Athletes at the highest level are always searching for an edge—something to help them recover faster, stay injury-free, and perform at their absolute best. For many, that edge is Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT).
Bryson DeChambeau & Greg Roskopf
From NFL veterans and Olympic competitors to elite golfers and MMA fighters, MAT is a trusted system used to restore muscular function, improve stability, and accelerate recovery. But what makes MAT so effective for athletes—and how does it integrate into their performance and rehab routines?
Let’s break it down.
Muscle Activation Techniques is a systematic approach to evaluating and correcting muscle imbalances and weaknesses that can impede optimal movement and performance.
Athletes rely on MAT to:
Whether it’s a strained hamstring, nagging shoulder pain, or unexplained tightness that limits range of motion, MAT works by identifying and activating inhibited muscles—the ones not firing properly due to stress, trauma, or overuse.
Traditional recovery protocols often focus on reducing symptoms (like swelling or pain), but they don’t always address the cause — the neuromuscular dysfunction that keeps certain muscles from doing their job.
MAT on the other hand takes a different approach:
Assessment: Using our proprietary Comparative Assessment of Mobility (CAM®), the practitioner measures and compares movement to identify muscle imbalances and restricted motion.
Identify the weakness: With Active Muscle Contract & Sustain (AMC&S®) testing, the practitioner pinpoints inhibited muscles that aren’t contracting properly and need neuromuscular activation.
Activation and re-establish muscle contractile efficiency: Through the Digital Force Application to Muscle Attachment Tissue (DFAMAT®) or Positional IsoAngular Contraction (PIC®), your choice of targeted pressure or isometric force is applied to restore proper neuromuscular function - think of this like MAT "rebooting" communication between the nervous system and the muscle.
Retest: The practitioner checks to confirm their activation was successful by doing a follow up AMC&S® test to ensure improvement.
Reassess and restore function for faster recovery: The practitioner goes through the CAM® again to review the changes in motion and confirm next steps. By reactivating the inhibited muscles, MAT improves joint stability, offloads compensation patterns and speeds healing — safely.
MAT isn’t a theory — it’s been battle-tested across elite sports:
What unites them? A commitment to staying ahead of injury and unlocking every ounce of performance potential.
MAT is just as powerful for high school, college, and recreational athletes looking to:
Looking to get back in the game or stay injury free? Find an MAT Practitioner near you with our Practitioner Directory.
Whether you’re a strength coach, physical therapist, chiropractor, personal trainer, or working professional in the industry, certifying in Muscle Activation Techniques opens the door to advanced recovery and performance care.
You’ll gain the tools to help athletes at every level:
Ready to make a difference?
Become a MAT practitioner for sports recovery and help athletes perform better, recover smarter, and stay in the game longer.