Proprioception is our sense of the location, movement and actions of the body. Even when your eyes are closed you can still have a sense of most of your body. Some parts of your body might have weak proprioception from an injury or just naturally. For faster results in the gym and overall wellness, healthy proprioception is a vital part.
The Difference Proprioception Can Make
Doing the same movements with better proprioception can lead to vastly different results. When you are able to feel the muscle and feel what a proper contraction is; your muscle activation, muscle growth, and strength capabilities will increase dramatically.
Signs of Weak Proprioception
If you have weak proprioception a good test would be to try to contract the muscle without any weight and see how fully you can contract the muscle.
If you are feeling your workouts in muscles and joints that shouldn't be used despite good form, chances are you have weak proprioception.
How to Strengthen Proprioception
Proprioception or in this case muscle sense can be strengthened in a multitude of ways. For most proprioception will get stronger as you lift weights or do other activities like yoga or Pilates. Unfortunately for those who have had injuries or feel that they have imbalances, you have to help your brain to relearn how to sense the muscle.
Muscle Tapping
Muscle tapping is a classic bodybuilding technique for muscle activation, that can also benefit proprioception. For this you just need a lifting buddy to tap on the muscle you want to focus on while you lift. This will help your brain to feel into the muscle contractions and build that connection.
The Pulse Device
Based on the benefits of Muscle tapping, the Pulse Device works in the same vein. Using intervaled vibrations the Pulse Device aids the brain in connecting to the muscle, building that proprioceptive sense. In addition, the Pulse Device’s vibrations help to elevate the contraction of the muscle. This allows for the brain to learn how to achieve and feel an even stronger muscle contraction, increasing the proprioceptive benefits even further.
