How visualization influences strength endurance

(1) Oakleaf High School, Orange Park, Florida, (2) Unafilliated author

https://doi.org/10.59720/21-241
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This study examines how differing degrees of visualization, the process of mentally conceiving a visual image, could influence strength endurance, which is defined as the strength output over longer durations of muscle tension. It’s worth note, this research isn’t generalizable considering researcher and sole participant are the same in this case study. Instead, the research aims to assess a potential relationship that could call for further exploration in future studies. Thus, this study is exploratory in nature, as it merely investigates a question previously unstudied in depth. We hypothesized that improved visualization of the lifted weight would increase strength endurance. To evaluate this, we performed a sample set of minimally weighted repetitions until failure before completing each set of weighted repetitions, under each condition, until failure. The blind-weight unknown condition would keep visualization inaccurate. The blind-weight known condition would allow for more accurate visualization. The sighted condition would allow for a precise visual. Contrary to our hypothesis, our results suggested that people, when lifting heavy objects, were able to hold out against mental fatigue longer when they were unable to accurately visualize what they lifted compared to when they were able to accurately visualize what they lifted. These preliminary findings serve as a call for future scientific investigations into this very subject.

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