Understanding Muscle Activation: Part II
If you missed our first installment from Chris Kelly on muscle activation, you can check it out here.
And here are his three progressions as promised!
Progression #1: Prone, four points of contact
Improving timing and muscle activation is certainly a concern with beginners, but so is the need to acquire vital skills like finding neutral spine, breathing through abdominal bracing, and maintaining proper shoulder position. With this in mind, our first series of drills is performed as a circuit and labeled by function.
| Activation Sequence | Phase One | |||
| Bird-dog Position | Purpose | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 |
| Cat-camel | Neutral spine position | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps |
| Push-up Plank | Abdominal bracing | 2 x 10 count | 2 x 20 count | 2 x 30 count |
| Bird-dog (Bent-leg) | Hip extension | 2 x 10 count | 2 x 20 count | 2 x 30 count |
| Fire Hydrant (Bent leg) | Hip abduction | 2 x 10 count | 2 x 20 count | 2 x 30 count |
Progression #2: Prone, two points of contact
After several weeks of working in a supported position, our activation exercises progress to two points of contact with arm and leg movement. This approach effectively integrates the skills of maintaining a neutral spine and a braced torso into each drill. For individuals seeking improved posture or aesthetic appeal, this sequence of exercises is also a fantastic alternative to abdominal crunches. We generally move from time to reps with the stipulation that movement must be performed in a slow and controlled fashion while maintaining a neutral spine and good shoulder position.
| Activation Sequence | Phase Two | |||
| Plank Position | Purpose | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 |
| Cat-camel | Neutral spine position | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps |
| Plank- Handwalks | Abdominal bracing | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
| Plank- Marches | Hip extension | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
| Plank- Step outs | Hip abduction | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
Progression #3: Standing
After mastering the plank matrix above, our final activation progression brings us to our feet. Grounded on the idea of “isolation to integration,” our clients should now possess a basic awareness of maintaining neutral spine, bracing and breathing. Once this is achieved, activation work becomes a simple matter of using drills that integrate these skills together.
In a similar fashion to our work on the floor, we have found this is best accomplished by grouping together several drills that use common pieces of equipment. Though we utilize a mini-band and stretch band in the example below, you could conceivably do this with any number of items – including bodyweight, stability balls or medicine balls.
| Activation Sequence | Phase Three | |||
| Standing position | Purpose | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 |
| Standing wall press | Neutral spine position | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 5 reps |
| Pallof matrix | Abdominal bracing | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
| Mini-band marches | Hip extension | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
| Mini-band side kicks | Hip abduction | 2 x 5 reps | 2 x 8 reps | 2 x 10 reps |
Filed under: exercise programs, workout tips
