Firing Up Your Nervous System

Nervous System

Your nervous system is what coordinates your actions. It consists of two main parts, the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (nerves). So to say the least it’s pretty important especially if you’re looking for performance gains.

A lot of people discuss muscle activation and various warm up routines to help with your workout that day but some fail to add in exercises to help prime your nervous system. The Central Nervous System (CNS) is pretty much like the CPU of your computer, it implements your actions and at what power output. Since most performance test are based off of power output, priming your CNS will be important.

2 Simple Tricks to Fire Up Your CNS

Rapid Fire

This basically means to do an exercise that requires you to move fast such as:

• Quick feet
• Pogo hops
• Speed lunges

Anything that doesn’t require too much of your energy much does force you to move quickly.

These type of movements are generally done after your full warm up (fascial release, fst, dynamic, activation).

Contrast Method 

The contrast method is when you overload a specific movement and than follow it with a lighter one. Take for example the squat, you’ll unrack a heavy load, anywhere from 100-150% of your max, and hold it for 5+sec. Re-rack rest for 30+ sec and than do a work set of your squat. It should feel much lighter coming off the rack.

Dr. Verkhoshansky had a great analogy for this, Imagine what would happen if you lifted a half-full can of water when you thought the can was full. The force required to lift the can would be clearly off, you would move the can with much more speed than intended. And THIS is what you want to translate to your contrast method of lifting or plyometrics.

Wrap Up

Keep it mind that the contrast method is something that’s usually utilized for more advanced trainees. Just like any specialized movement you’ll need to have a strong base foundation to get the benefits of advanced methods. With that side, the rapid fire movements can be utilized with pretty much any level. I have my 72 year old Tennis client blowing out quick feet and pogo hops like it’s nothing after a good warm up. The guy is a BEAST!

Train smart,

Team Fusion