Fitness culture continues to tell us that our bodies must sweat to achieve our fitness goals. But somatic exercises challenge this idea – instead, prioritizing slow, conscious movements when exercising, not pushing physical or mental limits, but listening to our bodies and recognizing their limits. Although more research is needed on performing somatic exercises, research shows that somatic exercises are beneficial to our bodies and minds to some extent, and are effective in improving pain and even strength. Best of all, your body is less likely to be harmed during somatic exercises.
Sometimes we exercise to achieve a specific fitness goal, such as knowing exactly how many miles you need to run or how many squats you need to do. Other times, somatic exercises can be used as a way to regulate mood or improve mental health. Scientific research shows that somatic exercises are performed with total body awareness and focus more on how your body feels rather than on achieving specific fitness goals. Somatic exercises are more about connecting physical feelings and emotions. If we can connect them regularly, somatic exercises can have many benefits for our body and mind.
What are Somatic Exercises?
Somatic exercises are a type of movement therapy aimed at improving awareness, flexibility, and control of the body. These exercises focus on the sensory-motor system, which involves the brain, nervous system, and muscles, to release tension and improve movement patterns.
Somatic exercise typically involves slow, gentle movements that are performed with focused attention and mindfulness. They aim to retrain the brain’s control over muscles and movements, addressing habitual patterns of tension and posture that may lead to pain or restricted movement.
Practicing somatic exercise regularly can help individuals become more aware of their body’s sensations and movements, release chronic muscle tension, improve flexibility and coordination, and alleviate pain caused by muscular imbalances or poor posture. These exercises are often used in rehabilitation settings, as well as by athletes, dancers, and individuals seeking to enhance their overall well-being. Performing somatic exercises does not necessarily require the use of fitness equipment, such as chin up station, folding exercise bike, etc.
What Are the Benefits of Somatic Exercises?
If we focus on physical and mental exercises when exercising, then any form of exercise can be called somatic exercise. Although there is still a lack of research on somatic exercise, there have been some studies focusing on the development of specific somatic exercise techniques. More research is needed in the future to prove whether somatic exercises can bring more benefits to people or be more widely applicable to various types of exercise. Listed below are the benefits of performing somatic exercises based on research focusing on specific somatic techniques.
1. Increased Body Awareness
Somatic exercise promote a deeper connection between the mind and body, helping individuals become more aware of their movement patterns, posture, and sensations.
2. Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion
By releasing chronic muscle tension and promoting relaxation, somatic exercises can enhance flexibility and improve the range of motion in joints.
3. Pain Relief
Somatic exercise can help alleviate pain caused by muscular imbalances, poor posture, or tension-related conditions such as muscle strain or tension headaches. Somatic exercises are commonly used in rehabilitation settings to aid in the recovery from injuries and to prevent future injuries by addressing underlying movement patterns and muscular imbalances.
4. Enhanced Posture and Alignment
Practicing somatic exercises can correct poor posture habits by retraining the brain’s control over muscles, leading to improved alignment and better overall posture.
5. Stress Reduction
Somatic exercises promote relaxation and mindfulness, which can help reduce stress levels and promote a sense of calm and well-being.
6. Improved Movement Efficiency
By promoting more efficient movement patterns and reducing unnecessary muscle tension, somatic exercises can enhance overall movement quality and efficiency.
Types of Somatic Exercises
There are various types of somatic exercises, each focusing on different aspects of movement, body awareness, and relaxation. Somatic exercises are based on physical sensations, so we need to shift our focus to our physical and mental feelings. Different types of somatic exercises include stretching, breathing exercises, and mind-body exercises, each of which is described in detail below.
Somatic Stretching
Somatic stretching is a form of stretching that integrates principles from somatic movement education and therapy with traditional stretching techniques. Unlike traditional static stretching, which often focuses solely on elongating muscles, somatic stretching emphasizes mindful movement, relaxation, and awareness of the body’s sensations.
Standing Awareness
Standing awareness is a somatic practice that involves bringing mindful attention to the experience of standing upright. It focuses on cultivating awareness of the body’s alignment, posture, and sensations while standing, to promote relaxation, balance, and improved posture. By practicing standing awareness regularly, you can develop greater body awareness, improved posture, and a sense of groundedness and presence in your daily life. This simple yet powerful somatic practice can help alleviate tension, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being.
Breathwork
Breathwork encompasses a wide range of practices that focus on conscious control and manipulation of the breath for various physical, mental, and emotional benefits. These practices draw from ancient traditions as well as modern therapeutic techniques, and they can be used for relaxation, stress reduction, self-awareness, and personal growth. Whether used for relaxation, meditation, stress relief, or personal transformation, breathwork can be a valuable tool for enhancing overall well-being and deepening the mind-body connection.
Examples of Somatic Exercises
Somatic exercises are movements and techniques that focus on enhancing body awareness, releasing muscular tension, improving posture, and promoting overall well-being. These exercises often involve mindful attention to bodily sensations and movements, and they can be particularly beneficial for addressing chronic pain, stress-related tension, and movement limitations.
Pandiculation
Pandiculation involves a three-step process of contracting, slowly releasing, and then relaxing muscles. This mimics the natural way animals stretch and release tension in their bodies. For example, you might contract your neck muscles by gently pulling your head back, slowly release the contraction, and then relax completely.
Somatic Movement Flows
These are sequences of movements designed to improve overall mobility, coordination, and body awareness. Somatic movement flows often involve slow, deliberate movements that focus on integrating different parts of the body and promoting fluidity of motion. Examples include spinal waves, hip circles, and full-body undulations.
Breathwork with Movement
Integrating breathwork techniques with movement can enhance the effectiveness of somatic exercises by promoting relaxation, deepening body awareness, and facilitating the release of tension. For example, you might combine diaphragmatic breathing with gentle stretching or rhythmic movements to promote relaxation and release tension in the body.
Mindful Walking
Walking mindfully involves bringing conscious awareness to each step, noticing the sensations of the feet contacting the ground, the movement of the legs and hips, and the rhythm of the breath. Mindful walking can help improve posture, balance, and overall body awareness, and it can be practiced indoors or outdoors.
Floor-Based Somatic Exercises
Many somatic exercises are done lying on the floor, which can provide support and allow for deeper relaxation and release of tension. These exercises often involve gentle movements, such as pelvic tilts, spinal twists, and leg slides, that help to release muscular tension and improve mobility.
Somatic Yoga
Somatic yoga combines elements of traditional yoga with somatic movement principles to promote relaxation, body awareness, and mindful movement. Somatic yoga practices may include slow, mindful yoga poses, gentle stretches, and breathwork techniques aimed at releasing tension and improving overall well-being.
How To Know If Somatic Exercises Is Right For You
Somatic exercises can be beneficial for a wide range of individuals, but whether they are right for you depends on various factors including your goals, preferences, and current physical and emotional state. Here are some considerations to help you determine if somatic exercises might be a good fit for you:
Chronic Muscle Tension or Pain
If you experience chronic muscle tension, stiffness, or pain, somatic exercises may help to release muscular tension, improve flexibility, and alleviate discomfort. Somatic movement practices are often effective for addressing conditions such as back pain, neck tension, and shoulder stiffness.
Limited Mobility or Flexibility
Somatic exercises can be particularly helpful if you have limited mobility or flexibility due to injury, surgery, or prolonged periods of inactivity. These exercises focus on gentle, mindful movements that help to improve mobility, range of motion, and overall body awareness.
Stress and Tension Relief
Somatic exercise emphasize relaxation, mindful awareness, and breathwork, making them beneficial for reducing stress, anxiety, and tension held in the body. If you struggle with stress-related symptoms such as muscle tightness, headaches, or difficulty relaxing, somatic practices may offer relief.
Interest in Mind-Body Connection
If you are interested in exploring the connection between the mind and body, somatic exercises provide an opportunity to cultivate greater body awareness, mindfulness, and self-regulation skills. These practices can deepen your understanding of how emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations are interconnected.
Seeking Holistic Health and Wellness
If you are interested in holistic approaches to health and wellness that address the body-mind connection, somatic exercises align with this philosophy. These practices promote overall well-being by integrating physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of health.
Openness to Mindful Movement Practices
Somatic exercises involve slow, mindful movements and breathwork techniques that require focused attention and awareness. If you enjoy practices such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation that emphasize mindful movement and presence, you may find somatic exercises to be a natural extension of these activities.
