If you are going to spend the time and energy going to the gym and working out, you should make sure you are getting everything you want out of your workouts, right?
A lot of times people feel like they aren’t making enough progress with their workouts, so they figure something about their workout must not be right.
But the problem may not be with your workouts at all! The problem may actually be with how your body is entering your workouts. If your body is not ready or able to do what you want it to do, it is going to be very difficult to get the results you want from your workouts.
So how can you make sure your body is ready and firing on all cylinders when you go to exercise?
Enter Muscle Activation Techniques®, or MAT®.
MAT® is a process that gets all of your muscles contracting well and working how they are supposed to, so when you exercise, your body and muscles are 100% ready to go.
But what is actually the big deal about MAT®? How will it help you have better workouts, and get better results from your workouts?
There are number of positive benefits of MAT®, but here are three that are particularly important for your workouts:
1. MAT® Makes Sure You Are Using The Right Muscles
If your muscles can’t contract well, it does not matter what kind of exercise you do for them, you won’t be able to use them during your workouts. If you have ever done a chest press, for example, and only felt your shoulder muscles working but not much going on with your chest, you know that having muscles not working properly is a big deal.
MAT® will identify the muscles that aren’t working well and stimulate them to start working better, so when you do an exercise, all of the muscles you should be using are available for you to use.
2. MAT® Helps Reduce The Chance Of Getting Injured And Speeds Recovery
Your muscles are designed to protect your joints. The better your muscles work, the better-protected your joints will be. Additionally, the more muscles you have working correctly, the less need there will be for your muscles to compensate for underworking muscles.
Over time, this means your joints will get less stressed and your muscles will be less likely to get overworked and strained because everything is working as it should.
The MAT® process is an integral part of making sure your joints stay healthy and your muscles don’t get out of balance.
Additionally, if specific muscles aren’t getting overworked, you will be able to recover from each workout, helping you return to your workouts more quickly and stay consistent with them long-term.
3. MAT® Will Help You Use Full Range Of Motion
Not only do your muscles protect your joints, they also move your joints, which means the better your muscles work, the better your joints will be able to move.
The great news is you don’t have to spend hours stretching or doing mobility exercises to get your joints moving better. By simply improving how your muscles contract, your joint motion will open up, increasing your mobility and the range of motion you can safely use when you exercise.
Using full range of motion is important for both the health of the joint and the development and function of your muscles and strength. By getting your muscles working better with MAT®, you can give your joints the best possible opportunity to move fully when you workout and stay safe while doing so.
There are many other benefits your workouts will experience when you start doing Muscle Activation Techniques®, including less pain and tightness, but for many of our clients, these three are the most noticeable.
If you are in the Chicagoland area–including Schaumburg, Barrington, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Inverness, Highland Park, Downers Grove, Naperville, Wheaton, Burr Ridge, Lake Forest, Park Ridge, or downtown Chicago–and would like to try MAT®, you can schedule your initial consultation and assessment with us by clicking here.
At Muscle Activation Schaumburg are certified in the highest levels of MAT®, including MATRx, MATRx Stim, and MAT® Athlete. We are available for sessions within our studio in Schaumburg as well as in-home sessions.
If you feel like you aren’t getting everything from your workouts that you’d like, it is time to start adding MAT® into the mix. Not only will your body stay safer and recover faster, but you will experience better results from the workouts you are already doing.
In strength and health,
Julie & Charlie