想象锻炼也能达到实地健身的效果

A new research study suggests that just thinking of exercising can have the same effects as actually hitting the gym, officials say.

最新研究显示，想象自己在锻炼，也能达到实地健身的效果。

A recent study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology found that simply imagining exercise can tone muscle, delay atrophy, and even make your muscles stronger.

Researchers at Ohio University, according to the Breitbart News Network, conducted an experiment using two sets of 'healthy individuals.'

The researchers wrapped the wrists of one of the sets in a cast and gave them instructions to sit still for 11 minutes, five days a week, for four weeks, and 'perform mental imagery of strong muscle contractions,' -- or, imagine exercising.

The other set were not given any instruction.

The results illustrated that the body and mind are more intertwined than we though.

At the end of the four weeks, the participants who engaged in the 'mental exercise' were twice as strong as those who didn't, Breitbart reports.

Additionally, those participants had a stronger brain because the exercises created stronger neuromuscular pathways.