How Activation Feels
Activation is simple and reproducible enough that any athlete can be taught to do it, any time and any place. But if you’re new to the Be Activated methods, the best way to experience it is to be activated for the first time by a trained sports or medical professional. You’ll learn how best to apply the techniques for yourself, and what the results should feel like. You’ll also return your body to a state where it’s more ready for self activation.
Here’s what that feels like.
Proper activation with a professional always starts with measurement. You’ll lie on a table and your therapist will gauge your core strength and flexibility using a few simple leg lifts and bends. Then, you’ll practice proper breathing while the pressure points in your chest are activated to allow improved breathing. Finally, the pressure points in your abdomen, neck and other regions are activated before measuring again to gauge results. You’ll see measurable improvement in strength and flexibility before you even get up off the table.
Because every body’s different, every activation is different. It’s common for the stimulation of pressure points to be sharp and painful – but it’s also very brief. You may feel warm as your body releases pent-up tensions as thermal energy. You may experience an immediate sense of physical or even emotional release as your body re-calibrates.
Afterward, you’re likely to feel lighter and to move about more easily – good news for athletes who need to run or jump to perform well! You’ll also experience a greater sense of awareness. You may feel more relaxed, or more alert to your surroundings. Your muscles and your nervous system are now more connected than they were before.
Athletes using activation experience this process in miniature during every warm-up. And because self activation requires no direct contact with a therapist or doctor, you can incorporate it into large team warm-ups as easily as into individual workouts.
I was a former collegiate and professional hockey player. During my career I suffered 3 concussions in 9 months. Despite resting and allowing ample time for normal recovery, I continued to have tightness in my neck, headaches, and eyesight issues. Shortness of breath was a common occurrence. My family and friends even noticed a difference in my behavior and a decrease in my level of sharpness. When I met with Doctor Nelson I experienced immediate results. He fixed a disconnect between my brain and muscles so that I could perform tasks that required using multiple signals. Through his activation therapy, the tension in my neck and upper shoulder regions is gone and I no longer have headaches. My vision is more acute and my ability to focus is back to normal. I have become more positive, energetic, and upbeat.
