Where does strength training, stretching or even yoga fit in? Can these forms of exercise correct inhibited muscles?
The answer is that it depends. If you have muscles that have been inhibited due to prolonged stress or sudden trauma, then moving them into a position of vulnerability (meaning a position that contracts the inhibited muscles, particularly in an extreme range of motion) will usually result in other muscles (referred to as synergists or helpers) taking over the job of the inhibited muscles. This leads to the active muscles getting stronger while the inactive muscles stay weak. People tend to mask their weaknesses by increasing strength in the compensatory muscles that have been forced to take up the load. Over time, this can be dangerous as these compensatory muscles (synergists) are being asked to do jobs that they are not ideally designed for. If you continually do an activity (i.e., golf swing, certain yoga posture, certain work station, etc.) that emphasizes muscles that are inhibited, then it is likely that the synergistic muscles will ultimately become overworked and will also beco
