MAT does not force change on the body but instead works with it to make improvements, causing changes in motion via improvements in muscle contraction. A MAT specialist listens to your body’s responses and changes his/her treatment decisions based on these responses. Each client is treated as an individual with his/her own muscular weaknesses and compensation patterns. Therefore, no treatment session is ever the same. MAT does not diagnose or treat pathology, but works to improve a muscle’s contractile capabilities and the resulting range of motion and strength of that muscle/limb. By improving these aspects, a person will see an increased ability for exercise and physical performance. MAT differentiates itself from other techniques because it never attempts to directly lengthen or change the muscle by stretching, heating, kneading, or foam rolling. MAT is not trying to “relax” muscle, but instead “activates” the muscle, so that your body is better prepared to handle the forces that come from exercise and every day movements.