Effects of Mental Practice and Physical Practice upon Muscular Endurance

Abstract The purposes of this study were twofold: first, to test the hypothesis that muscular endurance can be increased through a mental rehearsal of a particular item of endurance; second, to determine whether the increase, if any, would be as great as or greater than that achieved solely through physical practice of the same item. Results indicated that muscular endurance of the abdominal and thigh flexor muscles is increased significantly over a 20-day period by a daily five-minute mental practice of sit-ups. It was also found, however, that the increase was significantly smaller than that achieved by a daily five-minute practice of sit-ups. It was concluded that where physical practice is at all possible, this method is recommended over mental practice to facilitate an increase in muscular endurance.