Centre of Research and Innovation in Sport, Laboratory of Mental Processes and Motor Performance, University Claude Bernard Lyon I, University of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Jun;24(6):1680-7. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181d8e936.
It is well established that motor imagery (MI) improves motor performance and motor learning efficiently. Previous studies provided evidence that muscle strength may benefit from MI training, mainly when movements are under the control of large cortical areas in the primary motor cortex. The purpose of this experiment is to assess whether MI might improve upper and lower limbs' strength through an ecological approach and validation, with complex and multijoint exercises. Nine participants were included in the MI group and 10 in the control (CTRL) group. The 2 groups performed identical bench press and leg press exercises. The MI group was instructed to visualize and feel the correspondent contractions during the rest period, whereas the CTRL group carried out a neutral task. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and the maximal number of repetitions (MR) using 80% of the pre-test MVC weight were measured. Although both MI and CTRL groups enhanced their strength through the training sessions, the leg press MVC was significantly higher in the MI group than in the CTRL group (p<0.05). The interaction between the leg press MR and the group was marginally significant (p=0.076). However, we did not find any difference between the MI and CTRL groups, both in the bench press MVC and MR. MI-related training may contribute to the improvement of lower limbs performance by enhancing the technical execution of the movement, and the individual intrinsic motivation. From an applied and practical perspective, we state that athletes may perform imagined muscles contractions, most especially during the rest periods of their physical training, to contribute to the enhancement of concentric strength.
运动想象（MI）已被充分证实可以有效地提高运动表现和运动学习能力。先前的研究表明，肌肉力量可能受益于 MI 训练，主要是当运动受到大脑初级运动皮层等大皮质区域的控制时。本实验旨在通过生态和验证的方法，评估 MI 是否可以通过复杂和多关节运动来改善上下肢的力量。9 名参与者被纳入 MI 组，10 名参与者被纳入对照组（CTRL）。两组都进行了相同的卧推和腿举练习。MI 组被要求在休息期间想象并感受对应的收缩，而 CTRL 组则进行中性任务。使用 80%的预测试 MVC 重量测量最大自主收缩（MVC）和最大重复次数（MR）。尽管 MI 和 CTRL 两组都通过训练增强了力量，但 MI 组的腿举 MVC 明显高于 CTRL 组（p<0.05）。腿举 MR 与组之间的相互作用具有边缘显著性（p=0.076）。然而，我们没有发现 MI 组和 CTRL 组在卧推 MVC 和 MR 之间存在任何差异。MI 相关训练可以通过提高运动的技术执行和个体内在动力来促进下肢表现的提高。从应用和实践的角度来看，我们认为运动员可以在身体训练的休息期间进行想象中的肌肉收缩，以增强向心力量。
