Running used to be one of the most uncomfortable things for me to do.
My feet would hurt. My hips would hurt. My hamstrings and back would tighten up. My right shoulder would start to get this pinching pain that would go up into my neck. And my calves would be so stiff and tight.
Could I gut out a few miles, get my heart rate up, and get a sweat going? Sure.
Would I feel terrible for days after? Yup.
It didn’t matter how much I stretched. It didn’t matter how much I foam rolled. It didn’t matter how much I tried to loosen my body up. Everything felt tight. Everything felt achy. And my calves always felt like they were stiff metal ropes.
Then, one day, my wife started working on my core with Muscle Activation Techniques®, specifically the MATRx process, and like magic, all of those issues started to vanish.
I could run again without the tightness in my hips, hamstrings, and low back. I could do my sprints without my shoulder and neck hurting. And I could run longer distances without my calves feeling like they belonged to the Tin Man.
How did that happen??
Every time you take a step, there is a chain reaction of events that happen with the foot all the way up to the base of your skull. If there is muscle inhibition anywhere within your body, this can lead to weaknesses throughout that chain that need to be compensated around.
When the compensations are small, they are almost undetectable to you. However, over time, these compensations begin to compound and get bigger, especially if you continue to use your body more and more and create more muscle inhibition.
Eventually, the compensations reach a tipping point where simple things that you used to be able to do all of a sudden make your body feel terrible.
The pain. The achiness. The pinchy-ness. The tightness. The flair ups. They hit hard and they hit often. And they feel like they are with you to stay.
That’s how I used to feel about my calves when I would run. I thought for sure I was always going to be hobbled by calf tightness any time I would try to run more than 10 minutes.
What I didn’t know at the time was that my calf tightness was just a symptom of muscle inhibition happening elsewhere in my body. I could have worn the perfect shoes, gotten the perfect running coach to teach me the perfect running form, worn all the braces and support, and been taped from head to toe, and it would not have mattered one bit.
My calves were tight because my muscles were inhibited, and once I got that muscle inhibition addressed, everything changed as quickly as a light turns on when you flip its switch.
See, what I didn’t understand was that when my core was dysfunctional, it was causing my hips, knees, and feet to have to absorb stress for it. The more these other areas compensated for my core, the more stressed out they became, which caused them to be symptomatic. Eventually, they couldn’t keep up with the increased demand on them and started to send symptoms to my lower back.
However, after I started getting my muscles regularly tuned up with Muscle Activation Techniques®, that changed for me once and for all.
Muscle Activation Techniques®, also known as MAT®, is a process which identifies where you have inhibited muscles in your body that are causing other muscles to have to overwork. It then addresses these inhibited muscles, strengthening the communication between your nervous system and your muscles, and helping them to be strong and function well.
At Muscle Activation Schaumburg, we have been specializing in helping our clients with Muscle Activation Techniques® since 2011 in Schaumburg and throughout the Chicagoland area. As two of the most highly trained practitioners in the world, my wife and I have vast experience helping people of all ages and physical abilities live a life without muscle tightness, muscle pain, and injury.
We have been trained in the highest levels of MAT®–including MATRx, MATRx Stim, and MAT® Athlete–and are the most highly-trained practitioners in the Chicagoland area.
Making sure your muscles are working properly is one of the most important aspects of being able to continue to run–and do anything you love–long-term, and Muscle Activation Techniques® is the most effective way to ensure your muscles are working properly.
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,
Charlie
Charlie Cates is the leading consultant to high-level professional, college, and high school basketball players in the Chicagoland area for injury prevention, recovery, and muscle performance.
As one of Chicago’s most sought-after Muscle Activation Techniques® practitioners, he is certified in the highest levels of MAT®, including MATRx, MATRx Stim, and MAT® Athlete.
A former college basketball player, he uses his personal experience and understanding of the game and player demands to create customized exercise options for his clients to recover faster and perform their best.
He sees clients in-studio at Muscle Activation Schaumburg as well as in-home.You can schedule your MAT® assessment with him by clicking here, and be sure to follow him on Instagram at @CharlieCates!