Muscle Relaxation Techniques
By
Dr. Michael Yessis
This article originally appeared on Dr. Yessis’s Sports
Training Blog at www.dryessis.com.
The ability to reduce tension and relax muscles affects strength, speed,
coordination, and in turn, sports performance.
Athletes who are skilled at muscle relaxation are less vulnerable to
injuries, have greater special endurance, and are better able to tolerate
training and competitive loads. Conversely, in those athletes who have little or
no skill at muscle relaxation, the correct timing of relaxation occurs less
frequently in certain muscle groups, even when performing the simplest of
exercises. This produces rapid fatigue and hampers the proper execution of
various movements during practice and competition.
Muscle relaxation is best experienced when alternated rhythmically with
tension that develops during the training. However, compared with other physical
qualities, muscle relaxation skills are not as easily acquired. When there is a
general overall increase in training loads, muscle relaxation skills require
special attention.
Training your ability to relax consists of learning to control your muscles
and sense their level of tension and relaxation. The main way to reduce tension
involves special relaxation exercises such as stretching, swimming, massage, and
different methods of recovery and restoration.
The key to success in learning relaxation techniques is to independently
develop the ability to relax and constantly analyze your feelings and sensations
when you perform exercises. In other words, you must become more in tune with
what is going on in your body. You must be cognizant of not only any gross
changes but also subtle ones.
Special relaxation exercises involve contrasting tension and relaxation.
After you achieve maximum muscle tension, disengage the muscle group as much as
possible, bringing it into a passive state of inertia with a swinging of the
limbs. Here are some exemplary exercises:
- Start in a standing position with the trunk rigid. Extend the arms
forward and squeeze the hands into fists. Hold the position. When the arms
feel heavy, drop them with a swinging motion. The transition from a state of
tension to relaxation can be gradual or abrupt. The tension phase is coupled
with preliminary inhalation and breath holding. Relaxation is coupled with
full exhalation. This exercise can also be done by raising the arms
completely over the head and repeating the same protocol.
- Assume a supine (face up) position on a bench. Bend the knees with the
legs together and the feet on the bench. Breathe in and hold the breath,
tensing the abdominal muscles and squeezing the knees together with the
arms. Hold the tension for 5–6 seconds. Then, relax the knees, arms, and
abdominal muscles.
- The start position is the same as in number 2. Breathe in, lift the
arms, and straighten the legs. Hold this position for 5–6 seconds and then
“throw” yourself into the relaxed position.
- Start by lying face down. Breathe in and raise the legs and arms. Tense
the back muscles, and hold the position for 5–6 seconds. Then, drop the arms
and legs into a relaxed position.
