What are “Somatics” Exercises?

July 20th, 2022

What are Somatics?

In Greek, “Soma” means body or “the body living in its wholeness”.

In anatomy and physiology, the “soma” is the cell body (core section) of a neuron a.k.a. nerve cell.

Somatic Movement or Somatic Therapy is any form of movement or therapy that is client-centered, body-based, and includes a large focus on the felt sense, interoception (internal awareness), and proprioception (your internal GPS or body locating system, figuring out where your body is in space). Getting to know the internal and external landscape of sensation, emotion, and awareness.

Clinical Somatics Exercises or Pandiculation are a large part of the HealthyHips™ approach!

Clinical Somatics are slow-moving, methodical movement exercises that help to improve joint mobility, increase body awareness (proprioception), and decrease pain perception.

These exercises are performed with the intention of focusing on sensation and the internal experience of the movement (interoception), rather than the external appearance or result of the movement. We move quite slowly through these exercises, slower than you might imagine possible!

Developed by somatic pioneers such as Moshe Feldenkrais and Thomas Hanna, clinical somatic exercises involve gentle, slow movements that encourage individuals to pay attention to their bodily sensations and movements in the present moment.

See image on the right for an classic example of a clinical somatics exercise series for the hip joint.

In Somatics, the practitioner might give cues such as

“What do you feel and where do you feel it? Is there a colour associated with the sensation?”

“Can you track where that sensation begins and ends?”

“Can you mentally measure the distance between your body and the ceiling above you? Allow your sensory system to track what happens in the body in this locating exercise”

“Can you allow your eyes to roam around the space and take in colours, shapes, textures? Eyes remain relaxed in their sockets as they scan the space with curiosity.”

“Feel the muscles contract. Hold. Then slowly allow them to release, on their own. Feeling any little catches in the movement as the muscles let go. Fully relax in stillness, with no effort, before bringing those muscles into contraction again”

Benefits of Somatics Exercises:

• Improve Body Awareness (Proprioception)

• Decrease Pain Perception

• Improve Joint Mobility

• Improve Muscle Function

• Improve Neuromotor Tone

• Release Emotional Holding

• Relieve Muscle Tension

• Regulate the Autonomic Nervous System

• Decrease Anxiety

• Improve Coordination and Balance

How do these exercises help to decrease chronic pain in the body?

When we increase proprioception, we decrease nociception.

Nociception is the signal that is the precursor to pain, meaning that this signal has the potential to turn into pain, if it’s not intercepted. When we flood the nervous system with proprioceptive signals, we can drown out nociceptive signals. This is the explanation of how improving body awareness can decrease the intensity of chronic pain.

Somatics exercises essentially help to rewire the nervous system and target musculoskeletal issues by addressing patterns of tension and movement (also known as “holding patterns”) that have caused the body to become habitually "stuck”.

Somatics exercises are performed in a very slow, methodical way, combining sensation cues with breathing cues to create an embodied movement experience. By practicing somatics exercises regularly, individuals can learn to release hypertonicity (too much tension in a muscle) and improve range of motion, balance, and coordination. Somatics exercises are beneficial for anyone, but they are particularly helpful for people with chronic pain, injuries, or conditions that affect movement and function. They can also be used as a form of relaxation or stress relief.

See video below for a 5min clip of the NEW On-Demand Class: Somatics & Yoga for the Hips