Zone-Tone method : understanding mind-muscle connection



The "Zone-Tone" technique, is the art of mentally zoning in and pre-isolating specific muscles just before an exercise to be executed while at the same time maintaining that zone throughout the execution of the movement. This wonderful technique is very easy to grasp and will deliver enormous benefits to your fitness program. Combining proper form and technique with the Zone-Tone method will help you reach all of your fitness goals much faster than conventional practices. The level of isolation and stimulation you will get every time you perform an exercise using this method will increase tenfold.




There are several reasons why people fail to create a successful mind-to-muscle connection:

  • Lack of knowledge about anatomy combined with lack of information available on how to successfully create a mind-to-muscle connection.

  • Misinformation on the part of our teachers or books regarding exercise execution.

  • Humans have a difficult time with change since they get accustomed to doing the same old thing and feel more comfortable and less at risk by doing so. As a result, they refuse to change the way in which they conduct their exercises.

  • Lifting gargantuan weights without any concern for proper exercise form in order to satisfy our ego.


Of all of these possibilities, perhaps the biggest reason is the lack of information available on how to successfully create a mind-to-muscle connection coupled with a lack of knowledge on basic anatomy.

 

Steps in Zone-training

There are only two simple steps to the Zone-Tone method:

  • Step #1: Focus and zone in on the individual muscle/s you intend to train before you begin the exercise. Knowledge of where each muscle is located is crucial; look at the anatomical chart, tense and flex the muscle to be trained as hard as comfortably possible before you even start to execute the exercise. This way you will be sending a message to that muscle, preparing it by completely isolating it even before the exercise begins. By doing so you have successfully created a mind-to-muscle connection.


  • Step #2: Maintain your mind-to-muscle connection during the execution of the exercise. Throughout the execution of the exercise feel the muscle extend and contract as you move from point A to point B. What we really want you to do while you are performing the exercise is to flex the muscle as hard as you can in the same way you did on step 1 but with the exception that now you have a weight in your hand. This is crucial as it is of no benefit to activate the muscles before the exercise begins if the mind-to-muscle connection is lost as the movement starts.


Many women waste their time by exercising without thinking about what they're doing. They exercise on a physical plane rather than on both the mental and physical planes. To help you hone in and experience the feel or each of these muscles you should do the following :

  • As you get to each individual body part, stop and contract the muscle as best as you know how. Do this three to five times and then relax.


  • Remember the exact area where you felt that muscle contract and now focus all of your attention and energy on relaxing that same area. Do you realize what you will be accomplishing here? You are giving yourself an amazing ability to become in complete control of your entire superficial muscular system and will have the opportunity to call upon their action for maximum muscular efficiency.

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