Do you have it? Your muscles, when contracting, respond either voluntarily or involuntarily. Involuntary muscle contractions happen reflexively and does not require much thought, but voluntary muscle contractions require thought and depending on the type of movement one is performing require varying degrees of control. These two types of contractions actually work together when performing movement. They are integrated in such a way that it allows your body to both move and protect itself at the same time. The absence of one or the other would be detrimental to your health. Fortunately, with the exception of a medical disorder, your involuntary contractions (reflexes) happen on their own due to the nervous system and how it supplies information to your muscles at rapid speeds. Your voluntary contractions on the other hand, outside of a medical disorder, are always dependent on how you use your muscles. Being physically active in conjunction with varying types of movements and exercises enable your muscles to be healthy and strong.
Muscle control is the ability to use your muscles for various purposes pertaining to the movement that is being performed. Muscle contractions can accelerate and decelerate movement. It can initiate and hinder movement from occurring. It can vary the speed and tempo of the contraction while the movement is occurring. It can move a single joint or a series of joints, moving from a simple movement to a more complex movement respectively. It can be activated by an application of resistance or generated from the body itself to propel and/or move a limb or oneself forward, backward, side to side, or in a rotary fashion. It can initiate a movement from either end of the muscles attachment, or just tense up and allow no movement to occur so that something else in the body can move freely.
As you can see, muscle control involves and encompasses many things. A healthy and strong muscle is a muscle that is able to perform all the above things so that minimum effort is expended and maximum efficiency is achieved while moving.
Some of the benefits of developing muscle control are:
Increases in strength, endurance, and/or size depending on one’s goals
Improved coordination, timing, and response time
Improved body awareness, concentration, and adaptation to one’s environment
Increases in speed, power, and control of movement
Improvement in metabolism, shape and tone of muscle, and overall health and function
What are you waiting for? Take control. Start exercising to improve your muscles ability to control movement so that you’re ready to act no matter what environment you’re in. I can help.
