It's About the Wires

Flex the long head of your biceps muscle. Now, turn on sartorius muscles in your thigh. You likely have no idea what I’m talking about, and if you do, you probably had a difficult time isolating specific muscles and getting them to turn on. 

Why is it whenever we teach someone a new exercise, their first question, “what muscles does this work?”

Strength training is about improving movement quality. Learn better patterns to get stronger in more beneficial shapes that will become your default in the real world. What muscles you’re working is much less important than the positions and shapes and movements your body makes. 

It comes down to this. It isn’t about firing muscles, tendons or ligaments, it’s about the wires. Your nervous system is what makes movement happen, it teaches you what feels good, what feels bad. Your nervous system adapts to build strength, improve range of motion and increase power.

Don’t worry about getting your pec minor to fire on a push up. Instead, make sure your shoulders are moving in a safe, productive shape. 

Justin Miner

@justinminergain