Broaden your range of movement and ease the amount of stress you’ll put on yourself during your workout with this pre-movement routine.
We all know that the best workout experience involves a warmup and a cooldown. But, there’s a technique that can further aid in your workout experience. It’s called muscle activation. “The idea [of muscle activation] is to engage the appropriate muscle tissues at the appropriate times for the most efficient movement,” says Jeffery Martin, Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance from the University of Florida who also works with Hyperice.
Muscle activation is a technique that can be used, with or without the Hyperice Hypervolt, to prepare the body for an upcoming workout. The Hyperice Hypervolt is a massage gun with interchangeable heads and precision speeds that eases tension in and around the muscles of the body.
Activating the muscles of the body related to a particular exercise allows for you to establish a stronger connection within the neuromuscular system of the body. By establishing this strong connection, your muscles will be better prepared to handle the movement that will come after the activation.
What Are the Benefits of Muscle Activation?
Leaning into muscle activation pre- and post-workout offers a number of benefits in the long run. Martin lists “injury prevention, efficiency of movement (less risk and less wasted energy), increased range of motion, strength, [and] promotion of circulation” as benefits to regularly activating the muscles.
Additionally, Martin mentions that using the Hypervolt before a workout helps to warm and increase the pliability of the muscles and surrounding tissue to help move efficiently.
When to Incorporate Muscle Activation
While muscle activation is generally used in preparation for a workout, to maximize the benefits of the techniques, you should also incorporate muscle activation after a workout.
“Re-engaging specific muscle tissue in recovery could have significant benefits as well through a more active recovery or preventing overcompensation/imbalances and de-activation of muscles during times of soreness,” says Martin.
Michael Crandall, C.S.C.S., P.N.2., a Tier X Coach at E by Equinox Hudson Yards, adds, “after a workout, it is a great way to stimulate more blood flow and soften the tissue after so many contractions.” So, your muscles will have an easier time recovering from a workout.
How to Use Muscle Activation Techniques
There are two ways to utilize muscle activation: with a Hyperice Hypervolt massage gun or similar devices and with equipment-free exercises.
If you opt for the Hyperice Hypervolt massage gun method, you’re choosing the path that lets you establish a solid connection between your brain and muscles before and after you perform more intense movements.
Crandall offers a general recommendation of using the Hypervolt for about 30 seconds per muscle group, although there are times when you’ll want to adjust the duration of your activation.
The Tier X Coach explains that you can shave off a few seconds for small muscle groups, like over the pectoral muscles before a bench press. However, if you’re looking to activate an area like your quads before a run, you’ll want to add on more time as necessary to ensure that you’ve reached every part of that larger muscle group.
While using the Hypervolt, you have a couple more options at your disposal when it comes to customizing your muscle activation experience. One option is letting the area of your body be at rest while you glide over it with the massage gun. From there, you can choose to add on small, slow, simple movements. An example of this is adding a small flexion and extension motion to the leg when massaging the quads.
Equipment-Free Techniques
Without a Hypervolt, you can still reap the benefits of muscle activation. An example Crandall offers comes from the idea of preparing for a Goblet Squat. “A good muscle activation exercise to do in advance might be glute bridges and/or front foot-elevated split squats,” the E by Equinox trainer explains.
He elaborates that these exercises bring awareness to the glutes (and other muscles involved in a squat) as well as stretch the antagonist muscles to the movement pattern being performed. Most importantly, this technique recruits muscle fibers in a safe and controlled way prior to an exercise that uses a heavy load.
When to Avoid Muscle Activation
You only get one body, so there are times when your muscles require rest instead of activation.“Muscle activation techniques may need to be avoided when there are injuries and/or conditions such as fractures, dislocation, infection, muscle tear, osteoporosis, open wounds, etc.,” says Martin.
That said, elite or precision athletes should be cautious during peak season, he notes. So, consult with the trainer at your club if you’re looking for additional guidance on muscle activation in relation to your personal training.