Neuromuscular Training Part 2: Categories

Written By Stephen Gray

Neuromuscular Training Part 2:  Subcategories

WHAT ARE THE SUBCATEGORIES?

Neuromuscular Categories with Subcategories include strength, mobility, balance, proprioceptive, plyometric, and agility. 

Strength training focuses on the ability to resist force.

  • Isomeric Strength Training - resist force with no muscle length change (no movement)

  • Muscular Endurance Training - low load, high rep, to resist low load over long duration

  • Muscular Strength Development - to be able to resist increased force (high load)

  • Foundational Strength & Hypertrophy Training - Moderate load, focussing on motor patterns and stability

  • Eccentric Strength Training - focusing on resisting force while lengthening the muscle

  • Unilateral Training - single sided resistance training

  • Power/Explosive Training - being able to create acceleration and force from static position

Mobility is the ability to actively control a joint through its full range of motion.

  • Passive ROM Exercises - taking joint through near full range of motion with no contraction

  • Static Stretching - no movement, flexibility training, no contraction

  • Active ROM Exercises - active movement using full ranges of motion

  • Dynamic Stretching - focus on end range, but with active movement

  • PNF Stretching - static stretch combined with agonist or antagonistic contraction

  • Joint Mobilization Techniques - focus on active end range joint stretch but no static, oscillation and movement only)

  • Myofascial Release - compression or lift of soft tissue combined with movement

  • Neuromuscular Mobility - movement focussed on mobilizing neural tissue

Balance is the ability to maintain upright posture on a varying base of support.

  • Static Balance - balancing with no movements or variables

  • Surface & Base Support Variability - balancing with no movement, but flooring is challenged (surface texture, sharp moving platform)

  • Dynamic Balance - balancing while body or base of support is moving

  • Sensory Integration Challenges - balancing while integrating organizing sensory input (somatosensory being floor surface/angle, visual being one or both eyes closed, vestibular being inner ear, so gaze stabilization)

  • Anticipatory (Proactive) Balance - balance before a voluntary potentially destabilizing movement, more often a repeated, predictable motor pattern you want improved

  • Reactive Balance (Advanced) - balancing after unexpected perturbation

  • Functional & Sport Specific Balance - movement only from specific sport

Proprioceptive

  • Joint Position Sense Training - repeating a specific joint angle using mechanoreceptors (not visual)

  • Eyes Closed Static Positioning - maintaining a joint specific joint angle, eyes closed

  • Progressive Surface Challenges - progressively increasing the surface from flat and stable to moderate (pilates mat), highly unstable (Bosu), highly dynamic (rocker/wobble board), and real life (grass, gravel, obstacles)

  • Movement Precision Drills - accuracy and control over dynamic or static joint positioning (star excursion, laser pointer/neck drills, tandem walk)

  • Reflexive Neuromuscular Control - rapid, involuntary muscle response to unexpected changes in joint position or stability (pertubation on unstable surfaces, catching a ball on an unstable surface, hop and hold/plyo, agility with COD instructions)

  • Functional & Sport-Specific Proprioception - sport specific movement incorporated

Plyometric

  • Introductory Plyometrics / Submaximal Jumps - focus on quality and control over distance/height, focus on technique, rhythm, less time on floor (springiness) (hops, jumping jacks, landing/(no rebound), small box jumps, lateral hop, skip)

  • Linear Plyometrics - forward/backward, focus on height/distance

  • Lateral Plyometrics - sideways, focus on height/distance

  • Single-Leg Plyometrics - forward/backward/side but on one leg, focus on height/distance

  • Depth Jumps & Reactive Plyometrics - plyometric jump from a height (box, land, minimize ground contact and jump again)

  • Sport-Specific or Complex Plyometrics - Plyometrics with sport specific movement incorporated

Agility

  • Change of Direction (COD) Mechanics - working on ability to change direction (cutting)

  • Linear and Lateral Acceleration/Deceleration Drills - increasing and decreasing speeds over short durations forward, backward, and sideways

  • Footwork & Coordination Drills - complex landing/foot movement patterns

  • Reactive Agility - changing direction on cue (visual/audio/tactile)

  • Sport-Specific or Open-Skill Agility - agility training with sport specific movement incorporated

*As you can see, there will always be some cross over for more complex exercises.

REFERENCE LIST:

  1. Emery CA, Roy TO, Whittaker JL, Nettel-Aguirre A, Van Mechelen W. Neuromuscular training injury prevention strategies in youth sport: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine. 2015 Jul 1;49(13):865-70.

  2. Kumar P. Neuromuscular Eercise Program NEMEX [Internet]. Physiopedia. Available from: https://physio-pedia.com/Neuromuscular_Exercise_Program_NEMEX

  3. Williams MD, Ramirez-Campillo R, Chaabene H, Moran J. Neuromuscular training and motor control in youth athletes: a meta-analysis. Perceptual and motor skills. 2021 Oct;128(5):1975-97.

  4. Zech A, Huebscher M, Vogt L, Banzer W, Hänsel F, Pfeifer K. Neuromuscular training for rehabilitation of sports injuries: a systematic review. Medicine & science in sports & exercise. 2009 Oct 1;41(10):1831-41.

Stephen Gray
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Neuromuscular Training Part 1: Basics