At Drummond Clinic we see a variety of runners with all sorts of different aches and pains. Whether assessing a ‘newbie’ who has just started running, or an established high-level performer, a common problem we find in both is that they are not using the full capabilities of their strength.
This does not necessarily mean that they are ‘weak’, but that they are only harnessing a small fraction of their potential power.
By adding some quick Muscle Activation techniques to your warm-up, you have the ability to stimulate these muscles into action and boost your power!
The Theory
The points used in these techniques are termed neuro-lymphatic reflexes. The basis behind the techniques is the relationship between the Neural System which is responsible for firing muscles, and the Lymphatic System which acts as drainage, transporting hormones, proteins and fats around the body.
An imbalance of one system can effect the other, limiting the function of certain muscles. The body is very clever at compensating for these insufficiencies, and will try to pass the job on to a different muscle group. This will continue until the body runs out of options and cannot recruit anything else, resulting in failure and injury.
The neuro-lymphatic reflexes can be used in these situations to re-set the body in order to use the correct muscles for the activity in hand. In essence, stimulating certain points of the body relative to the lymphatic system can create a reflex action in the corresponding muscle group.
Try It Yourself
In relation to running, the Gluteals provide a large proportion of our power during the running stride. If these are not functioning to capacity (and we find that this is a very common issue), the body will recruit the hamstrings to help, causing tightness and hypersensitivity in the muscles.
- Stand with your legs about a shoulder width apart. Keeping your knees straight, slowly bend forwards reaching down towards the floor. Make a mental note of how far you managed to reach.
- Using your fingertips, apply firm pressure to the points shown below. The first is 2cm either side of your belly button, second at the base of your skull/top of your neck, and lastly around the edge of your jaw. Spend about 20-30 seconds at each point.
- Repeat the standing reach….you may find you can reach a little further?
This is because by stimulating the reflex to activate the Gluteals, we can desensitise the Hamstrings allowing them to relax and provided a better range. Knowing which muscles can be activated, and where the activation points are, can dramatically increase your comfort and efficiency during activity.
As suggested above, adding these muscle activations to a warm up routine can produce some quite dramatic results.
As you can imagine, there are a multitude of different reflexes relating to many different muscles in the body.
If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact one of the Team at Drummond Clinic, come down and Get Activated!