Does stretching work for you? Try something new.

What is the best thing to do for tight muscles? Massage can help, manipulative therapies work more on our structural process (bones/joints) and then there is stretching. Why is stretching so difficult to do? I am sure everyone has experienced the limitations of stretching. No matter how much of it you perform, the muscles always seem to return to a contracted state. There must be an easier way to free tight muscles. Well there is, its called Somatics (also known as Hanna Somatic Education).

Use your brain to relax and lengthen muscles

Somatics works directly with your brain/nervous system. Muscles have no will of their own, they are controlled by the nervous system. If you have tight/painful muscles, then your nervous system is triggering them to habitually shorten. This pattern sets up in response to events such as injury/trauma, repetitive movement, poor posture and emotional stress.

Somatics uses a different approach to relax and lengthen muscles known as Pandiculation.

Pandicular movements involves the participant voluntarily contracting muscle/s above their habitually held state, and then slowly releasing with control to feel the muscle/s relax and soften.

This method creates a lower set point for the muscles worked with. A lower set point is preferable.

The slow nature of the movements (somatic exercises) work directly with the higher levels of the brain where refined motor control is enhanced.

Somatics for Chronic Back Pain Sufferers.

People with chronic back pain are commonly told to strengthen their abdominals. The theory is abdominal strengthening makes a stronger back. What actually happens by tightening abdominal muscles is the brain momentarily relaxes tight/sore back muscles and allows excessive spinal curves to relax. A straighter spine promotes the sense of "greater support" and relaxing spinal muscles allows relief from the burn of their constant activation. The problem with this method is back muscles only relax if the abdominals are constantly held tight, not adviseable!

Easy to do somatic exercises for relaxing back/abdominal muscles

Remember these key principles - move slowly - move with awareness - there should be no pain or discomfort as you move.

Start by lying on a mat/carpet with legs/arms straight. Get a sense of how your lower back feels.
Tense or arched maybe two senses you are aware of.


1 Arch and flatten - Lie on your back, knees bent (close to buttocks), arms resting by your sides. The focus hear is on arching and flattening the lower back. Inhale into your belly as you arch lower back to arch a comfortable amount, pause and then exhale to VERY SLOWLY flatten lower back into the floor until you feel your abdominals contract. At this point relax and rest. Repeat this 5-7 times.


2 Arch and curl - Lie on back, knees bent (close to buttocks), interlace fingers and place hands behind head. Inhale into belly as you arch lower back a comfortable amount, pause and then exhale to VERY SLOWLY  flatten lower back as you lift your head and point elbows at knees (feel how front body tightens). VERY SLOWLY lower head and elbows. At this point relax and rest. Repeat 5-7 times.


Finish by lying on your back with arms/legs straight. Does your lower back feel flatter more relaxed?
Practice this twice a day for a week and monitor the changes they create with tight back muscles.


Go to somaticliving.com for further information on somatic exercises and 1-1 somatic sessions.