Let it go! Body and Mind

All muscular tension is orchestrated by the nervous system. The way the body moves, the way the body holds itself, the way the body breathes are all controlled by the nervous system. In health and fitness we talk so much about stretching the physical tissues that we often overlook the neuromuscular component of soft tissue tension. (This is why I encourage focus on the breath while stretching.)

Through a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, you practice engaging as well as relaxing the muscles throughout the body. We will systematically tighten and relax the muscles of the body with little to no movement of the joints. This type of activation increases the relaxation response that follows.

I will take you on a tour of your body, contracting and relaxing various muscle groups. Try to hold the contractions through the duration of the instruction (5-10 seconds). The more you do the practice, the stronger and more isolated your muscular contractions become.