MAT - Muscle Activation Techniques with Ryan Phillips

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MAT - Muscle Activation Techniques with Ryan Phillips

MAT® is a non medical form of manual therapy designed to systematically test, treat and maintain optimal muscle function. What is Muscle Inhibition?
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MAT® views muscle tightness as being secondary to muscle weakness. Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) is a very specific and unique non medical process for testing, treating and maintaining optimal muscle contractile capability. It's the very first step in the process to ensuring that the muscular system is prepared, ready and stable to fight the continuous forces of gravity and to withstand the f

orces we place on our bodies on a daily basis. What Makes MAT® Unique? - While most therapies focus on treating the muscles with tension and/or
pain, MAT gets to the root of pain or injury by addressing muscle weakness rather than muscle tightness. MAT® views muscle tightness as a form of protection in the body. Weak or inhibited muscles can create
the need for other muscles to tighten up in order to help stabilize the joints. The goal of MAT® is to
identify the inhibited or weak muscles that are creating a protective response and then ‘jumpstart’ these
muscles in order to improve their contractile capability. If the tight muscles are stretched or massaged—
without addressing the root cause, the inhibited or weak muscle—then we may have violated the body’s
protective mechanism. We must know that when we increase range of motion through modalities like
stretching or massage, that there is also stability through that increased range. MAT® provides the checks
and balances system to make sure that this happens. That is why MAT® is a great adjunct to all forms of
exercise and therapy. Muscle inhibition has to do with the impaired communication between the
brain and a muscle. It refers to the inability of a muscle to contract fully on demand. This inhibition is a
neurological response and manifests particularly at the extreme ranges of motion – when the muscle is
contracted fully. A muscle may have strength at the mid-range, but be very weak when moved into a
shortened position; this creates instability at the joint. When the body senses instability, other muscles
tighten up as a form of protection. When a muscle has been over stressed, the result is altered feedback
from the nervous system. This causes a reduced capability for the muscle to contract, from the instability
through full physiological range. The end result is an inability for the muscles to properly stabilize joints. What Causes Muscle Inhibition or Weakness? Factors such as trauma, stress, or overuse can
contribute to a muscle becoming inhibited. When you exercise, there is a period of exertion and then
recovery. It is normal to feel fatigue. When there is trauma, stress or overuse, the muscle may not recover
until properly rested. If this is habitual, (i.e. - sitting at the computer in an ergonomically unsound position
for 12 hours per day – every day for many years) then the result can be muscle inhibition or neurological
weakness. The brain detects stress and sends a message to basically ‘switch off’ the overused muscle. The opposite muscle (antagonist) tightens up to protect the body from moving into a position of weakness
or vulnerability. A sudden trauma will also cause a muscle to become inhibited, such as slipping on ice
and moving into an extreme range of motion suddenly. What is the Goal of MAT®? The first goal of MAT® is to determine whether or not specific muscles that
support a joint have the proper neurological input necessary to perform its function. Whether acting as a
prime mover, synergist or stabilizer, each muscle must be capable of performing its function as forces are
being placed on a joint. If a muscle does not have proper proprioceptive input, then it will not be able to
perform its function efficiently and this leads to positions of vulnerability. The goal of the MAT® evaluation
process is to find out where the body displays these positions of vulnerability or weakness. After identifying these areas of protection, the second goal is to attempt to improve mobility and stability
of the joint. This is a process of increasing the proprioceptive input and the ability of the muscles to
contract on demand when placed in a shortened position. The third goal of MAT® is to provide a checks
and balances system to make sure that any time joint range of motion is increased (mobility) that there is
proprioceptive input (stability) through the new found motion. What Does Muscle Activation Mean? – Muscle activation refers to the process of ‘jumpstarting’ the
muscle. The goal of Muscle Activation Techniques is to identify the position of weakness and the muscles
that are inhibited, and then to activate these muscles – basically switch them back on. For a more
simplistic approach to understand muscle function, compare the body to a car. The initiation of a muscle
contraction occurs similarly to the way a battery initiates the starting of a car. Both rely on connections
that transfer electrical energy to produce a reaction. The nerves that run from the spinal cord to the
muscle are just like the cables that run from the ignition to the battery. When the key is turned in the
ignition, the impulses transfer through the cables to the battery allowing the car to start. Similarly, in the
body, when a message is sent from the brain, the input is transferred through the nerves to the muscles
creating muscle contraction. Each muscle is independently innervated; therefore it can be seen as having
many batteries, each connected by its own independent cables. When the body is functioning properly,
with all batteries connected, each muscle will contract on demand and the body will function very
efficiently. Many times, due to factors such as stress, trauma or overuse, the neurological connections may become
altered, creating a reaction in the body similar to that of loose battery cables in your car. When the brain
sends a message for a muscle to contract, the muscle does not respond immediately, creating increased
demand on other muscles to perform the desired movement. The result becomes what we know as
compensation. Over time, these compensation patterns create altered alignment in the joint, leading to
joint instability and abnormal wear on the joint surfaces. The end result becomes pain and eventually
osteoarthritis. The progressive degeneration has been correlated with aging. If identified and properly
addressed, it does not have to occur. What Affect Can MAT Have On Arthritis and the Aging Process? MAT® can slow down or even
reverse the aging process. If it is recognized that muscles are designed to stabilize and support the joints
naturally; it must be understood that arthritic conditions and joint instability can be helped or prevented
when muscles are prepared to function properly. All that is needed is to create proper connections
between the brain and the muscles. Muscle Activation Techniques does this. It provides the ability for the
body to function the way that it was designed to function. Just like with a dead battery, the muscles must
be jumpstarted and the cables must be tightened before the muscle will function properly. In simplistic
terms, through MAT®, muscles that have improper neurological connections are identified, then
jumpstarted; creating the ability for the muscles to stabilize the joints and reduce joint stresses that lead
to arthritic conditions. That is when the body becomes efficient and the related aches and pains are
deterred. What are the Symptoms of Muscle Inhibition and How Do I Know If I Have a ‘Weak’ Muscle? The first and major symptom is that something does not feel ‘right’ or is not working properly. This can
manifest as joint pain, muscle tension or instability of a joint: tight hamstrings, tight lower back, shin
splints, aching knees, a hyper-extending joint—these are signs of probable muscle inhibition. What About Strength Training and Stretching or Even Yoga. Can’t These Correct Inhibited
Muscles? The answer is that it depends. If you have muscles that have been inhibited due to prolonged
stress or sudden trauma, then moving into a position of vulnerability (meaning a position that contracts
the inhibited muscle) will usually result in other muscles taking over the job of the inhibited muscles. This
leads to the weak staying weak and the strong getting stronger. People tend to mask their weakness by
developing strength in compensatory muscles. Over time, this can be dangerous as these compensatory
muscles are being asked to do jobs that they are not ideally designed for. If the stress that created the
weakness in the prime movers to begin with continued (habitual posture or repetitive motion – i.e. -
ergonomically unsound work station, golf swing, etc.), then it is likely that the synergistic muscles will
become inhibited over time. This can lead to joint deterioration and chronic problems like tendonitis and
arthritis. The best course of action is to properly assess which specific muscles are inhibited and then to
take a corrective course of action. MAT® is a checks and balances system that will allow you to determine
which postures, exercises, and activities involve positions of vulnerability. It will then give you the tools to
correct muscle inhibition so that you can move back into these postures, exercises and activities more
safely—from a position of strength. What if I am an Athlete, Will MAT® Help Improve my Performance and Keep Me Healthy? MAT® is a
technique that not only helps athletes to recover from injuries quickly, but also helps them prevent injuries
from happening in the first place. MAT® prepares the body to be more efficient in training and athletic
performance. In order to reach optimal performance capabilities, an athlete is forced to train at a high
level of intensity. Because of this, there is always the potential for injury. Some athletes may be
predisposed to an injury, due to them having muscular imbalances that place increased stress on their
joints and tissues. These athletes can be an injury waiting to happen. When they train at a high level, the
imbalances are magnified, and the body can no longer handle the stress. It eventually breaks down. It is
like driving a car with bad alignment. The faster you drive it, the faster the tires are going to wear out. The
body functions the same way. If an athlete has muscular imbalances, the abnormal alignment results in
increased stress on the joints and muscles. When an athlete trains at a high level of intensity, the
stresses are magnified and injuries occur. The goal of MAT® is to correct the problem before an injury
occurs. And injury is just a ‘symptom’ of a deeper issue. The symptom is not the problem. It is a result of
the overstressing of an area of the body, due to muscular imbalances. Conventional therapy will typically
treat the symptom. This means that the cause of the injury is not being addressed. The end result is that
the athlete does not heal, or they go on to experience a more severe injury. MAT® not only helps to prevent injuries, but it can also speed up the rehabilitation process. By balancing
the muscular system, MAT® provides an improved environment for healing. This allows the athlete to
return to participation faster. The end result is improved athletic capabilities. “The benefit of MAT® is that
the changes can be immediate” says Greg Roskopf, the founder and developer of MAT®. “A professional
baseball pitcher increased his throwing velocity by 10 mph, immediately following an MAT® session. This
was due to improved mechanics combined with pain free motion. We see these types of changes every
day.”

20/08/2024

BUNIONS & FLAT FEET? 🦶
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- BUNIONS are painful bony bumps that form on the joint at the base of your big toe, as a result of a misalignment of the bones, caused by muscle inhibition. Over time, they can lead to discomfort, joint stiffness, and difficulty finding shoes that fit.
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- FLAT FEET occur when the arches of your feet collapse, causing the entire sole to make contact with the ground, again, caused by a failing muscle system. This can lead to bunions, foot pain, fatigue, and even knee, hip, and back issues.
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How They Affect You:
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- Pain & Discomfort: Walking or standing can become painful, making daily activities challenging.
- Posture Problems: Both conditions can affect your posture and gait, leading to further discomfort in your joints.
- Limited Mobility: Without proper care, these issues can worsen over time, limiting your mobility and quality of life.
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Don’t ignore the signs—your feet are your foundation! Early treatment can not only help manage symptoms and prevent further complications, but can even reverse the conditions as can be seen in my clients example here after a 2 hour treatment working on improving her foot muscle function.🦶✨
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13/08/2024

FLAT FOOT FIXED ONLINE…
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A little effort goes a long way when it comes to improving foot function. Client over in Hong Kong had suffered from flat feet all his life until we got his muscles activated over a Skype video call (left foot).
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Next we need to work on getting an arch in his right foot… 🦶
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07/08/2024

HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY…
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…is a significant and invasive procedure. This surgery becomes essential for those suffering from severe osteoarthritis—which is caused by stress, trauma or overuse and a poorly functioning muscle system over time—to provide relief from chronic pain and improving mobility.
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However, the invasiveness of the procedure means that a considerable amount of muscle and soft tissue around the hip joint is affected.
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Restoring normal muscle function post-surgery is crucial for a successful recovery and long-term mobility. The muscles around the hip play a vital role in supporting the joint, maintaining balance, and enabling movement.
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Post-operative rehabilitation needs to include Muscle Activation Techniques® to focus on reestablishing neuromuscular connections so that strengthening without compensation can occur. This will ensure the muscles can adequately support the new hip joint and allow for a return to daily activities without pain.
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Rehabilitation programmes typically include physical therapy exercises designed to enhance muscle strength, flexibility, and coordination. But MAT® needs to be a part of this programme to ensure that muscles are firing optimally so that they can then be strengthened in a balanced way.
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Remember, while the surgery addresses the structural issues, it’s the restoration of muscle function that truly brings back the quality of life. If you or a loved one is undergoing hip replacement surgery, make sure to get in touch for a Free Muscle Activation Techniques® consultation.
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27/07/2024

WHAT IS FLEXIBILITY…?
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When we analyse the word “flexibility” we can see that it can be defined as the “ability” to “flex”.
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When you flex your biceps for example 💪 you contract and shorten the biceps muscle, and as a result you create joint motion and your elbow bends (this is called elbow “flex”ion).
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It is therefore your biceps ability to flex that will determine the degree of motion you’ll achieve, not the length or the “stretchiness” of the triceps—if your biceps are weak/inhibited you’ll have a limited ability to flex therefore you’ll have limited flexibility.
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The common and long standing thought process is that flexibility somehow relates to stretching or lengthening of the muscles. Now obviously muscles have to lengthen for joint motion to occur, but they do this under tension, governed by the nervous system, not by stretching—without muscles flexing there wouldn’t be any motion, or any lengthening, or any flexibility!
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It doesn’t matter how long or loose your muscles are, you won’t be able to achieve any useful movement if nothing can flex/contract properly!
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So instead of focusing on what feels “tight” and trying to loosen it, start looking at what muscles are required to “flex/contract/shorten” to take your joint to where you want it to go, and work on improving the ability of those muscles to FLEX.
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This is where Muscle Activation Techniques® (MAT®) comes in, and one of the two reasons why MAT® is so unique… MAT® works on improving your “FLEXibility” instead of your “STRETCHability”. 🔑
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18/06/2024

HUGE CONGRATS to for winning the for the 2nd time! 💥🙌
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This one was for my fans, Payne, and my dad.

Without a doubt, this was one of the most meaningful weeks of my life. Having all of the support from everyone out on course and around the world is definitely something I will cherish forever and never forget. I cannot thank my team, my family, my fans, and the game of golf enough for allowing these kind of moments to happen.

This is only the beginning to a long story that has yet to be written. See you all at the next one!

04/05/2024

Over the last two decades or so, a revolutionary process has evolved for correcting muscle imbalances in the body. It has dramatically improved functional capabilities in people of all age groups, providing a pain free lifestyle along with increasing sports performance and career longevity in many professional athletes. This process is a neuromuscular-based therapy called Muscle Activation Techniques® (MAT®).

If you are a Personal Trainer, Sports Coach, S&C Coach, Sports Therapist, Physiotherapist, Massage Therapist or any of other form of Trainer, Instructor or manual therapist/body worker then this workshop is a must for you! Even if you’re non of the above but you’re experiencing muscle tightness, imbalances and weaknesses then this is definitely for you too!

Not only will you leave this workshop with a well activated muscle system but also with a full body activation programme (Get Activated™️) that you can use on yourself and on your clients/athletes (no equipment required) to both better prepare the body for exercise and help to increase overall mobility, strength and performance, whilst reducing injury risk.

The cost for the 3 hour workshop is £59.95 per person. The price includes the Get Activated™️ programme manual to take home, along with the eBook version for use on your mobile devices (RRP £57.95).

Screenshot this then tap on the link in your photo to register:
https://www.facebook.com/share/MHcSQ2HXdotmdSCX/?mibextid=9l3rBW

11/04/2024

SLOW PROGRESS WITH YOUR SQUAT STRENGTH?
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It could be the way you grip the bar that’s causing the problem...! I made a video a while back showing the best way to set yourself up for a Barbell Back Squat (towards the end of this video)...
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In it, I mentioned that it was important to assess your shoulder mobility first instead of just grabbing the bar and pulling yourself underneath it. This is because if you don’t have very good shoulder mobility (namely external rotation and scapular retraction) you’ll put undue stress on your shoulder joints increasing your risk of injury in addition to reducing your overall strength.
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In this video I demonstrate how the traditional Barbell Back Squat set up could make your leg muscles weaker; assuming that you’re performing squats to make yourself stronger—potential injuries aside—this could have serious implications on your strength gainz! 💪
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Unless you have very good shoulder mobility (namely external rotation and scapular retraction) then the traditional Barbell Back Squat setup will make your legs (and every other muscle in your body) weak, I’ll guarantee it 💯 as I demonstrate here on
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This happens because when you pull the bar into your Traps, if you don’t have adequate scapula retraction and external rotation, you create a torque at the shoulder joints that passively takes them into a position of external rotation which will exceed their active range of motion (AROM) i.e the position that they can get to actively, without any assistance. You’re basically creating a passive stretch.
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Whenever you passively exceed or violate your AROM your nervous system freaks out and down regulates neural drive/motor output to your entire muscular system and everything goes weak; think traction control in your car... wheel spins —> system senses an instability —> system cuts the gas —> no power available (regardless of how hard you stamp on the pedal) until the instability has gone away, then full power is automatically and immediately restored.
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Once Caio relaxes his grip, releasing that passive stretch on his shoulders and lets his shoulders return back within their AROM, the violation/instability is removed and his nervous system brings his muscle system back online again, immediately returning his strength back to normal.
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26/03/2024

ACTIVATING ONE MUSCLE (took 2 mins) IMPROVED CLUB HEAD SPEED BY 4%!

Listen to the full podcast here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-bit-of-a-boost/id1548360511?i=1000650299974

11/03/2024

24/02/2024

This describes the exact experience of every single client that comes to see me—they’ve tried multiple Physios, Chiros, Sports Massage Therapists, Stretching, Osteos, Acupuncture, the list goes on, all to no avail. Why hasn’t any of this resolved their injury/pain? Because 1), for the most part, all these modalities are only dealing with symptom management and treating the site of pain (which isn’t necessarily where the problem is—unless you were hit by a bus or something), and 2), they’re ALL missing the root cause of the pain: sensorineural dysfunction, AKA muscle inhibition. You can’t stretch, massage, manipulate or strength train your way out of muscle inhibition. Even traditional “rehab” exercises won’t do it either, they’ll only lead to compensation where the strong muscles get stronger and the weak/inhibited muscles stay weak and over time the imbalances gets magnified. (MAT®) gets to the root cause of pain, tightness and muscle imbalances by assessing the function—through specific tests and measures—of the sensorineural pathways (nerve connections) from the muscle to the brain/CNS, and then through specific techniques, improving muscle spindle sensitivity, reestablishing the neural connections between muscle and brain, which results in an immediate improvement in strength, a reduction in muscle tightness, allowing for increased pain free range of motion WITH strength and stability in the new ranges created (unlike stretching and massage, which actually make you weaker in the new ranges created). Check out the videos on my feed to see how quickly MAT® makes you strong and more flexible.

13/01/2024

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ADEQUATE KNEE EXTERNAL ROTATION…
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Knee/tibial external rotation is paramount in injury prevention, particularly for the knee, hip, and foot.
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Proper alignment during movements like walking and running helps distribute forces evenly, reducing stress on these joints.
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Insufficient external rotation can lead to issues such as patellofemoral pain, IT band syndrome, and even hip or foot problems.
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By prioritising and enhancing tibial external rotation through , like we did during our 1 hour online session here, we can proactively safeguard you against injuries, promoting longevity in physical activity and overall musculoskeletal health.
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29/11/2023

HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS OF MAT® LAST FOR?
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I always let my clients answer that question—in John’s case after his drive down from Wales for a 2 hr f2f MAT® session, 4.5 years and counting…
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Oh, and the wife’s all fixed up too after several online MAT® sessions recently.
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24/11/2023

AFTER A FULL GOLF SEASON, THE RIGHT SHOULDER WAS TIGHT AND PAINFUL…
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But not any more - a 60 minute online MAT® treatment put an end to that pain!
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And the best is yet to come… we’re only half way through his scapula retractor muscles…!
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10/11/2023

WEAK BUT NOT INHIBITED!
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We activated this muscle online back in the summer of 2021, almost 2.5 years ago, and the muscle passed it’s gamma response test today (meaning it *wasn’t* inhibited) - on a side note, all 60 muscles across both shoulders that we activated online 2.5 years ago tested “strong” today - not one single muscle was inhibited!
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However, despite there being no neuromuscular dysfunction present, my client was still experiencing some mild tightness/discomfort across the top of his left shoulder…
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So we performed MVICs (maximum voluntary isometric contractions) using the dynamometer comparing left to right of each muscle in his shoulders. You can see from the data how his left upper trapezius muscle gets progressively weaker each rep as it fatigues, whereas his right gets progressively stronger.
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His left side upper trap was 46% weaker than his right side. Out of the 17 muscles we tested, 14 were significantly weaker on the left side!
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If a muscle is weak, even if it’s not inhibited, it’ll result in the same symptoms as inhibition: muscle tightness, compensation and pain. The good news is that with the rehab programme I’ve put together for him, he can now work on individually strengthening each of these 14 muscles to iron out his current imbalances.
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NOTE: MAT® has to happen FIRST though - you can’t just jump straight into strength training if the muscle is inhibited, else other muscles will just end up compensating - the strong will get stronger and the inhibited will stay weak and you’ll end up magnifying the imbalances.
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21/10/2023

FLAT FOOT SINCE CHILDHOOD...
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…fixed in 60 minutes during an online MAT® session, without even treating the foot! We also managed to fix:
1️⃣ A stiff left side trunk rotation.
2️⃣ A tight right side pelvic rotation.
3️⃣ A spinal extension and rotation restriction to the right.
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Wherever you are in the world, you don’t need to suffer with pain, dysfunction, muscle tightness and range of motion restrictions anymore. You don’t need to waste any more time stretching, “releasing” and foam rolling either, it’s highly likely that we can get you all fixed up online once and for all like my client here! Shoot me a DM and let’s chat...
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24/09/2023

A LITTLE EFFORT GOES A LONG WAY WITH MAT®...
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Here’s an example: Severe limitations in range of motion evident throughout the right shoulder joint — the muscles on both sides of the shoulder are unable to generate enough force to move the limb properly. This is a sign of neuromuscular dysfunction, AKA muscle inhibition.
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During this 60 minute online MAT® session we activated:
▪️Pectoralis Major costal fibers
▪️Coracobrachialis
▪️Infraspinatus
▪️Teres Minor
▪️Supraspinatus
And now that we’ve re-established the neurological connections from these muscles to the nervous system, they can now contract better.
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Better muscle CONTRACTION = better MOBILITY & FUNCTION!
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08/09/2023

KNEE EXTENSION OPTIMISED!
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I didn’t even think of taking a “before” photo, it was only when I saw the amazing increase in left knee extension after activating all my client’s knee extensor muscles that I thought I should take a pic…
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My client’s left heel could barely make it off the table before hand. After testing all the knee extensor muscles, every single one was inhibited. I activated all the muscles extensor muscles and here’s the “after” shot! Less pain and tightness felt in the front of her thigh now.
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07/06/2023

1 HR OF MAT® VS 2,190 HRS OF YOGA…
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Client over in Singapore has been practicing yoga daily for the last 6 years but despite all the time and effort invested, he was still not seeing the improvements in flexibility he’d hoped for.
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By the end of our online MAT® session and after activating just 3 out of the 17 muscles responsible for hip external rotation, we’d achieved more flexibility in just 1 hour than he’d achieved in thousands of hours over many years of yoga practice. NOTE: he is a qualified and certified Yoga Instructor.
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Yoga is great if you have a healthy and well functioning muscle system, don’t have any significant muscle imbalances and don’t suffer from any tightness and/or pain. If you do, then might be a quicker, more efficient and long lasting solution to your flexibility challenges that will then allow you to get more from your yoga practice and enjoy yoga to it’s fullest.
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To find out more about MAT® and see if it’d be a helpful solution to your flexibility issues then drop me a message today to arrange a Free no-obligation consultation.
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01/06/2023

Always a pleasure to have Tim over from Belfast for a couple of hours of treatment on his foot and hip.

01/06/2023

24/05/2023

SCIATIC PAIN, LOWER BACK PAIN & KNEE EFFUSION FIXED ALL IN ONE AFTERNOON…
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A couple of clients drove down from Wales last Saturday to get some MAT® treatment for a number of different aliments.
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I gave them 2 hours each and thankfully was able to hone in on the key areas of muscle dysfunction that was causing their chronic injuries — no pressure! 😬
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Both of them felt great right after their treatments with noticeable improvement in mobility, stability and pain. At follow up 3 days later (see screenshots) things are looking very promising despite many hours spent sat in a car.
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05/05/2023

THE IMPORTANCE OF HIP EXTENSION…
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You need 10° of hip extension to walk and 15-20° for running depending on your speed/stride length/cadence.
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My client only had ~5° which was not enough range of motion to walk, let alone run. So as a result, when she would walk or run, the lumbar spine had to extend excessively every single foot step in order to compensate, putting extra stress on the lower back resulting in lower back pain and tightness.
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NOTE: Stretching won’t fix this!
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By the end of our 1 hour online MAT® session this morning, we’d increased her hip extension to ~15° which I hope will help take some pressure off her lower back when she’s out running next. I hope to have her at 20° of hip extension by the end of our next session…
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If you’re suffering from lower back pain find an MAT® practitioner in your area ASAP before more damage is done. If there aren’t any then drop me a message and let’s see if I can help you online.
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24/04/2023

HIP MOBILITY & STABILITY IMPROVED IN 60 MINS…
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Today was Kerri-Ann’s first online
Muscle Activation Techniques® session — via a Skype video call — and she’s already feeling better (swipe left).
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Muscle Activation Techniques® yields fast and long lasting results because we address one of the most common root causes of pain, muscle tightness and mobility issues — neuromuscular dysfunction (AKA muscle inhibition).
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Find an MAT® practitioner in your area , if there aren’t any then drop me a message and let’s see if I can help you online too.
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20/04/2023

CAN MAT® IMPROVE WRIST FUNCTION?
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If a joint has muscles crossing it, then can most certainly help!
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Client over in Hungary here struggling with a stiff wrist, so within a 1 hour session over a Skype video call, we activated all the muscles associated with performing the motion he couldn’t do and now he can do it!
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18/04/2023

Amazing to get to help people from all over the world!!

09/01/2023

MUSCLE WEAKNESS COULD BE THE NEW SMOKING…
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According to new research, muscle weakness could be the new smoking!
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“We’ve known that muscular strength is a predictor of longevity, and that weakness is a powerful indicator of disease and mortality, but, for the first time, we have found strong evidence of a biological link between muscle weakness and actual acceleration in biological age,” said Mark Peterson, Ph.D., M.S., lead author of the study and associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan.
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“This suggests that if you maintain your muscle strength across the lifespan, you may be able to protect against many common age-related diseases. We know that smoking, for example, can be a powerful predictor of disease and mortality, but now we know that muscle weakness could be the new smoking.”
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We recognise from a MAT® perspective that to maximise muscle strength, muscles needs to be neurologically activated and all in good balance — if muscles are inhibited and muscle imbalances are present then long term strength potential will be limited and risk of injury and therefore participation in strength training will be impacted.
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Read the full article here:
https://scitechdaily.com/new-research-indicates-that-weak-muscles-may-speed-up-aging
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22/12/2022

RECOVER FASTER FROM WHIPLASH WITH THIS…
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A nasty head on RTA 10 days ago resulted in a considerable amount of neck and upper back pain, muscle tightness and a severe loss of motion even 10 days after the crash.
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Despite trying the stretches the physio recommended during this time, no significant improvements in mobility and pain were made.
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During our 60 minute Skype MAT session, I had my client perform light isometrics in all 4 head/neck directions, in neutral first, then again in the end ranges of motion.
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You can see in the photos not only how mobility has improved but how the pain and discomfort has significantly reduced by way of her facial expressions.
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Give this post a save in case you or anyone you know suffers a whiplash injury and needs help getting back to normal
fast.
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Address

Brighton Physiotherapy Clinic, 104 St George's Road
Brighton And Hove
BN21EA

Website

http://www.muscleactivationbrighton.com/

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Videos

ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE VICTORY at the US Open for Bryson Dechambeau, who uses Muscle Activation Techniques® (MAT®) to give him the winning edge! 🏆 HUGE congrats @brysondechambeau 🙌▪️#therealdeal #MAT #golf #pgatour #usopen #muscleactivationtechniques #getactivated #muscleactivationbrighton #longtermresults#mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #backpain #rangeofmotion #success #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles #musclegain #brightonphysio #brightonphysiotherapy

SLOW PROGRESS WITH YOUR SQUAT STRENGTH?

SLOW PROGRESS WITH YOUR SQUAT STRENGTH? ▪️ It could be the way you grip the bar that’s causing the problem...! I made a video a while back showing the best way to set yourself up for a Barbell Back Squat (towards the end of this video)... ▪️ In it, I mentioned that it was important to assess your shoulder mobility first instead of just grabbing the bar and pulling yourself underneath it. This is because if you don’t have very good shoulder mobility (namely external rotation and scapular retraction) you’ll put undue stress on your shoulder joints increasing your risk of injury in addition to reducing your overall strength. ▪️ In this video I demonstrate how the traditional Barbell Back Squat set up could make your leg muscles weaker; assuming that you’re performing squats to make yourself stronger—potential injuries aside—this could have serious implications on your strength gainz! 💪 ▪️ Unless you have very good shoulder mobility (namely external rotation and scapular retraction) then the traditional Barbell Back Squat setup will make your legs (and every other muscle in your body) weak, I’ll guarantee it 💯 as I demonstrate here on @cp ▪️ This happens because when you pull the bar into your Traps, if you don’t have adequate scapula retraction and external rotation, you create a torque at the shoulder joints that passively takes them into a position of external rotation which will exceed their active range of motion (AROM) i.e the position that they can get to actively, without any assistance. You’re basically creating a passive stretch. ▪️ Whenever you passively exceed or violate your AROM your nervous system freaks out and down regulates neural drive/motor output to your entire muscular system and everything goes weak; think traction control in your car... wheel spins —> system senses an instability —> system cuts the gas —> no power available (regardless of how hard you stamp on the pedal) until the instability

ACTIVATING ONE MUSCLE (took 2 mins) IMPROVED CLUB HEAD SPEED BY 4%!

ACTIVATING ONE MUSCLE (took 2 mins) IMPROVED CLUB HEAD SPEED BY 4%! Listen to the full podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-bit-of-a-boost/id1548360511?i=1000650299974 #abitofaboost #golf #golfswing #clubheadspeed #muscletightness #muscleactivationtechniques #MAT #MATUK #muscleactivationbrighton #longtermresults #muscletightnessissecondarytomuscleweakness #muscletightnessismuscleweakness #tightnessisweakness #stretching #stopstretching #youareonlyasstrongasyourweakestlink #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles

MUSCLES CAN’T GROW PROPERLY IF THEY’RE INHIBITED!

Muscle inhibition limits the muscles ability to undergo hypertrophy, the process of muscle growth. ▪️ Inhibition can be caused by factors such as stress, physical or emotional trauma, poor nutrition, overuse, lack of use, inadequate recovery, or underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes. ▪️ When muscles are inhibited, they’re unable to fully engage, recruit and contract, and therefore are unable to receive adequate stimulus to adapt to stressors which hinders their growth potential. Therefore, addressing and removing these inhibitory factors is crucial for promoting muscle growth and development. ▪️ @muscleactivationtechniques provides the tools to test and treat muscle inhibition so you can finally unlock your full muscle growth potential. 💪 ▪️ #hypertrophy #hypertrophytraining #musclehypertrophy #gainz #gains #musclegain #musclegainz #musclegains #musclegrowthtips #musclegrowth #calfworkout #calftraining #getactivated #gluteactivation #glutes #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #personaltrainerbrighton #brightonpt #muscles

THIS WEEK MARKS THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MY ONLINE MAT® SERVICE!▪️It's an honour to have been able to help hundreds of people from all over the planet for an entire decade with a system that I created from scratch back in 2013...▪️Applying the MAT® principles and delivering them online was no easy task, and explains why even today, I'm the only MAT® practitioner in the world that offers such a service.▪️I've had many life changing successes with my online clients over the years - here’s a small handful of them in this video - and to celebrate this huge milestone I'm offering a 20% discount on online MAT® treatments for 'non-current' clients for the rest of September.▪️If you (or anyone you know) is struggling with any pain, tightness or mobility issues then now would be a great time to reach out and let me help you get back to doing all the things you'd love to do in your life.▪️I have limited slots available so sessions will be given out on a first come first serve basis.▪️Just DM me and I'll get you all the details.▪️#MATonline #onlinerehab #getactivated #therealdeal #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton#mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles

1 HR OF MAT® VS 2,190 HRS OF YOGA… ▪️ Client over in Singapore has been practicing yoga daily for the last 6 years but despite all the time and effort invested, he was still not seeing the improvements in flexibility he’d hoped for. ▪️ By the end of our online MAT® session and after activating just 3 out of the 17 muscles responsible for hip external rotation, we’d achieved more flexibility in just 1 hour than he’d achieved in thousands of hours over many years of yoga practice. NOTE: he is a qualified and certified Yoga Instructor. ▪️ Yoga is great if you have a healthy and well functioning muscle system, don’t have any significant muscle imbalances and don’t suffer from any tightness and/or pain. If you do, then @muscleactivationtechniques might be a quicker, more efficient and long lasting solution to your flexibility challenges that will then allow you to get more from your yoga practice and enjoy yoga to it’s fullest. ▪️ To find out more about MAT® and see if it’d be a helpful solution to your flexibility issues then drop me a message today to arrange a Free no-obligation consultation. ▪️ #MATonline #yoga #stopstretching #stopreleasing #getactivated #hipdisability #hippain #hipdysfunction #hipinjury #hipmobility #hipflexibility #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles

HOW MAT® CAN HELP WITH BACK PAIN…

HOW MAT® CAN HELP WITH BACK PAIN… ▪️ The first symptom of muscle imbalance is tightness, the next symptom is pain. ▪️ No amount of stretching, massage, dry needling, rolling or releasing will fix the muscle imbalance. They’ll only treat the symptoms. ▪️ If you have tightness and/or pain find an MAT® Specialist ASAP and have your muscle imbalances fixed before permanent damage is done to your joints, discs, nerves, ligaments and other passive structures. ▪️ #treatthecausenotthesymptom #getactivated #golf #pgatour #pgaeuropeantour #golfmobility #backpain #lowerbackpain #LBP #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #longtermresults #muscletightnessissecondarytomuscleweakness #muscletightnessismuscleweakness #tightnessisweakness #youareonlyasstrongasyourweakestlink #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles

SHOULDER, BACK & HIP PAIN ALL FIXED UP WITH MAT® ▪️ In this video Graham shares his MAT® journey to finally resolving his chronic pain issues that years of Physios, Chiropractors, Yoga and passive stretching couldn’t manage to fix. ▪️ #MATonline #getactivated #shoulderpain #shoulderdisability #shoulderdysfunction #shoulderinjury #shouldermobility #shoulderflexibility #backpain #backdisability #backdysfunction #backinjury #backmobility #backflexibility #hippain #hipdisability #hipdysfunction #hipinjury #hipmobility #hipflexibility #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #injury #sportsinjury

A LITTLE TIME & EFFORT GOES A LONG WAY WITH MAT®... ▪️ Here’s an example... Shoulder extension severely limited — you could say non-existent! Triceps long head muscle unable to generate enough force to overcome the mass of the arm against the force of gravity. The muscle is displaying neuromuscular dysfunction, AKA inhibition. ▪️ Triceps long head was then activated using Muscle Activation Techniques® — took a couple of minutes — and now that we’ve re-established the neurological connection from the muscle to the nervous system, the triceps can now contract. ▪️ The muscle is not only able to generate enough force to lift the weight of the arm now, but it can withstand extra force from me pushing down on it. If we were to have measured the force output in kilograms before and after, we’d have seen many 1000’s of % increase in strength as a result of this neurological upgrade. ▪️ #shoulderextension #shoulderinjury #shoulderrehab #frozenshoulder #therealdeal #MAT #muscleactivationtechniques #getactivated #muscleactivationbrighton #longtermresults #muscletightnessissecondarytomuscleweakness #youareonlyasstrongasyourweakestlink #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #success #painfree #injury #sportsinjury #muscles

HE THOUGHT HIS LONG DISTANCE RUNNING DAYS WERE OVER. ▪️ 5 months ago Maarten couldn’t run more than 4-5k without breaking down with injury — he thought his days of ever running a marathon again were over... ▪️ We started MAT® and he laid off running for a month or so while we worked on developing more stability in his muscle system. ▪️ Over the last 3 months he’s built his distance up from 4k and injured to 30k and pain free. ▪️ 15 hours of MAT® later, 11 of which were online, he’s now running the Brighton Marathon! 💪 ▪️ #brightonmarathon #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #MAT #runninginjury #runninginjuryfree #running #runninginjuryprevention

Best of luck to @laird_shep teeing it up at the @themasters this week. ▪️ It’s been a pleasure working with you and I hope you enjoy this amazing experience! 💪 ▪️ #themasters #golf #golfer #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #MAT

Muscles move bones and if they’re not contracting properly then they cant move your bones so well!

Left shoulder protraction “fixed”!

Just pimped out my Isophit M.S.K with the latest in force measuring technology from Kinvent España. The only setup like it in the UK (and probably Europe)! Can’t wait to start using this tech with clients soon... 💪😎

TIMELAPSE OF AN MAT® SESSION TREATING SCAPULA RETRACTION... ▪️ #MAT #shoulderpain #scapularetraction #shouldermobility #muscleactivationtechniques #muscleactivationbrighton #muscletightnessissecondarytomuscleweakness #youareonlyasstrongasyourweakestlink #mobility #flexibility #injuryrehab #rangeofmotion #success #painfree