MENTAL TRAINING

Myofunktional Exercise  Collect ion

Application:

No illustration

This chapter gives a general description of a collective group of exercises and details which are sharing the here described facts. 

(See also chapter AUTOGENE TRAINING.

The MENTAL TRAINING is a less specified form of AUTOGENE TRAINING and rather the generic term for methods to improve the concentrativeness and positive influence of rather unconsciously happening procedures within the organism. In sports medicine similar methods are applied for preparing mentally for delivering a performance and to concentrate.

In our context it may be employed in three different areas.

1. During the therapy session and before a training phase the patient tries to adjust mentally to the envisaged difficult tasks (or gets adjusted).

2. Outside therapy sessions the concentration will either be directed towards a posture to be continued or towards a reflex course to be observed respectively

3. towards a posture to be avoided or a faulty reflex or any noxious habit.

For the two lastly named opportunities mostly aids are offered like the identification of FEED-BACK signals or the application of MEMOS (see there).

Contents:

Mental concentration on neuromuscular processes.

Materials:

MEMOS, pictograms, catchwords, items with memory character, sensations or sounds.

Procedure:

- Previous exercises: The desired effect has already been practiced successfully as, for example,

(1) the correct carry-out of the exercise to be performed, or

(2) the position that is to be taken up or the required reflex cycle or

(3) the deficient muscular action to be avoided, the latter mostly with rehearsing a physiological alternative (for example the TONGUEPROP for bruxism).

-Starting position: Each time depending on the exercise; generally, to avoid neuro-muscular tension, the BASIC-POSITION should be taken up.

- Step-by-step-description:

-1 Instruction; the strived aim is explained with accuracy.

-2 Concentration; The patient is recalling into his mind the very feeling of the neuro-muscular action with the help of the therapist. This may be achieved with the help of a picture (PICTOGRAM) or an imperative sentence or a respective catchword.

In the above cited example of a bruxism this, for example, would have bear the formulation:” If I will sense the TEETHCLICKING, I immediately will switch to the TONGUE PROP.”

-Timing: A special timing is not provided. Concentration exercises for preordained hours of the day are recommendable. In case of a prescribed night-time habituation there should be practicing before falling asleep.

Characteristics:

Habituation, (Sensitation, Stereognosis, motivation, Orientation, Myobalance, Reflex, Resting Position, Eutonisation).

Remarks:

The task is highly sensitive; it is advisable to consult specialists (Psychologists…).

Discussion:

Mental Training is applied in connection with:

1) HABITUATION EXERCISE. The instruction reads:
“I will keep the position / the movement sequence.”

2) FEEDBACK-EXERCISES. Instruction:

„If I feel / do no more feel the sensation I will ‘sit up’ and correct myself.”

3) Night time exercises.  Instruction:

“I will have to observe the learned way and wake up to correct the mistake as soon as it occurs.”

Immediately the prescribed action is carried out.

4) Myoneurophysiologic Training:

A variation which is practicing the target muscles in a markedly physiological manner is mainly found discussed in the sports medicine as a training method. Our internet company CCMF (www.ccmf.de) has published a commentary about this matter:

19.08.2006  Comment on latest investigation results regarding Myoneurophysiology,  JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY  Vol. 67. No. 5. May 1992. Printed in USA. Strength Increases from the Motor Program: Comparison of Training with Maximal Voluntary und Imagined Muscle Contractions

GUANG YUE UND KELLY J. COLE Department of. Exercise Science, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242.

According to these studies it proved possible to influence the musculature through solely mental effort.

The principle is well known in Myofunctional Therapy; the previous understanding might be summed up under the terminology STANDBY EXERCISES. This presumably includes exercises which are training the key position for the set off of a reflex chain. For example the position of the vtongue tip at the POINT. This will also explain the term ‘stato-dynamic’ which, at first sight, seems to be contradictory in itself. (See also TONUSDEFINITION). This is to emphasize that such a position is not a ‚Rest Position’ but, indeed, a position showing muscle tonicity.

Instructions: