real thing 08.04.2012
Muscle groups work harder during a set if you focus on them 26.11.2009
Torn tendons recover faster with imaginary training 03.10.2009

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