Tight muscles are one of the most common complaints people have. While there are an endless number of gadgets and modalities to loosen tight muscles, none of them are actually addressing the real issue.
Unfortunately, what this means for so many people is they can create a short-term change in how their tight muscles feel, but that change never lasts for any substantial amount of time.
In fact, not only does the tightness always come back, it often comes back more intensely than before.=
But why is this??
Why do the traditional remedies like stretching, massage, and foam rolling only create a short-term change in how tight muscles feel but don’t actually prevent them from coming back?
It’s because the underlying reason why your muscles are tight in the first place isn’t being addressed.
Muscle tightness is like a warning signal from your body that something is going wrong. It does not tell you what specific area of your body is having the issue, but rather that there is just an issue in general.
Think of muscle tightness like a smoke detector.
When the smoke detector starts beeping, it doesn’t tell you where the fire is, just that there is one.
Also, by shutting off the smoke detector, you stop the beeping, but you didn’t do anything to put out the fire.
So what is the fire inside your body that is causing your internal smoke detector (i.e. muscle tightness) to start beeping like crazy?
Muscle inhibition.
In other words, you have muscles that aren’t communicating well with your brain, and as such your body compensates and alerts you through muscle tightness.
When you have inhibited muscles, not only does your body tighten up in response, it also becomes weaker and less coordinated, meaning you can’t access all of the strength that your muscles have and you aren’t able to use your muscles the way they are designed to.
Unfortunately, things like stretching, foam rolling, and massage can actually make muscle inhibition worse–they literally stop muscles from contracting as much, which is why you feel looser temporarily.
However, because the original muscle inhibition isn’t addressed with stretching, etc., those feelings of looseness are short-lived and are often followed by more intense feelings of tightness.
So how can muscle inhibition be taken care of in a way that actually keeps muscles feeling loose?
This is where Muscle Activation Techniques® comes into play.
Muscle Activation Techniques®, or MAT, addresses muscle inhibition directly, improving the communication between your brain and your muscles.
As a result, the tight muscles you are experiencing can relax because they no longer have to compensate for the inhibited muscles.
Additionally, you can notice immediate improvements in your strength and your flexibility as your muscles are working properly and not having to tighten up due to muscle inhibition.
If you have been trying everything under the sun to loosen up your tight muscles but they keep returning, getting started with Muscle Activation Techniques is the right choice.
You can see what kind of difference MAT can make by scheduling your initial MAT consultation and assessment with us at Muscle Activation Schaumburg by clicking here.
You will learn where in your body you likely have inhibited muscles that are directly influencing how tight your body feels, how strong you are, and how well you are able to perform, as well as receive a plan of action for getting those addressed.
You can get started today by clicking here and scheduling your assessment.
At Muscle Activation Schaumburg, we have been trained in the highest levels of MAT–including MATRx, MATRx2, MATRx Stim, MAT Athlete, and MAT Athlete2–and are the most highly-trained practitioners in the Chicagoland area.
To try out Muscle Activation Techniques® for yourself, click here to schedule your initial consultation and assessment.
We can’t wait to see you on our MAT table soon!
In strength and health,
Julie & Charlie