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Train of thought: Muscle classifications help develop training programs.
Photo by LACW Kim Eager |
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I’ll start with the reclassification of muscles into two classes. They are the local (anti-gravity) or deep muscles and the global (action) or superficial muscles.
The simplest way to visualise these classes is to think of a sailing ship. Consider the mast to be the spine.
The wires securing the mast are the global muscles and therefore attach to the ship (your pelvis) and on to set points near the top of the mast.
Fortunately, your spine is not a single solid structure, so your mast now has numerous segments resting on top of each other. The global wires, however, are still attached to the same locations and while able to control movements on the mast as a whole, they cannot control the individual sections.
This is where the local muscles reside; they link each individual piece of the mast to the piece above and below and can therefore control movement at each segment individually.
If the mast were to tilt forward (like bending over to pick something up) it is these local muscles that would be called into play to stop each segment sliding forward and off the one above/below.
If the global muscles were the only muscles to respond, the result would resemble a hunting bow (the tight bowstring causing the bow to curve). The middle sections would be forced even further forward, while the top and bottom would be pulled back and the structure would collapse.
Next, consider the effect of tightening the global wires too tightly (either all the wires attached to the mast or just several on one side) and the need to ensure muscle balance is brought quickly into view.
The local anti-gravity muscles may be familiar to many and include the vastus medialis obliques, a key muscle on the inside of the leg just above the knee that controls and guides the knee and the core muscles (transverse abdominals commonly trained on fit balls).
Latest research about these local muscles is impressive. For example:
- The transverse abdominal muscles do not contract effectively if the spine is not in the correct neutral alignment. This means that many who consider themselves to be training the transverse abdominals, a key muscle in back care, may in fact not be.
- Movements (eg weight training) at speeds too fast (above 90-180/second) tend to recruit the global muscles only often at the expense of the local muscles. This highlights the importance in controlling the speed in which weight training in particular is performed. Remember, it is the local muscles that are needed at the end of range to protect the joint.
- The local muscles are more effectively activated when performing closed kinetic chain activitites (where the limbs are fixed and the body moves).
- Likewise, the local muscles are only activated when needed (that is controlling the joints). Walking around all day in enclosed shoes on flat floors decreases the need for your body to stabilise and therefore decreases the need and communication between the controlling muscles and nervous system.
So what does this all mean in simple terms?
- Get off the beaten track, when at home take the shoes off, walk on grass, soft sand and uneven ground.
- Slow down the speed of exercises when weight training (90 every 1-2 seconds).
- Perform exercises that use as many joints as possible in a closed kinetic chain (limbs fixed and body moving).
- Look at the past several months of your training program, has one movement (group of muscles) dominated? Do the opposing muscle groups need a greater training stimulus?
- Ensure that your body is aligned correctly for the task you are about to perform, be it hanging up the washing, starting the lawn mower or doing lunges in the gym.
Remember, progression is the key. See your local PTIs for assistance and advance your training program to the next generation by ensuring both classes of muscle are trained and in the correct balance.
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