Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
If you feel like you just can’t create any power when you jump, this could be why.
🧠 SNeuromuscular inhibition is your brain “hitting the brakes.”
There are several physiological mechanisms behind it, including:
1️⃣ Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) Activation: The GTO senses excessive tension in the muscle–tendon unit and sends inhibitory signals to the spinal cord to prevent potential tissue damage. This reflex decreases motor neuron output to the involved muscle.
2️⃣ Muscle Spindle Desensitization: After repeated or prolonged eccentric loading, muscle spindles become less responsive to stretch, reducing the stretch reflex contribution to explosive movements.
3️⃣ Reciprocal Inhibition: When the antagonist muscle group is overactive or tight, it can neurologically inhibit the agonist through spinal interneurons, limiting power output (e.g., tight hip flexors inhibiting glutes).
4️⃣ Protective Central Inhibition: The central nervous system can downregulate voluntary drive when it senses high joint stress, fatigue, or prior injury to protect structures like ligaments and tendons.
5️⃣ Reduced Rate Coding and Motor Unit Recruitment: Inhibition reduces the frequency and synchronization of high-threshold motor units, limiting peak force and rate of force development.
6️⃣ Increased Neural “Noise” from Fatigue or Pain: After hard sessions or if pain signals are present, cortical and spinal inhibition increase, reducing the efficiency of neuromuscular activation patterns.
Importantly though, these are all impacted by your training decisions.
🏋🏽♂️ Strength helps. Directly targeting weak muscles like the quads.
I also find it really beneficial to work on yielding through full range of motion especially in late stage rehab such as post op ACL or after nagging injuries like ankle sprains that have caused lasting inhibition.
Comment “Plyos” to learn more with our full CEU approved course Plyometrics 101
If you feel like you just can’t create any power when you jump, this could be why.
🧠 SNeuromuscular inhibition is your brain “hitting the brakes.”
There are several physiological mechanisms behind it, including:
1️⃣ Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) Activation: The GTO senses excessive tension in the muscle–tendon unit and sends inhibitory signals to the spinal cord to prevent potential tissue damage. This reflex decreases motor neuron output to the involved muscle.
2️⃣ Muscle Spindle Desensitization: After repeated or prolonged eccentric loading, muscle spindles become less responsive to stretch, reducing the stretch reflex contribution to explosive movements.
3️⃣ Reciprocal Inhibition: When the antagonist muscle group is overactive or tight, it can neurologically inhibit the agonist through spinal interneurons, limiting power output (e.g., tight hip flexors inhibiting glutes).
4️⃣ Protective Central Inhibition: The central nervous system can downregulate voluntary drive when it senses high joint stress, fatigue, or prior injury to protect structures like ligaments and tendons.
5️⃣ Reduced Rate Coding and Motor Unit Recruitment: Inhibition reduces the frequency and synchronization of high-threshold motor units, limiting peak force and rate of force development.
6️⃣ Increased Neural “Noise” from Fatigue or Pain: After hard sessions or if pain signals are present, cortical and spinal inhibition increase, reducing the efficiency of neuromuscular activation patterns.
Importantly though, these are all impacted by your training decisions.
🏋🏽♂️ Strength helps. Directly targeting weak muscles like the quads.
I also find it really beneficial to work on yielding through full range of motion especially in late stage rehab such as post op ACL or after nagging injuries like ankle sprains that have caused lasting inhibition.
Comment “Plyos” to learn more with our full CEU approved course Plyometrics 101
