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This story at BBC News says that when you focus on what your muscle is doing, you exert more energy than when you just perform the move.

• BBC NEWS | Health | ‘Mind control’ over muscle power

Here is how the scientists tested their theory:

The team wired their subjects up to weight machines which monitored levels of electrical activity in their biceps and asked them to think in two different ways while exercising.

The more electrical activity measured – the more the muscle is doing.

When subjects were asked to focus on what their muscles were doing and how they were working there were significantly higher levels of electrical activity.

But when they were asked to visualise lifting the weight, electrical activity was lower.

If you focus on the muscle, it will work harder. If you focus on hitting a ball correctly, it will direct the ball better. This is one reason why running on the treadmill with the television distracting me might not be as good as exercise as when I’m outside running. I have nothing else to focus on but my muscles.

Via: Meriblog: Meri Williams’ Weblog » links for 2006-03-31