Hi, Reader,
Something I learned decades ago when I was in training to be a holistic health practitioner: The body stores the memory of everything we do. Specifically, it does so in the form of muscle contractions.
In other words, the way we respond to events and feelings is literally recorded in our muscles' tension levels.
Muscles hold memory.
For some, this poses significant challenges because their muscles, and therefore, their functionality, get all twangled up (a phrase I, myself have coined ๐ ).
Excessive contraction in some muscles strongly encourage nearby muscles to go to "sleep."
When that happens, the twangled-ness becomes a pattern that influences every move you make: Muscles that are chronically contracted take over and become the dominant actors, leaving the weaker ones in the dust.
Poof! There goes your physical functionality.
RATHER THAN TAKE THIS AS A PROBLEM, WHY NOT TURN IT INTO A WIN?
I recently was certified to teach clinical somatic exercises in the Thomas Hanna tradition. I've been doing the exercises for decades - it's a great way to gently release out chronic tension from muscles.
Hanna was a '60s groovy dude.
He started out as a Feldenkrais practitioner and developed that work into movements that slowly and gently remove longstanding muscle contraction.
These moves also increase strength. Again, gently.
Hanna Somatics has helped me overcome or better manage my numerous dysfunctions that are related to old injuries and postural misalignments.
Here's the short list:
- Scoliosis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Hip Pain
- Knee Pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Back Pain
- And more.
If you'd like a low-cost introduction to Hanna Somatics exercises, check out my presentation at Crystal Berg's Midlife Unfiltered Community. (aff link.)
Yours in living life to the fullest and feeling great in our own skins,
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Asher is certified by American Council on Exercise as a personal trainer and health coach. She has 25+ years experience using movement and body alignment techniques to help people feel better both physically and mentally. For over a decade, Anne was also an award winning health journalist for a large website owned and operated by the New York Times Company. Her "beat" was spine and chronic pain management.
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