Self Help : The Nature of Muscle
Simply put, muscles do two things:
1) Contract (flex), become short and firm; and
2) Relax, become long and soft...at ease.
Muscles work in balanced, opposing groups.
For example, when your biceps muscle goes into contraction,
there is an unconscious parallel message from your brain to the
opposing muscle group, the triceps, to relax. Muscle Management
takes advantage of this innate balancing act. Contracted muscle
can be encouraged to return to its relaxed state by contracting
the opposing muscle group. Simple.
Muscle Spasm and Tightness
Muscle's often respond to physical insults and trauma by contracting
into a protective spasm. Your body then adapts and compensates
around that spasm. As therapist's, we are often addressing these
adaptations long after the original injury has "healed'.
Continuing insult to the muscle tissue, such as work positions,
repetitive stress, lazy posture, lack of movement and exercise,
etc. force the muscle tissue to spend entirely too much time in
this mode.
Regular exercise that includes stretching helps to address those
daily insults and adaptations.
One of the keys to success in this system is for you to use
your intention and imagination. Rumor has it that we humans use
less than 10 percent of our potential abilities. Consider the
possibility that we can increase that percentage when we exercise
our ability to imagine and intend. (see Nose
ring)
Portions of the this web site's informational content
is intended to increase that percentage and encourage your body's
innate ability to maintain and repair itself. The goal is simply
to enhance the muscular "Balancing Act" of the body
and reduce tension.
Good health is not a state so much
as it is quest...for equilibrium, balance...... and ease. TS
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