Glossary Entry: Muscle memory

Our brains try to be as efficient as possible, and one way they do this is to create little shortcuts that let you perform a task as if your body is running on autopilot. These learned motions are known as muscle memory.

Almost any repetitive action can become a muscle memory - even things like working with a smartphone or playing a video game can do it. Try unlocking your smartphone without looking at the screen - your fingers just might know your passcode!