Whether you’re an occasional exerciser, a serious athlete, or anything in between, a regular practice of Clinical Somatics is going to be a game changer in your performance. In this article, I’ll be discussing five ways to make your exercise performance go from good to great with somatics.

In just 20 minutes a day, you can start transforming your body in ways that you may have never expected. This can include preventing injury, speeding up recovery, and gaining mobility. So let’s get started, shall we?

1. You’ll be able to control your muscles better than ever, with more range of motion

A reality of being active is that over the years, your muscles start to get tighter, and your nervous system keeps them in a gamma feedback loop to ensure you’re “ready to go” at any moment. No amount of stretching can get these tight muscle fibers back to a healthy, limber state. That’s where Clinical Somatics comes in. 

The slow, methodical exercises retrain your nervous system to connect more efficiently with your muscles. The exercises use a method called pandiculation, which brings muscles back to a more optimal resting state. 

This method lengthens muscles through a learning process. It’s a lot more “bang for your buck” than stretching, as the learning process increases your muscle control along with range of motion. You can learn more about stretching vs. somatics here.

The effects last much longer as a result, and with regular practice, keep your muscles in top shape.

2. You’ll develop your “sixth sense” in body awareness and reduce chances of injury

Did you know we have a sixth sense? It’s called proprioception, and it’s something that we can begin to lose the more we do the same types of activities. Yes, even athletes run into this problem! 

If you do the same type of training or sport, your body is going into the same positions all the time. This begins to change your posture. Somatics helps you fine-tune this ability to sense your posture, and your body in space. 

This ability is especially important when we start to do different activities with different surroundings, which is when injuries are more likely to happen. You’ll start to feel like you can do those ninja moves you’ve always dreamed of. Ok, maybe just being able to run up every second step is more your pace – wherever you’re at, somatics can  make you feel much more stable and confident in your movement!

3. You’ll be able to recover faster

I used to diligently stretch after every workout, but most of the time, I’d still feel sore the next day, or for days after. When I started practicing somatics, this immediately started to change. As mentioned in point #1, somatics helps release tight muscles by retraining the nervous system to relax them more fully. If you practice somatics after your workout, you’ll leave your muscles in much better shape for your next session. 

Personally I combine a bit of stretching and follow up with somatics. Stretching is great for elongating healthy muscle fibres, but somatics is where the magic happens when it comes to restoring your tight muscle fibres to that healthy state.

4. You’ll feel even more relaxed in your mind and body

My clients love telling me about how relaxed they feel after every somatics practice. Many of them say they’ve never felt so relaxed after an exercise session. The effects that somatics has on the brain is very unique, and that translates into not only having a relaxed body, but also a relaxed mind. 

Over time you’ll be able to perform better under pressure in everything you do, and be less inclined to feel stressed. People who feel more stressed usually have more muscle tension, and this is a fantastic practice to have in your exercise toolbelt to reduce that in your own life.

5. You’ll be able to enjoy moving your body for years to come

The more we move, the more likely we are to injure ourselves… simply by way of increasing the odds! But this is especially true when we keep pushing ourselves without spending enough time to recover. Getting older means getting more wear and tear in your body, but the restorative effects of somatics can turn back the clock. 

Think of it like tuning up your car. The less you do so, the sooner it will break down. The same goes for your body. If you love exercising and work your body hard on a regular basis, it’s in your best interest to start incorporating a somatics practice, so you can keep enjoying the activities you do for years to come.

The same goes for if you’re more of a casual exerciser – somatics is your best friend for staying active and mobile into your oldest years!

The Takeaway: Somatics is your ticket to optimal physical performance

In this article we’ve talked about 5 ways to make your exercise performance go from good to great with somatics, but there are many benefits I haven’t even discussed! Getting started with somatics is easy, and appropriate for all fitness levels and abilities. Ready to try it out and learn how to transform your body for life?  You’re invited to join my FREE 7 day program, Move Deeply 7 Day Refresh.

You’ll learn a series of exercises that target all sides of your body and can help reduce such conditions as:

• Neck pain
• Lower back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Hip pain
• Knee pain
• Sciatica
• And so much more….

The program is completely free and can be done on your own schedule using my on-demand video lessons and comprehensive learning materials.

There’s no better time to start than the present. Let’s get you moving deeply!