As personal trainers in Schaumburg, we strive to provide our clients with the most up to date exercise approaches to health, strength, and mobility. This, undoubtedly, involves an integration of Muscle Activation Techniques™ with more traditional exercise. We are often asked how we are able to blend the two–MAT™ and regular exercise–within a single personal training session and what information we are able to gather from the MAT™ assessment to help us make exercise decisions. Well, MAT™ Headquarters just released a post giving a nice overview of how the two can blend. And if you watch the associated videos below, you may or may not recognize the face on screen 😉
How To Integrate MAT™ Into Personal Training by MAT™ Headquarters
Before diving into the details about integrating MAT™ into personal training, let’s go back and recap the MAT™ thought process and the practical application of Muscle Activation Techniques™. MAT™ teaches that bilateral assessments related to a client’s range of motion will help to identify limitations in their range of motion and that any limitations are indications that one or more muscles crossing the axis of that position aren’t functioning properly. If a limitation is identified, MAT™ teaches its students to follow the “limited side” and then begin a series of very specific tests that can help the practitioner evaluate what specific positions (and the specific muscle(s)) that contribute to movement into and out of this position ) may not be functioning properly. If it is discovered that muscles aren’t functioning properly MAT™ teaches two different methods for activating those muscles. Lastly, (and possibly most importantly) MAT™ is one of the few modalities that allows practitioners to “check their work”. This means that the certified MAT™ practitioner will go back to the specific positional test that was administered prior to the activation technique and see if the muscle’s ability to contract (or sustain the pressure applied by the practitioner) is improved over the prior test. Typically, a series of these events leads to the client’s bilateral range of motion becoming more symmetrical. Having this recap fresh in mind this helps give you context to how we recommend Personal Trainers (with an MAT™ Jumpstart Certification or an MAT™ Specialist Certification) can integrate MAT™ into their clients’ personal training sessions.
Here are 5 reasons why Muscle Activation Techniques™ allows certified MAT™ practitioners who are also personal trainers to bring better results to their clientele and provide a more personal exercise experience!
1.) Start each session with a check in/check up on how the client is feeling and do stability and mobility assessments prior to loading them with weight or complex movement activities.
Check out the rest of this post from MAT™ Headquarters on how to integrate Muscle Activation Techniques™ into a personal training session!
Interested in enrolling in the MAT™ Education Program? Check out this list of upcoming courses! Use the code “MAS” when you register to receive a discount on the cost!
Interested in learning more about the personal training and Muscle Activation Techniques™ experience at Muscle Activation Schaumburg? Contact us and connect with us on Facebook!
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