A muscle is like a car. If you want it to run well in the morning, you have to warm it up. ~ Florence Griffith Joyner
Yeah, well, Florence. Some of our cars require more time to warm up, and sometimes they just refuse to start. Seriously, I take her point. I don’t know Ms. Joyner apart from being aware of her amazing speed, and I strongly suspect that developing the muscles and techniques was quite the process. However, once achieved, those skills stick with you. How does that work?
Emotional Muscle Memory
When I began to look at this topic, I learned that muscle memory can be either physical or emotional. Who knew? The latter involves a little voice in your head created by memories of events that trigger some sort of emotion, as mentioned in my February 16th post from last year. Could be fear; could be nostalgia. Natalie Hahn wrote her thoughts on this in Elephant Journal, but you may have seen her article more recently on LinkedIn.
In any event, she relates a story in which her date made a comment that instantly transported her. She “felt” the presence of a person in her past who often used the same phrase. Someone she’d rather forget. Natalie had a strong urge to flee the restaurant–and the person across from her–until she brought herself back into the moment and back to the likable gentlemen across the table. Natalie had been startled by an involuntary memory.
Natalie provides suggestions for controlling those types of triggers. I’m not sure I’d want to. Those feelings can be useful, and if you control the triggers, do the good ones go away, too? That is, when you hear “Cherish is the Word” (The Association) or “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King), don’t they evoke sweet times at a younger age? You can read her ideas and decide; I won’t further lead the witness. That’s all I’ve got on the emotional side. Let’s move over to the physical version because that’s the side that interests me and I’m the one who is typing.
*Duly noted that this example will not work for those born after 1970, Perhaps 1960.
PHYSICAL MUSCLE MEMORY
Y’all may be better versed on this than I am. You probably are, since I have never been anyone’s definition of athletic. Here’s what I thought before this week: Once you practice the piano or the mandolin or the pole vault, your muscles are well-developed and prepared for the next step in any performance. Now that I see that in print, it looks silly.
Yes, practicing musical instruments will likely improve flexibility, and lifting weights and running will put on muscle. But your muscles, no matter how flashy they are, don’t remember anything. Here’s what happens, according to a NASM blog post. The central nervous system, via neural activity, flips through the brain’s Rolodex to locate what you need, when you need it. Okay, that isn’t exactly what it said, but it’s my interpretation.
The process relies on the brain to retrieve the data previously encoded and stored. You could lay off bike riding or a dozen other activities for a decade, but once you get back to it, the movements, the balance, the finger placement – they have all been waiting for your return. You might be rusty for a while, but it will come back, assuming your mental health is good and you are fully mobile.
Feel free to read the NASM article and correct me. This isn’t my area of expertise, and I will take no offense.
What to do with that 3 pounds of gray matter?
Life is short and the older we are, the less time we have ahead of us. So, to paraphrase Jordan Peterson, take control of your life. In his words, Make Your Bed. Decide what matters to you, whether that’s music or sports or targeted learning while staying faithful to your moral compass. Off-topic, but I mention the latter because whatever your pursuits are, you can’t be happy if you violate your conscience. Back to muscle memory.
You’ll be using your brain, no matter what your focus is. What we choose to learn will always be waiting, available to be used. Just my opinion, but I think that’s an amazing gift.
You?
Good post, makes sense. Prior to bypass surgery 7 months ago, I had a good habit of stretching 30 min. a day which prepared my muscles to take orders. That had to go on hold and the impact of that on my mobility was significant. If you are racking up a few years and not in the habit of stretching, do not be surprised if your muscles simply give your brain the bird upon receiving an order.
No doubt if you’re returning to physical activity, you have to ease into it. For me, I’ll be easing back into the keyboard. I’ve already found out I can’t reach the same keys that I could before. Perhaps that will eventually return. Who knows?