Wake Up Your Sleeping Muscles with Neural Activation Before You Try to Build More Muscle!
Hello everyone, this is Yoshi, the Flipper President!
Do you ever feel like, "I'm training, but I lack power in the water" or "I'm putting in maximum effort, but my speed isn't increasing"?
Are you struggling with these kinds of problems?
Actually, the problem might not be a lack of muscle strength, but simply that your muscles are asleep. It is said that the average person only uses about 30% of their potential muscle strength, and even trained athletes only utilize about 50-60%.
In other words, you can increase your power without building new muscle just by "waking up" the muscles you already have. The key to this is "nervous system activation training".
Since today is Muscle Friday, I'd like to take a lighthearted look at muscles from that perspective, so please read until the end!
The nervous system is the command center that unlocks muscle strength
To get right to it, why is nervous system training important? It's because what actually moves your muscles is your "nerves".
I myself used to have the fixed idea that some people were "naturally athletic and others were not". However, after encountering the nervous system training theory called Life Kinetik, I had an eye-opening realization that "athletic ability is something that can be trained".
In finswimming, in particular, you reach speeds about 1.5 times faster than competitive swimming. To use your muscles efficiently at these high speeds, the connection between your brain and muscles (the nervous system) is the key.
Swimming with a monofin is the perfect example. That beautiful, wave-like movement cannot be achieved unless the transmission of power from the upper body to the lower body is perfect. It is the nervous system that controls this coordination.
Personal experience and specific training methods
My experience: Breaking through the wall of form improvement
I realized the power of this nervous system training when I tried to change form habits that had been ingrained for years.
Until then, no matter how much I consciously tried to change my form, I would revert to my old habits after a few weeks. However, after incorporating nervous system training, changing my form became significantly smoother, and the new form became much easier to maintain.
Also, when I challenged myself with completely new sports or movements, I was able to adapt much faster than before. I became able to grasp the image of the correct movement before even trying it.
Practice! 3 Nervous System Activation Exercises
1. Cross-Lateral Drill (Activates both the left and right brain)
Touch your left knee with your right hand, then touch your right knee with your left hand
Repeat 20 times at the fastest rhythm possible
Once you get used to it, try doing it with your eyes closed
Once you are even more accustomed, add the movement of stepping one foot forward and one back
2. Explosive Priming Squats
Take 3 seconds to slowly lower yourself into a squat position
Hold for 2 seconds at the lowest point
With the intention of 'exploding,' stand up as quickly as possible
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions
3. 1-Minute Brain-Body Coordination Menu
Stand by the poolside and quickly change your movements according to instructions
Example: 'Raise right hand' -> 'Left foot forward' -> 'Both hands up' -> 'Squat'
The 'reverse version,' where you perform the opposite of the instruction, is also effective
Provide fresh stimulation to the nerves with a different combination of movements each time
Practical methods in the water
While neural training is advancing in land-based sports, there are currently few practical examples in swimming. Therefore, I apply land-based elements to the water and incorporate them into practice.
(Example) Variable Swim
Quickly switch between 3 to 4 different swimming styles over 50m according to instructions
Example: 'Normal -> Big -> Fast -> Slow'
Example: 'Butterfly -> One-arm backstroke -> Back crawl'
Signal the switching instructions with a whistle or by tapping a wrench underwater
Perform 4 to 6 repetitions as one set
Starting Tomorrow: The Awakening of the Nerves
These training sessions are designed to teach your muscles new ways to move and to awaken the "dormant muscles" you haven't been able to use until now. What matters is quality, not quantity. Even just five minutes of conscious effort every day will produce results.
I also have the athletes I coach incorporate brain-body coordination menus into their warm-ups first. I have actually heard them say things like, "My form improved more smoothly than before" and "My body's senses have become more sensitive."
Furthermore, I can feel firsthand that this is directly leading to personal bests and new Japanese records!
Motor nerves are by no means fixed; they can be changed through appropriate training. By creating new neural pathways and calling upon your dormant muscles, your performance in the water will certainly improve.
Starting with tomorrow's training, please experience this "awakening of the nervous system." You will surely be surprised by a sensation of swimming that is different from anything you've felt before!
With that said, thank you for reading this far this time as well.
If you found this content good or learned something from it, I would be happy if you could support me with a "Like❤️," "Follow✅," "Share♻️," or "Tip💙"...!
If you have any questions or topics you are curious about, please let me know in the comments section!
Well then, see you next time!
See you later!
Finswimming Specialist
Fins President Yoshihide Sekino
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