WHAT IS MUSCLE MEMORY?
How neural shortcuts in your brain make practised activities feel familiar
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
People say that you never forget how to ride a bike
DID YOU KNOW? Right-handed guitar players have stronger muscle memory for controlling strings in their left hand
W hen you move from one side of the room to the other, how much do you analyse the action? For most people, the series of muscle movements that allow them to get around on a daily basis is automatic. But when babies are born, their brains haven’t formed the neural connection with their walking muscles in order to stand and balance. Through trial and error, they begin to master walking on two feet. Eventually, when they’ve discovered the movements required for walking, the neural pathways are fully formed. From this point onwards, walking becomes a natural motion that requires little conscious thought.