The 4 Best Neuro Drills For Fundamental Movements

Are you looking to take your gym workouts to the next level? Want to improve your squats, lunges, presses, and pulls with minimal effort? Incorporating neuro drills into your routine might be the missing piece to unlock better performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Neuro training, or training focused on enhancing the connection between your brain and muscles, can seamlessly integrate into your current workout regimen. By targeting specific neurological pathways, you can improve your functional movements with just a few simple drills.

Here are four neuro drills tailored to enhance fundamental movements commonly trained in the gym:

1. Saccule Bouncing for Squats:

The saccule, a part of your vestibular system, senses vertical movement. By performing saccule bouncing—bouncing up and down for 20 seconds—you can improve the efficiency and feel of your squats almost instantly. This drill helps your body sense gravity better, making squatting movements safer and more effective.

2. Lateral Shifting for Lunges:

The utricle, another component of the vestibular system, senses horizontal linear movement. By laterally shifting your head through space for 20 seconds, you can enhance any horizontal movement, including lunging. This drill benefits activities like walking, lunging, skating, and more.

3. Pencil Pushup for Pressing Exercises:

Enhance your pressing movements with the pencil pushup drill. By bringing your eyes together to follow a target, you activate the midbrain, which facilitates flexion. This activation can improve your performance in various pressing activities, providing better strength and stability.

4. No/No/Yes/Yes for Pull Exercises:

Improve your pull exercises by engaging the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) with the No/No/Yes/Yes drill. Choose a target to focus on and shake your head in a no/no or yes/yes pattern. This reflex sends information down the spinal cord to activate the postural muscles of the posterior chain, enhancing your pulling movements.

Incorporating these neuro drills into your gym routine can lead to significant improvements in your functional movements, strength, and overall performance. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, integrating neurotraining can benefit anyone striving for better results in the gym.

If you're interested in a structured approach to applying these drills to your workouts, consider exploring the Neuro Functional Strength Program.

This done-for-you course provides templates for integrating neuro drills into the top movements trained in the gym, making it easy for anyone to reap the benefits without diving into complex neuroanatomy.