Founder Joanne Elphinston describes the goal of Neuromuscular Training (as it applies within the context of the JEMS movement system) as “to enable people of all backgrounds, ages and levels of physical ability to learn the art of working with their body instead of against it, to have confidence in their bodies and to reclaim and enjoy the activities that matter most to them.”
Neuromuscular training is much more than simply being about training strength. It is about enabling the right muscles to switch on at the right time and the right muscles to switch off. It is about exploring movement possibilities rather than accepting limitations. The JEMS approach heavily informs neuromuscular training as practiced by Chris Gauntlett. As JEMS founder Joanne Elphinston described, “JEMS is the art and science of moving beautifully.” To find out more about JEMS, click here.
Key features of JEMS neuromuscular training include:
- Structural Alignment
- Integrated Movement
- Accessing Elastic Potential
- Functional Force Management
Proper structural alignment ensures all joints are supported during movement and that no one muscle group or joint is excessively loaded. Specifically, this involves maintaining a central longitudinal axis (CLA) to rotate around, providing a stable base for force generation and increasing the options available for movement potential. Structural alignment ensures that force generation, balance and stabilisation are efficient, movement quality enhanced and injury risk reduced.
Integrated movement is a principle that ensures all components in a kinetic chain of movement work in harmony. In other words, to have good global movement control the individual must also have good segmental control. However, Integrated Movement is a dynamic principle; rather than rigidly fixing and locking down areas of the body (anti-movement), balance, strength, timing, flexibility and coordination are incorporated to ensure that movement is free, graceful, effortless and supported.
Neuromuscular training allows the individual to access the elastic potential of the body’s myofascial slings and soft tissue. Doing so facilitates the efficient storage and release of kinetic energy and allows for a smooth transfer of force through the body to enhance movement quality and efficiency. Accessing elastic potential also reduces strain and load on specific muscle groups by sharing the load across all muscles in the kinetic chain as force flows smoothly through the body.
This neuromuscular training principle ensures that when the body generates force, it does so efficiently. When the body receives force, it is distributed over a broad, muscular surface area. This process ensures that no single soft tissue structure is excessively loaded during movement and that the generation and receiving of force are transmitted smoothly through the body, minimising impact and load on any single soft tissue structure.
