18 T E C H N I Q U E !

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7
Neuromuscular

Activation
Robb Rogers
M.Ed, CSCS, MSCC
St. Vincent Sports Performance
S
everal years ago many highly regarded educators in the field of physical
therapy began to expound on the theory that neural recruitment of muscle
groups in sequential order is paramount in injury prevention as well as
optimal performance. In other words, it is very important for the proper
muscles to do the job they were designed to do in the optimal order in
relation to the movement skill being executed. Physical therapist Mike
Clark, President and founder of NASM is quite versed in this theory and
has spent the last several years of his career researching as well as teaching
methods in relation to this theory. Over the years many physical educators,
athletic trainers and physical therapists have grown to accept this theory.
Most injuries are related to poor technique, muscle imbalances and overuse. However, there have
always been those few nagging injuries that occur at the most inopportune time and seem to occur and
recur with maddening frequency for no apparent reason. Many times seemingly equal athletes will
display a vast disparity in strength, power, speed and summation of force, even when trained similarly
and seeming to possess similar genetic potential for performance. What is the piece of the puzzle that
when implemented can impact both performance as well as injury prevention? Gray Cook of www.
FunctionalMovement.com, one of the leading physical therapists and educators in this field relates the
concept to hardware and software issues. If the injury or symptom is caused by hardware problems,
then possibly joint mobilization, chiropractic manipulation, massage therapy and/or surgical
WARM-UP
20 T E C H N I Q U E ! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7
neural recruitment pattern of the muscle
groups of the body. This re-wiring
will allow the body to move as fluidly as
possible through the joint ranges of motion
and movement skill patterns the work bout
demands. The beauty of the drills is that
they are relatively easy to do, require
very little equipment and with minor
focus on a few specific techniques these
drills can unlock the joint and unleash
the optimal movement patterns that will
optimize performance in preparation as
well as competition.
me here, as we all compensate from
joint to joint in our everyday movements.
Compensation in and of itself is not a
negative. Compensation is how we move.
Compensation is how we perform. The
master compensators are the ones that
we enjoy watching execute the skills of
gymnastics as elite level sport in any form
requires movements and forces that put
tremendous strain on the human body.
What we want to do is create a menu of
pre-training/competition exercises that will
re-wire the software and energize the
intervention is mandated. However, if
it is a software problem, then neural
recruitment re-training in order to enhance
the enervation and contractibility of the
muscle group as well as re-coordinate
the recruitment pattern may be the key to
overcoming that odd or recurring injury
as well as provide the spark for peak
performance power.
If we accept the following:
* lhe cenler ol oll power ls seoled ln lhe
lumbo-pelvic-hip complex.
* Power ls generoled by ond lrom
this area.
* lhls power ls expressed lrom lhe bose
of support through the hands, feet or
sport implement.
* lherelore, lhls ls lhe reglon ol lhe
body in which to focus our attention.
Some general concepts:
Movement Control
Back side muscles control front side
movement. For example, when you bend at
the waist in an RDL movement, this activity
is controlled by the backside musculature
of the body (calves, hamstrings, glutes
and back musculature). Conversely, if
you lean back as in a reach back hand
stand, this movement is controlled by
the front side musculature of the body
(anterior calf, quad/hip flexor, abdominal
musculature). If we accept this, then inside
muscles control outside movements and
outside muscles control inside movements.
The inside or inner unit muscles are the
transverse abdominus, multifidus and the
internal oblique. For example, when one
leg is supporting the body in a stance
and the hip shifts laterally, this movement
is controlled by the inner unit above
the pelvis and the adductors of the hip
below the pelvis. Conversely, when one
leg is supporting the body and the knee
collapses medially in a valgus maneuver,
this movement is controlled by the outer
unit musculature which include the
Quadratus Lumborum, external oblique,
Ilio-psoas above the hip and below the
hip the lateral hip abductors, specifically
the gluteus medius.
Muscle Recruitment
If the correct muscles are not recruited
in the proper order to do the job they
were designed to do then the software
patterns of movement become corrupted
with compensation bugs that over time
can create imbalances that can lead to
-itises and injuries. Dont misunderstand
Front Side Activation
Back Side Activation
Prone Press
Down Scissors
1) With Abs
activated go onto
forearms into a prone
plank. 2) Lift the leg
approximately four
inches off the ground.
3) Keep hips level. 4)
Do not let hips rotate.
5) Alternate sides.
Bridge Up Series
Two Leg Bridge Ups
1) Lift hips up by
squeezing glutes
together. 2) Dorsiflex
(toes toward ceiling)
ankles. 3) Do not
hyperextend the back
and do not let the hips
sag. 4) Straight line from
shoulder, hip and knee.
One Leg Bridge Ups
Leg Straight
1) Elbow underneath
the armpit, lift hips up
in the air. 2) Abduct
the top leg without
dropping hips and
rotating the shoulders.
3) Straight line from
head, shoulder, hip,
knee, and ankle
continue on p.45
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7 T E C H N I Q U E 45
If you activate the nerves and turn on
the muscles, the movement patterns will
be cleaner, healthier and smoother. This
in turn leads to better quality drills and
practices, lowered incidence of injury,
increased quality training time which
leads to improved performance. After
all, better quality of efforts in practice
will create higher quality performances.
Fewer injuries will increase the number
of repetitions performed over time. Better
performances help flame the passion
for performance and passion creates
intense, focused preparation. And as
we all know, quality preparation powers
championship performance.
For more information on this subject or
any other performance or medical issue,
contact St. Vincent Sports Performance
at (317) 415 5747 or via our website
sport.performance.stvincent.org, the official
health provider to USA Gymnastics.
St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance
in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA
Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit
http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org
P
Lateral Abductor
Activation
Linear Bridge Up
Series Single Leg
Bridge Ups
1) Lift hips up by
activating glutes. 2)
Extend one leg without
letting the hips drop or
rotate. 3) Dosiflex ankles
4) Do not hyperextend
the back and do not let
the hips sag. 5) Straight
line from shoulder, hip
and knee.
continued from p.13 Neuromuscular
Activation Warm-Up
Rubber Band
Drills (1 and/
or 2 bands)
Shuffle
1) Step lateral.
2) Do not
drag feet.
3) Keep both
feet pointed
straight. 4) Do
not turn feet out,
lead with the
heel. 5) Keep
tension on the
bands
Wall Slide Ball
Squeezes
1) Sit against
the wall with
hips and knees
at 90 degrees.
2) Keep back flat
against the wall.
3) Squeeze ball
between knees
4) Arms locked
straight out, ball
at chin level.
Medial Adductor
Activation
Back Side Activation