Muscle Activation Techniques believes and promotes the following perspectives regarding the nature of the human body and the role of a Certified MAT Practitioner within the health and wellness continuum:

 

• The human body is a dynamic and complex set of integrated physiological systems. Each system can have a profound impact upon other system functions; therefore a client’s muscle system capabilities may be affected by issues relating to any of these other systems that can confound the efficacy of MAT techniques and its implications for exercise activities.

 

• Historical and modern science, along with medical research, has made tremendous strides in identifying how these physiological systems function and interact with each other, however, there are still deep mysteries and uncertainties about the details regarding intra and inter system function. This calls for a practitioner to proceed with caution when trying to manipulate a local, and the total, muscular system towards a positive outcome via MAT techniques and process.

 

• The techniques developed and promulgated by the MAT Education Process have some of their basis in known physiological properties as well as phenomenological experience. Strong inferences have been made about data that only partially explain why the MAT techniques and thought processes bring about changes in sensory-motor function. These inferences and any conclusions made against existing data in the physiological literature are subject to critical debate and falsification. MAT welcomes, and is proactive about seeking, information and studies seeking to disprove or corroborate its methodological rationale.

 

• MAT practitioners are encouraged to respect the dynamic, and often unpredictable, nature of human physiological function, recognizing their own knowledge and technical competency limitations. MAT pedagogy and certification does not circumvent the currently authorized educational process leading to Medical License as established by the United States, or any country’s State and Federal Legislative process. MAT’s efficacy is not intended to treat pathology. MAT is an adjunct to a skill set and scope of practice that works with human health issues associated with exercise activities and should only enhance a practitioner’s current ability, giving them greater insight into the contractile abilities of an individual’s muscular system to start and sustain participation in exercise activities.

 

• The MAT set of skills and the thought process represents a unique paradigm for approaching human mechanical performance issues that lead to the loss of physical performance and wellness as it relates to exercise activities.

 

• The primary objective of MAT practitioners is to improve human joint mobility with concurrent muscle system contractile capability in conjunction with exercise activities. If the restoration of these two parameters leads to the reduction or elimination of a client’s pre-treatment subjective pain and discomfort then that is a byproduct of the restoration of muscle system function. The restoration of muscle stability and any joint mobility should contribute to an increase in one’s overall health.

 

• MAT practitioners understand that the human body is not a static system and that working with the human body is a dynamical process over time. Any change to biological structure and process requires thoughtful, consistent and often long-term progressions of applying MAT techniques to bring about longer lasting improvements for continued participation in exercise activities.

 

• The MAT skill set, although potent in identifying muscular system performance limitations, cannot address exhaustively the reasons for an individual’s decline in physical performance due to the vast number of physiological stressors and the complexity of human life that contributes to negative changes in physical system performance.

 

• MAT practitioners know that they cannot, and should not, diagnose disease and directly attempt to treat the subjective reports of pain and discomfort an individual espouses regarding the performance of their physical systems. It is a byproduct that the MAT assessment and intervention process reduces or eliminates client subjective reports of pain and discomfort. The main objective of MAT techniques always being the restoration of the muscular system contractile ability. It is imperative that the MAT practitioner keep this goal in focus and not be distracted by any secondary results of the process drawing direct cause and effect conclusions about improvements to other physiological systems due to MAT intervention.

 

• As potent as MAT techniques are for improving human health as it relates to exercise activity they also have the potential for diminishing it via the mechanical stresses placed on the various physiological materials that constitute the human biological systems. Therefore the use of MAT techniques needs to be done with care, forethought, humility, and a risk-averse attitude.

 

• MAT practitioners should respect and seek out the support of other health-care practitioners who may be more qualified to address a client’s individual health care and wellness needs.

 

• MAT practitioners are encouraged to place the clients health needs above their own professional and emotional needs as they execute the professional relationship.

 

• MAT respects the emotional and spiritual aspects of human existence and works to help practitioners understand the implications of these aspects. MAT Practitioners are encouraged to respect an individual’s belief and value system, seeking to understand its implications in a professional relationship and its contributions to overall wellness and participation in exercise activities.

 

• MAT encourages practitioners to be innovative and function with autonomy within the competency constraints assigned by the knowledge and skills delivered and certified by the MAT pedagogical process.

 

• MAT inspires practitioners to strive for life long learning consistently seeking to improve their knowledge and skills.