The guy who visualised the outcome did better. I tried to convince Jim and Dave about the truth in this study. Oddly enough I don’t think they believed me.
It all started when I heard about this study. The study, I never did learn who had commissioned it, was to find out whether a person who actually does physical activity is fitter than the person who visualises being fit.
So the scientist (maybe) selected a bunch of people for the test. They had the first group doing all sorts of stuff. Running, swimming, biking were just some of the things the test subject did in the study. Oddly enough, I don’t recall how long the study took to complete.
The other group selected got to sit on the couch everyday. I’m not sure whether it was their own couch, or the scientists couch. If it were me, I might prefer my own couch. But only as long as the dog and cat couldn’t jump on me for entertainment.
Anyway, the couch potato people had to visualise every single day for one hour being physically fit. They had to visualise their hearts getting stronger. And their lungs too. I’m not sure if they had to visualise muscles getting stronger and bigger.
So the study went on for days, perhaps weeks. And at the end of it, they scientists reached a conclusion.
“Aha,” you are thinking to yourself, that’s a no brainer. “The answer is obvious. The people who did all that stuff.”
Sadly, that wasn’t the case. The study concluded that the people who visualised fitness were fitter.
Jim laughed at me. “Do you really believe that,” he said. “That one has been around for years.”
I’m glad he didn’t believe me either. I enjoy his stories and enthusisam for running and would be really sad not to be able to share that with him. But did you hear the one about the couple on Lover’s Lane?
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