What is Muscle Monitoring?

Muscle Monitoring | O'Neill Kinesiology College

Muscle monitoring is a primary technique used in Kinesiology as a way to identify the presence of stresses or imbalances in the body.  Also known as a ‘biofeedback tool’, muscle monitoring offers a direct link into the subconscious, providing access to the physical realm of muscles, as well as physiological, emotional, mental, and psychospiritual realms of our being.

Muscle monitoring is conducted by the practitioner using an accessible muscle, usually a limb, to test for states of ‘lock’ or ‘unlock’.  It is designed to identify these states only, and not to test the full range of motion of the muscle.  The practitioner will gently apply pressure to the monitor muscle for a couple of seconds, asking the client to meet their pressure.  If the muscle holds during this gentle test, it is considered to be ‘locked’.  A muscle will ‘lock’ because the level of neurological information flow between the muscle and the central nervous system is sufficient to maintain muscle contraction in opposition to the dynamic pressure applied.  If a muscle gives during this gentle test, it is considered ‘unlocked’.  This is due to insufficient neurological flow between the muscle and the central nervous system, which occurs because of a physical, emotional, and/or mental stresses.

It’s important to remember in muscle monitoring that the practitioner needs the client to meet their pressure – it should not be a strain for the client to try to press into the practitioner’s hand, or to wrestle to keep the muscle firm.  It should be a gentle, non-fatiguing test that involves light pressure (no more than 2 pounds) and goes no longer than a couple of seconds.  The goal is cooperation from the client, rather than competition.

In order to use Kinesiology effectively, you must have accurate muscle monitoring.  It is through the accurate feedback the body gives that you find imbalances within the client’s systems.  Energetic Kinesiology goes further by exploring and utilising mechanisms of muscle monitoring, including different types of states of muscle imbalance. The understanding of these “hidden” states of muscle imbalance explain why various physical and muscular conditions often persist, even after apparently effective treatment.

Muscle monitoring is an art and like all arts, needs practice to become proficient. To learn more about this incredible biofeedback tool, you can attend one of our Introductory Workshops, where you will learn some of the techniques and basic principles of muscle monitoring and Energetic Kinesiology.