Neuromagnetic imaging reveals timing of volitional and anticipatory motor control in bimanual load lifting.

•We examined temporal pattern of brain activation during bimanual load lifting.•Anticipatory postural adjustments in load bearing arm precede onset of lifting.•Beta ERD peaked -964ms in M1 contralateral to load lifting arm.•Beta ERD peaked -792ms in cerebellum ipsilateral to the load bearing arm.•A basal ganglia-cortical network contralateral to postural arm was activated last.