The Mattes Method of Active Isolated Strengthening
Power = the amount of strength you can exert over a given range of motion divided by time.
There are 3 ways to increase power (AIS addresses the first two very well):
Increase strength
Increase range of motion
Increase speed.
The myofascial releases and postural realignment facilitated by your Active Isolated Stretching session will reveal muscular imbalances that you need to correct if the improvements are to last. Strengthening is easier after AIS stretching because the full range of motion is available and the muscles are not being reciprocally inhibited by chronically tight opposing muscles. By increasing your range of motion, AIS will allow you to access muscle length that was previously restricted. You couldn't strengthen it fully before because you couldn't access it.
Muscles are inherently weakest at the the extremes of their range of motion and during eccentric contractions. It is important to use a gradual approach in strengthening at multiple angles because THE NEWLY ACCESSIBLE LENGTH IS WEAK, UNTRAINED, AND VULNERABLE TO INJURY IF YOU OVER DO IT. The AIS Strengthening I'll offer you takes this into account. Consult your current trainer or if you continue your current program, reduce the weight by 50% or more, strengthen both agonists and antoginists, and focus on your form. It's fast, it's focused, & it's effective.
The Mattes Method of Active Isolated Strengthening follows the training specificity principle by identifying and resolving specific strength and functional deficits. There are protocols for every primary muscle in the body that address specific parts of muscles at the same precise angles used in AIS stretching.
The Mattes Method then employs full range of motion movements to contract and strengthen targeted muscles while at the same time stretching the opposing muscles. You improve control and coordination because the specificity of the stretching and strengthening while you also help retrain your nervous system. Proper muscles firing sequences are reestablished and your old, compensatory movement patterns are replaced with more efficient ones.
AIS Strengthening exercises start with light weights and are done on a 3 count on the movement and a 5 count on the recovery, emphasizing precision in angle, form, and control over the full range of motion. (Strength increases 30% faster during an eccentric or lengthening contraction.) More time is spent on those (parts of) muscles that have atrophied, been injured, or are otherwise out of balance, but all muscles in an area typically are worked to assure balance and coordination. Weight is quickly increased as the tissue responds. Training can be adjusted to address neurologic deficits.
The result is increased muscle strength, flexibility, and balance across the joints, reducing your chance of injury. Your posture, gait, and endurance improve because you are no longer wasting energy fighting unwanted tensions and distortions in your body.
The first step is to provide you with functional fitness so that you can comfortably do the normal activities of daily living. You are then ready to progress to more advanced, traditional strength, aerobic, and agility training, if you want, with your regulat trainer. Minimal equipment needed
Most of the initial strengthening exercises can be done using ankle weights alone or in combination with free weights (or you can use water bottles or soup cans at home). Ankle weights with access to 5 to 10 small weights can be adjusted easily to match your abilities and can be used on your ankles or hands, replacing small free weights. Additional, inexpensive specialized equipment for shoulders, wrists, hands, knees, ankles, and feet are introduced as appropriate for your condition and goals.
Individual Instruction & Classes, instructional materials, and exercise equipment are available.