Our next Bio Motor Ability discussion centers around Coordination. Coordination can be discussed from an inter and intramuscular perspective. Intermuscular coordination is the ability to use multiple muscles synergistically to create motion. Intramuscular coordination is the ability to utilize various fibers of a single muscle simultaneously. The hip extensor muscles relaxing while the hip flexor muscles activate to lift your leg is an example of intermuscular coordination. During the same leg lifting movement the lumbar fibers of the psoas muscle performs an isometric contraction while the femoral fibers under go a concentric (shortening) contraction is an example of intramuscular coordination. Coordination is imperative to any ball sport or any implement sport. Throwing and catching a baseball requires a certain amount of coordination. Juggling requires high level of coordination. Ice hockey players require massive amount of coordination. They have to coordinate their body on an unstable surface, on razor thin skates, while holding their stick, while worrying about getting hit, while worrying about making a shot. Coordination boils down to your ability to receive and respond to a variety of neural signals. As one becomes more efficient at processing large amounts of information from various sources coordination improves dramatically.

come back for the next installment on Bio Motor Abilities……