The Best Psoas Release
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- Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
- This is the best and most rapid psoas release you'll find anywhere! No painful stretching required. Do you suffer from low back pain, hip or sacroiliac pain? Have you been told that you have "a tight psoas?" It's never just one muscle causing your pain; there's always a pattern of tightness involved - and it happens in the brain. Martha Peterson teaches you to release the psoas AND the muscles that psoas coordinates with.
If you enjoy our RUclips content and would like to learn more about how you can treat chronic muscle pain from the comfort of your own home, check out our video lessons, attend an in-person Fundamentals Course weekend (offered worldwide), come to one of our many retreats, or sign up for our online classes. The links are below.
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Martha, thank you so much for this. I've had psoas issues for years which, as well as what seemed like hip problems, has created digestive issues as well. This particular movement has helped me to be able to walk more confidently, feel much better, and I feel like I'm coming out of a dark painful place. Can't thank you enough.
Robyn, you're very welcome! When we have full body sensory motor amnesia it can present as a host of physical issues. Learn to reduce excess tension in your nervous system and movement, and it's amazing how much the entire body/system can improve.
Same here! Its impossible to explain the awful sensations it causes
i would like to know about your digestive issues now, is its already fixed after doing this exercises?
Omg !! I’ve been preaching how digestive issues are linked to a tight psoas !!!
Whoa! Hadn’t heard of this connection until now!!
I have hyperlordosis. I slept for 12 hours about 5 days ago and when I woke up my pelvis was so weak I've been immobile since. This enabled me to stand without pain. THANK YOU
I'm thrilled that this movement/pandiculation sequence helped you so much. It sounds like your pelvis isn't "weak" per se; it's simply out of balance because you've got sensory motor amnesia. I suspect your back muscles are holding a lot of excess tension (green light reflex) if you say that you're "hyperlordotic." There's much you can do to reverse that!
Consider coming to our classes or, better yet, one of our in-person weekend courses. You will not only stand without pain, but learn how to walk again. essentialsomatics.com/fundamentals
That is amazing! I could hardly walk, my hip flexors were so tight & weak feeling. Now I’m 75% improved. Thank you!
You're very welcome! It's a very powerful movement indeed.
How did exactly these movements helped you? I can't understand the reason. Is it possible to help me understand please?
@@AquaSubliminals complex sequencing with distractions.
@@AquaSubliminals I don't find them helpful at all. It's more of a form of exercise than release. If you're really tight, I don't see what is essentially a form of crunch helping with tightness. For me it takes targeting pressure from a tool; simple movements are useless if you're already really tight.
@@Swearengen1980 hello, are you doing the movements as slowly as she does? I'd say keep at it, slowly, and see if it releases.
I love the fact that you take the time to answer every single question in full from the viewers. Thank you.
Thank you so much. I want people to get the most out of the movements and really understand how to proceed.
I have multiple sclerosis and both my weak leg and functional leg need to have my psoas muscle released. I get horrible pain in my right hip after walking too long because it's doing the majority of the work. I can barely lift my left leg, maybe 5 inches from the ground. I have foot drop and every physical therapist I've gone to focuses on my flexibility in my ankle and totally ignoring my hip flexor.
This has made me realize that both my hip pain, pain in my right side torso are all probably related to this muscle. Thank you and your video is hugely beneficial because you are on the ground and for me with balance issues that's very important. So thank you, I'm starting this today.
You're so welcome. I hope you've been able to find more movement and coordination with this movement and others you may have learned by now.
Your voice is so soothing. I literally closed my eyes and listened and it felt like i was in a therapy session. Thank you.
You're so welcome!
It works! Amazing! Been having pelvic and back pain for years now. It immediately relaxed my pelvic area.
Excellent! The muscles of the pelvis are connected to the muscles of the center. You are a somatic system in which all the muscles work together synergistically which is why a simple movement like this (done slowly and luxuriously) can have such a profound effect! Keep exploring and consider coming to class online!
essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes
I'm so happy I discovered your videos, it has helped my chronic pain and anxiety a lot. Thank you for sharing these!💓
I'm thrilled for you! Keep practicing and consider coming to our online classes to learn even more!
essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes
This work helped me learn how to move freely again after many injuries as a professional dancer. It's profound work.
I have purchased a few of your courses. Love how you explain the movements as you were doing them. And I am very thankful for your RUclips videos as well.
I’m so thankful, I’ve been incorporating this with a few other movements and with constructive rest and meditation. It has literally saved me. I was in a very dark place before due to not being able to do the things I love. ❤️
I'm thrilled for you! It sounds like you've found the perfect combination of what works for you.
Keep moving!
Marha thank you so much and my gratitude to my daughter too who shared this clip . It’s helping my husband with his hip issues .
I'm so glad! There's so much more to learn.
Just recently had a psoas spasm. This worked!! ❤❤❤ thank you
Brilliant! I l do this movement for myself every day. It's terrific.
Wow, this is incredible. Thank you so much for sharing this. I have to share my story with you because I've been through years of PT and massage and medication and this psoas issue never recovered following two hip, knee and lumbar spine injuries 6 months apart. I was told I'd just have to live with the pain, which I've been doing 10 years. After another serious injury to my spine, head, shoulder and neck last year, the pain was overwhelming but I didn't want to just take useless pain meds.
When I finally had strength enough to go to PT, my whole side of my body was just clenched and unreleasing, shoulder to trunk, with my leg weakened. Massage and PT even with muscle relaxers was hardly helping, it seemed focusing on one area would cause another tight pain. Studying hip anatomy, intuitively last week I started working in slow hip rotating movements to 'retrain' my hip to rotate instead of the stiff clicking and clenching it had for years.
I started doing hip releasing stretches where I would relax into it as much and as long as I could and started seeing some progress in about a week. But the psoas seemed it was hurting more than ever which is excruciating and disrupts everything from waking to sleeping! A friend mentioned TRE to me, so today I tried that full sequence and it was great. That led me to a psoas releasing TRE video which I did, and afterwards I just fell asleep for 7 hours! It was an improvement on waking, where normally my psoas is so painful it wakes me or immediately hurts and is stiff from sleep. I felt I was on the right track targeting psoas release, scrolled down and found your video here.
Doing your releasing set was profound, and your explanation tied together everything I'd been suspecting. I could feel the whole side of my body's part in the SMA, and so I just made the movements as slow as possible to work out the clicking, a constant problem in my hip on clockwise rotation.
Afterwards, laying and just resting, I could feel my psoas actually feeling very warm and gently contracting and releasing on its own!! It felt like bloodflow was going back there after a decade and it was actually MOVING and not stuck in tension! Even my shoulder (which at one point was frozen) was fluttering and releasing. This was such a profound simple movement that helped me immediately. I cannot thank you enough. I know this is long but I had to share how helpful this is! I'll be doing this daily now. Hopefully I'll be able to get my leg back flat onto the floor in cross legged sitting soon, something i haven't felt in ten years! Thank you so much!
EDIT: OKAY, this is REMARKABLE. Right after writing this comment I went to eat. I sat on my couch cross legged as I usually do, and right away noticed how much more relaxed my left leg (the left side is the one with all the injuries/issues above), low back, and psoas already were. I thought, "Wow, I really AM going to be able to get this thigh flat on the floor in no time!"
But as I sat there eating, I noticed that my leg WAS flat on the couch. Thinking this was probably because of the softness of the couch, I went and sat on the floor and to my great and dumbfounded surprise, MY LEFT LEG WAS COMPLETELY FLAT ON THE FLOOR. Both my thighs and knees were equally touching the floor. I was dumbstruck for a few minutes then burst out crying happy tears of joy and gratitude thanking God for this miracle!
I have not felt this sitting position in over ten years, since December 2009 when my hip first got injured and changed my whole life. I was so active before then - running, biking for commute daily, bodysurfing, hiking, swimming, yoga, weight training. All of that stopped and I've never quite gotten it back. Ever since, my left leg has been tilted upwards in this sitting position, so that my left thigh and knee are hovering inches over the floor. I've been in constant pain in every single position no matter what I did, walking, standing, laying, sitting, anything. I just taught myself to ignore it because there was no other usable option.
Even more amazing, I stood up and noticed that the constant pain in my low back and psoas is no longer there. There was this intense painful tension continuously for ten years that is GONE. It's just gone.
It was a deep, hard pulling and tightness that no matter how I massaged, foam rolled, stretched, soaked in hot epsom salt bath, heat pad, so much PT.... none of it got it to release. This whole area was incredibly sensitive to even light touch, especially over the iliac and SI areas. Even just last night, I was massaging it and feeling how painful it was, 8/10 nearly bringing tears, thinking how can I get this to release?
So many diagnoses (IT band syndrome, SI joint syndrome, piriformis syndrome, psoas syndrome, patellofemoral syndrome) and NO ONE has been able to get this resolved. I've lived with this pain for 10.5 years, and thanks to this incredible combination of following my body's intuition, retraining it to do its natural hip movement, but most importantly, trying these TRE sets targeting my psoas release... a decade of pain is GONE. If it wasn't happening right now to me I would have a hard time believing it, just because of how much pain I've been in with NO options other than horrible medication or painful injections, which never truly helped and knocked more things off balance in my body.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. That's not even sufficient of thanks, but thank you thank you thank you!!! I know it's a combination of the things I've done over the last week, but I truly know I would not have experienced this without your profound psoas release set pulling it all together and making sense of all the parts. It was the final turn of the key that unlocked - literally - my psoas. You have changed my life. This set is now my permanent daily maintenance and thanks for my body's innate wonder!! Thank you!!!!!
Update 14 Sep 2020: I thought I'd share another update. I'm still so thankful I found these exercises, because they have helped keep me going this year when I was unable to leave my house or even schedule PT because of illness.
I do these nearly daily, if I don't, my body will remind me with tightness returning slowly. I have found over the past few months increased flexibility in the hip and now have a longer length of time before it starts feeling locked up (few days instead of less than a day or just constant). That pain that was relenting and just released is still completely gone though, like this huge knot from inside. That is a HUGE quality of life improvement for me over the past 10 years just from adding these into my routine. I have been adding trigger point release in surrounding muscles to try to help get the connected areas loosened and get my "uptime" even longer.
Still able to sit cross legged without issues! And it has progressively gotten more even in my hips, also been focusing a lot on consciously correcting the tilt in my hips while standing, which doing these exercises has REALLY helped me reconnect with the conscious awareness of those muscles. That's really major for me right now because I'm recovering from an accident that really messed that up in my whole body. Looking forward to PT again soon, I am having some kind of issue with my left leg strength that needs someone to look at it.
I am really happy for you :)
Thank you for sharing your story; it's a powerful one.
I an thrilled that you are feeling better and have had a breakthrough with your physical pain. I'm glad ES and pandiculation is what helped you get to the other side of that so you can move with ease and freedom. Addressing your pain with TRE was a terrific idea given that accidents such as yours can leave you and your brain and body with the residue of emotional trauma which, in and of itself, can be the source of your tension.
This psoas release doesn't just target the psoas; It addresses the synergistic muscles that the psoas coordinates with. It's never one muscle causing your pain; it's always a pattern at the center of the body: your abdominals, waist, back. Always remember that you are a somatic system: if there's tension in one part of the body there will be tension in the entire body. Address the whole body and the whole that is YOU will function better on all levels.
Thank you for sharing this. I hope you continue to improve and become free of debilitating pain :)
@@trixiebelden8197 It's so inspiring to listen to and witness the stories of others. They can let us know that anything is possible.
@@EssentialSomatics My mother has chronic bursitis in her hip, can you tell me if it's ok for her and/or beneficial for her to do this exercise and other somatic exercises? Thank you :)
I have hip flexor tightness that inhibits my glute activation when doing glute bridges. This release method done before my glute workout does wonders to allow glutes to do all the work. Thanks for sharing!
You're so welcome! I'm glad you found it complementary to what you want to be doing.
You’re not lyin.
I have the same, now will check out if this works ;-). Excited ;-)
Tried it several times now in two days. Missing the big AHA moment. But maybe i do something wrong or something? How long did it take til you guys got much better?
@@torbis75 I can't remember for sure but I think I noticed the relaxing effect right away after the first attempt
When I tried it, my abdomen side started to shake, and I loved this sense, looks like tense muscle is relaxing once I did the exercises. Thanks a lot for these awesome tips 🎉❤️
There are 2 different versions of this exercise I do now … even just after a few days … I can feel the difference!
Wonderful! I'm glad it's helping you.
What's the other version?
I have been on the floor stretching for about an hour. I have watched a good 20 minutes of videos trying to find relief for my back pain. I did this and it was INSTANT relief.
Thank you! You are a life saver!
I'm thrilled that you found relief with this movement. Pandiculation is key, don't forget! You're addressing full body patterns gently and slowly. Enjoy using this movement; it's super useful.
I know so much of the stuff on you tube doesn't help
I'm thrilled that you feel so much better!
Sterling Sweetie; Which video have You used - will You share?
very good exercise that not only releases psoas but also trains muscles very functionally!
Thank you so much! I have a lot of respect for the work that you teach, so I appreciate you exploring this channel. Somatic Education is all about addressing the system that we are so we can move in the easiest, most functional and balanced way, isn't it?
@@EssentialSomatics Absolutely!!
This REALLY helped with my lower back and hip pain. Halfway through the process I actually felt something release in my hip area. THANK YOU for posting such a great video.
You're so welcome!
I felt a release also when the chiropractor did that maneuver of squeezing knees together .... Abduction and adduction. I just have a question.. would that confirm it is the psoas?. Thank you .
How is this so relaxing? Omg
Isn't it! We're so glad you're loving it.
Thank you Martha I have for 30 yrs. Suffered with spinal and carpal tunnel syndrome issues. Numerous doctors who cared less about the agony. Drs. Always push yoga (destructive nearly out me in a wheel chair). Essential somatics is the only modality that has offered relief and physical balance into the body again.
Oh goodness, that is such an inspiring story. Thank you for sharing it. I'm thrilled that what we're teaching with Essential Somatics has been able to help you restore control of yourself and more ease and freedom.
nice relaxing sequence, really makes a difference (at least it did for me) 👍
Thanks, Alfons! I do this sequence every day and it makes a huge difference in the way my legs and pelvis move when I walk.
Feldenkrais with Alfons and o5hj
Ywp
Oh gut das du hier auch bist war nicht sicher ob dies auch feldenkrais tauglich ist!
You guys should do a collab!
Thank you🙏🏻! It took me a minute to realize that it was my Psoas origin giving me back pain (a little shout from around my femur let me know). This is reassuring and helpful material!
I'm glad it's helping you! I do this movement sequence every day.
This really works my right side was very tight and this loosened up the muscle. Thank u
You’re so welcome!
Thank you thank you thank you! This helped my intense hip pain so so much!!!
You're so welcome!! I do this movement every day. I love it.
Its amazing How simple movements helps to release psoas, thanks for sharing
This is such a helpful movement. I do it myself every day. I'm glad it's helping you as well.
Amazing!
Thank you!
Thank you very much
This is great. I’ve been teaching martial arts movement and I’ve kind of stumbled on working like this intuitively. Then I found you and you have refined much that I was doing in my explorations of ROM. This is a fabulous modality. Thanks.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Pandiculation and the slow, controlled release into a new range of movement is what changes the brain's function and control of the muscles. It's a brilliant complement to any movement modality, so I'm pleased that you're using what you're learning in conjunction with your martial arts practice. I think you would love the Fundamentals Immersion course we teach. You'll learn a lot more in the two days that you can take home and apply to your martial arts.
Hip flexor stretches have always been the ones I gravitate towards and love the most. I file that under body wisdom. :)
Our hip flexors are involved in all three stress reflexes, so it's not surprising that releasing them (in connection with the rest of your body) makes a huge difference for you. Keep it up!
This worked pretty quickly. Wow, thank you.
You're so welcome!
@@EssentialSomatics Following up. I did these stretches b/c I was going to a festival and my husband was waiting for me, so I needed something quick. This festival would require a good deal of walking, and before your video, every step sent a sharp pain to my psoas/hip area. Thanks to you, I enjoyed Eeyore's birthday with no pain (at least not the psoas - I have mid-back pain from scoliosis so never truly pain free). Thank you for making that possible in only 6 minutes.
I finally found this video again!🎉
I spent the last few years in constant physical agony needing a mobility walker - the doctors prognosis was not good. Spine this and arthritis that.
I am not even middle aged yet
About 5 months ago now I did shrooms to help me come to terms with being crippled and in pain forever and the main theme of that healing trip was getting through to me that the doctors are wrong and my pain is not from my spine but my mind
(I have complex cptsd from childhood trauma and beyond )
I started searching Google for release exercise and found this video
Let me be clear
There would be no way for me to get off of the floor at that time if I was wrong and if the video didn't work.
I would literally have had to call 911 for help, but I was so certain, just so absolutely positive this was the secret to my pain relief and mobility that I got down there and followed along with the movements,
it was like a warm bath of relief spreading through my pelvis and legs
I lay there crying in relief
And yes, I was able to get up again.
I made this a regular movement in my life and was able to start rehabbing what i realized was hypertonic pelvic floor and whole body trauma induced misalignment
with somatic movements Vagas nerve strengthening, emdr, meditation and light frequent walks with ny walker and Persian cat in tow (lol) around my kitchen once an hour .. which advanced to walking down my hallway and then downstairs too
Fast forward to today I can walk without the walker for the first time In years I'm 70% less tight and have 70% less pain (still working on it but omg the relief!!!!)
I was really close to giving up on life tbh
This video truly saved me!!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot even begin to fully express my gratitude 🙏 ✨️ ❤
I'm thrilled to hear that this movement has helped you so much. Never give up on yourself or life. There is always someone out there who might be able to provide an experience that can help you make improvement for yourself.
Oh my! Did anyone seize up a little trying this the first time? I think I may have found my problem area. I’ve been getting debilitating spasms for 2 years. Sometime I couldn’t even walk. I’ll need to go super slow and easy with these.
Oh yes - if you do these movements as if you're doing "exercise" you might find yourself ceasing up - especially if your baseline of muscle tension is high to begin with! These movements are slow, gentle explorations (pandiculations) that address full body patterns of tension. It's all about SENSING what you're doing (and continuing to breathe - never hold your breath!) rather than just "DOING" the movement. You're feeding your brain information and your task is to become aware - from the inside out - of what it feels like to move slowly and smoothly. This is what brings the sensory and motor control back to the control of the brain.
To learn even more attend one of our Fundamentals Immersion courses. You'll learn a lifetime of skills to take home with you...
same here. got it from ballet
I have the same thing. Just diagnosed. I get really bad inner leg cramps from this. Has this happened to you or do you have any advice when I'm in a cramp. When I'm cramped the pain is a level 8-10
Thank you for an excellent presentation.
You're very welcome. I'm glad you're getting a lot out of this movement.
That's really effective! Thank you very much
You're so welcome! I do this movement every day; it's incredibly helpful to do after I do the Back Lift.
Thank it did really help me, after doing these exercises my pain is totally relieved
Wonderful! You're very welcome. I hope your continued practice of Somatic Movements helps you move with more ease.
Clever stuff. Matt the pilates teacher.
I'm glad you like this movement. I do it every day and it really helps to restore balance.
Man, you weren’t kidding!! Thank you!! ❤
You're so welcome! I do this one every day...
Thanks for the helpful video. Also, you look amazing and fit. Very inspirational.
Thank you! I'm glad this video is helpful to you.
Ballet dancer with chronic pain for 5 years now. My shiatsu therapist in the very beginning said the psoas is my problem. Now ive wasted years on pointless imaging, surgeries and treatments. The psoas is where my pain roots from.. Time to fix this once and for all
I empathize with your search for a sensible explanation to your pain. This is a brilliant movement exploration. Just remember that there is likely more to address than just the psoas. When you learn the basic Somatic Movements that address sensory motor amnesia in the back, front, and sides you will make some amazing discoveries about where your tension is.
The first time I discovered my psoas pain I would joke that I have a "so' ass."
Not so funny four years later when it's become worse. But this video... THIS video! Thank you thank you!!!
That's wonderful! It's a powerful movement and even moreso when you learn more movements that release tension in the other muscles that coordinate together with the psoas. Happy pandiculating!
Amazing video !!
Thank you! I do this movement sequence as a part of my daily practice. It makes a huge difference in my gait and sense of balance.
Gracias por tus vídeos, saludos desde Argentina!
Muchas gracias! Me alegra que estas disfrutando este video.
Thank you
You're very welcome!
Thank you so much I’m going to replay it over and over and do it with you lololo thanks so much for posting I really need this badly.
Thanks! We all need it. If we move, we need to pandiculate!
I pray Essential Somn8cs will be my 3 rs extreme pain of psoas, Iliac psoas,, SIJ, hip pain. Been very active all my life at all sports high levels, Bradley, Spanish dancing. Yoga 6 yrs. Think 3 yrs so began moving from a single story to a double story..ie step climbing although thru out Covid did 40 steps at our local mall 4 times a week at least. Am an artist sat alot not them than I can now. Have been too physios, sports specialist, bio k, chiropractor. Had phototherapy x 6 x s injections. Minor relief only from injections for short periods of time. Won't have anymore. Still do only strength psoas hip l ower back yoga and your exercises. Hope they'll help. Thank you .
Given everything you describe, strengthening your psoas might not be helpful. When you have sensory motor amnesia, the root cause of most chronic muscle tension, the first step is to learn how to REDUCE accumulated tension in your muscles and nervous system rather than increase it. Otherwise you might strengthening your pain, as we say.
We have loads of option for someone in your situation: the first is to work with a skilled ES-trained practitioner who can guide you slowly, but surely, through the movements that will help you become aware of where your SMA is and then guide you to release tension in such a way as to be able to restore your movement and get rid of your pain. It's a process and is best done with a good teacher. We also have in-person events you can attend: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-fundamentals-course/
Lastly, we have practitioners world-wide, so have a look and see if you can find someone near you: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/
I hope this helps!
Thank you.
You're very welcome!
It looks so easy but I couldn’t do it, I got cramps in leg muscles 😢 what’s going on?
I have had low back pain for ages and before that periformis syndrome Which came after sciatica. It’s been ongoing for about 8 years now. Recently however it’s progressed to the point that within 3-5 minutes of standing or walking I feel like the area on either side of my spine, about my pelvis, completely seizes up. It’s so bad I can barely walk and will trip because I can’t lift my feet probably. Sitting down gives instant relief but it starts up again as soon as I start walking. I’ve been sent for quite a few tests, and diagnostic exams with no results other than degenerative disc disease that’s normal for my age (53). I started googling tonight to see if I could figure out what is happening and came across the psoa muscle which seem to be exactly what my issue was and then I saw your video and gave it a try. I just did it briefly but I did feel some relief from it! I’m gonna do it again tomorrow to see if it will continue. At this point I’m desperate and I’m just so grateful to feel any relief at all. I do have a question though, when I move my legs up And down there is a clicking in my back near the pelvis area. It doesn’t hurt but I can feel it, should I be concerned about that? Thanks for your video!
I'm so glad this video is helping you. Remember that it's only ONE of a lot of wonderful, powerful movements that can help you. You can also learn online with me (Martha Peterson) or one of my training faculty. We all teach classes and will know how to help you. It's much easier to learn under the guidance of a good teacher.
By the way, just because you're 53 doesn't mean that it's "normal" to have degenerative disc disease. It's not age that determines the state of your structure. It's how your brain and muscles have habituated to chronic tension that puts stress on your spine and vertebrae. You can learn to move without pain and with more freedom. Come to class and begin to learn how. You will be glad you did.
Brilliant 🤍🙌🏻✨
Thank you!
@@EssentialSomatics I’ve used it for myself and my daughter on two seperate occasions recently when our sacrums mis aligned from tight rhomboids and psoasis. ✨🙌🏻🤍
These are some great excercizes, I wish your instructions were slower though.
So sorry that they are too fast for you. Once you understand what you're doing, I suggest you turn off the video and go very slowly, just playing with ONE vector of this movement: the knee straight up towards the center. Take your time and additionally allow time for letting go completely so your brain can integrate the new sensations. I hope that helps.
Nice..........
I do this one every day. It’s terrific!
It was the best ❤❤❤
Thank you! I love this one, too.
I agree with all, except for the cervical flexion forward or in rotation....especially with elbows aimed forward.
If psoas and transverse abs are weak - then the cervical flexing even adds more strain to the next muscles. There are safer ways of approaching this with the muscles of the neck not employed in the movements.
What we often find with the students/clients who come to us is (and there may be exceptions to this like someone who just recently had abdominal surgery) is that their muscles are chronically, subcortically contracted (Sensory Motor Amnesia) to the extent that their brain can neither control the contraction phase, nor the releasing phase of the muscle. Yet, they are told that their muscles are "weak." The somatic perspective is that when they can sense and control the center (contracting in flexion - ONLY as far as is comfortable and never forcing! - while releasing the back muscles - much like a pulley system) and allow the center and the hands to be what helps to lift the head, there is improved function. I see this all the time at our Fundamentals Immersion course. People are generally "braced" between the front and back and it is their function that needs to be improved.
@@EssentialSomaticsThank You very much for this very good answer 👌
I’m going to keep trying. Perhaps I can put the video on a Slower playback speed. I am trying to do this but I can’t follow along around 4:20 ish I can’t keep up. I’ll keep trying though. I have faith I was brought to this video for a reason. Thank you.
Watch the video so you can understand WHAT you're doing (curling up, bringing your elbows and one knee towards the center, then SLOWLY unfurling as you breathe, then SLOWLY letting the leg straighten out), how you're doing it...and keep it simple. I would first play with it by doing just one vector with the knee: bringing the knee straight inward towards the center. Play with the other vectors at another time.
When I teach this online or at an in-person workshop, I always break it down slowly. We don't always do all three vectors. I hope it helps. Remember that it's a movement pattern - an exploration rather than an exercise.
Nice. i did something close to this. i came from TRE and it started me on the right path for me to heal my years long tightness/arththis in hip and the whole body really. What this helped me is also lifting my leg while making a "ab crunch" then my body shakes and then releases body tension. THANKS!
Thanks for your comment. When you do this movement remember that it is a pandiculation and doesn't approximate an "ab crunch." It's the bracing in the center that creates that shaking you refer to. A pandiculation (check out the video about stretching and pandiculation on the channel) resets the brain/muscle connection and is as forceful as a yawn - which means it should be just enough of a contraction to help you feel the PATTERN of muscles you're contracting and then slowly releasing/lengthening. Always slide the foot up from a straight position (as shown in the video) and see if you can sense the connection of the leg to the center. Have fun and keep exploring. We're teaching classes online, so come check them out and learn even more.
@@EssentialSomatics Thank you.
@@Milkyman92 You're most welcome!
I feel like there is "action" going on in my hip flexors. Less pain, thank you
You're very welcome! I love this movement and do it daily because of how tight the hip flexors can get with sitting and driving.
Are you talking about abdominal bracing at the beginning of the movement, thank you!
You want to learn how NOT to brace so you can restore full control of both the front (red light muscles) and back (green light muscles) of your body. Is that what you're asking?
Just tried it, feels great. Seems so simple tho.
Learning to resolve muscle tension doesn't have to be complicated. Pandiculation is nature's reset (like yawning). It works.
Thank you for this video. Why does it feel so good when I try the typical more active psoas releases but it doesn’t quite “get there?”
You may be stretching in the other psoas releases? I don't know. When you pandiculate you actually make a substantive difference in the level of tension in your muscles and nervous system. That's why it feels so amazing. Pandiculation is a game-changer.
Hello! When you say your working leg, this would be the side that is NOT experiencing pain, correct?
Not necessarily. The "working leg" is the leg that is moving - the foot that lifts and the knee tha come in towards the center. You should do this movement on both sides, the side that bothers you as well as the other side.
Great exercise and well demonstrated, thank you!
- When the leg does the vector (turned out or turned in), should the upper body/head also come up according to vector? Or should we try and come up with the upper body straight?
- When lowering the foot back down, is it important to land it near the buttocks? Or can it land further away (maybe even straighten the entire leg in the air), to make it more challenging?
Thank you!
You can play with both ways of doing it. Remember that this movement is about sensing the connection of the psoas to the center as a pandiculation. Play with it and sense the benefits of both ways of doing it.
As to whether to land the foot close to the buttocks - yes, I would suggest doing it that way in order to give your brain the most time to slowly, gently pandiculate the lengthening phase of the muscles.
@@EssentialSomatics Thank you Martha, very helpful!
One more question: During the process of straightening the leg, should the weight of the leg be completely on the floor or should we still hold much of the weight in the hip?
a good consciousness of the legs and working with my back, but I didnt feel any difference in my psoas.
If you felt like your walk was free and easy and balanced once you stood up, then the movement was beneficial. Given that this movement is about "just" the psoas (the psoas coordinates together with quite a few muscles), it's about finding smooth and connected movement from the center to the periphery.
Hi ive injured my psoas, and my upper psoas has been tight ever since. So tight that its pulling on my adrenal glands , and im getting nonstop adrenaline and stress. It bothers me so much because i cant sleep and relax. Any tips on how to release the upper psoas, ive replayed ur videos many times, i hope you can help me out
The best advice I can give you is to start learning how to release the front, back, and sides of your body from the beginning. It's never one muscle causing your pain (ie. the psoas); there's ALWAYS a full body pattern of tension at the root of your discomfort or pain. You have quite a few options:
1. Work one on one with a skilled practitioner, either in person (where allowed) or online.
2. Start attending online classes so you can learn the basics and begin to unravel your own patterns of Sensory Motor Amnesia.
3. Register for the Introduction to Somatic Movement Part 1 series that I'm beginning next Monday, Sept. 14.
You can find practitioners, classes, and resources on the Essential Somatics website. You can learn to sleep better, move better, and feel better, but you've got to start at the beginning and give yourself time. I hope this helps!
Martha that was good info.
The class was last, year, correct.
does this also release fascia and consequently trauma stored in ? thank you!
Yes it does. It teaches you how to reduce tension in your nervous system and learn to self-regulate. It's very beneficial for those with trauma in their past.
When muscles are tight, fascia is tight. Release the muscles and the fascia in turn releases more effectively.
Hello! I’ve been struggling to get my hip flexor and lower back pain diagnosed for sometime. I finally self diagnosed psoas syndrome. Your video explains why all the stretching and exercising has not been helping me but I do wonder how long does it usually take for these exercises to help? I’ve been doing them for a couple weeks and my psoas is even more sore in the lower belly. So I know they are affecting it but when should I see some relief?
If you're more sore than when you started there's something missing in the way you're doing them. Here's the thing: this movement is a safe, natural human movement. You're curling and lifting a knee, then slowly melting out of it (and btw, to start you don't have to do all three vectors! I usually just do two, myself). If you're working too hard, going too quickly, not resting to sense what you are experiencing, then you may be doing this movement more like an exercise than a somatic exploration.
Additionally, this is just one movement. remember that the psoas doesn't act in isolation; it's always a part of a pattern. You may be more contracted on one side of your body (Trauma Reflex) or more slouched and tight in the front (Red Light reflex), or tight in the back of your body (Green Light reflex) or a combination thereof (like most people!). It's critical to start from the beginning in learning these movements. Arch and Flatten, the Flower, the Side Bend...they're all important movements that will help you sense and move better. It's never one muscle causing pain; there's always a pattern at the root of tension and movement restriction.
My suggestion is to watch the video about the three stress reflexes so you understand and discover your own holding patterns and habituated responses to stress (and life).
Consider enrolling in our wonderful digital course (Move With Ease - essentialsomatics.com/move-with-ease/) opening again June 24.
Come to an in person imnmersion weekend event with me (June 2024 in Colorado) or seek out an Essential Somatics trained teacher you can work and learn wtih in person. It will make a world of difference, I promised you.
I hope this helps!
Good morning,
I did your exercise not long ago, which helped me on one side, but caused another problem.
Already, when I do your exercise, when I get to the top, my upper body starts to shake. I must say that I went a little hard, it's true. But even slowly I have this shake.
The following days I had a inhabitual little pain in my arm, in my leg, as if something had moved. When I was walking two weeks ago, I felt like the left part of my body was a little loose, like my left leg was a little longer than my right leg, and held my spine badly. Since then I no longer have any problem except when I play the organ with my feet to reach the keys of the pedalboard, especially those which are on the far left, it requires a particular posture that is not very natural. Doing this hurts my left neck and if I stay too long playing like this, I even hurt part of my brain, or the back of my left jaw, although slightly. I feel that something is not in place. Do you have an idea of the problem? What to do? Thanks
So did you get your problem?
@@PramilaDevi-mu9fu With rest yes
But my concern is that I have Lyme disease, it releases a lot of toxins that are stored in the psoas, and I get hurt there very easily. Thanks you
Ah yes, if you do this movement like an exercise you may find yourself shaking. Pandiculation should be enjoyable - like a yawn. I can't tell you what your problem might be without seeing you move, knowing more about your history, and understanding more about how you move on a daily basis.
You can make a video consultation by emailing info@essentialsomatics.com and making an appointment. That way I could help you and you can ask questions and I can give guidance.
Martha, I really enjoy your instruction style and may purchase DVDs at your website,. But have a problem I want to ask about. Don't know if this can be addressed using somatics....get this tightening pressure at base of rib cage usually in center around base of sternum. Seems to be either or both the rectus abdominis or transverse abdominal. Maybe even some diaphragm involvement. It's very limiting and unpleasant to what I can do. Do you have videos posted for this kind of thing? Don't know if somatics can alleviate this. Thanks Sam
It sounds like you're somewhat stuck in the Red Light Reflex (Startle Response) and the answer is yes - there is help for you if you sense that you are chronically contracted in the center of your body. My suggestion is to find a skilled practitioner who can work with you and help you become aware of the full body pattern of tension that you are currently habituated to. You can find our Certified Clinical Somatic Educators on the Essential Somatics website "Find a Practitioner" page. I also recommend attending a Fundamentals Immersion course so you can learn more - more principles, concepts, and movements - that can teach you how to improve sensory motor control and relieve constriction and pain.
Become aware of your daily habits (do you slouch over the computer? In a car?), your emotional makeup (do you tend towards anxiety? Are you overly-stressed at your job?), or other areas of your life where you would draw inward into this full body reflex pattern of stress. Awareness is the first step. I hope this helps. Thanks for your question.
great video! i am on my way home to try it out. i have started running about 5 weeks ago. my left SI joint is intermittently painful. a PT friend of mine said that maybe my psoas is tight. Thoughts?
It sounds as if you have a habituated Trauma Reflex in which one side of your torso/waist is tighter than the other. This would definitely create a tight psoas. That being said, it's never one muscle causing the problem; there's ALWAYS a full body pattern of imbalance of tension at the center of the body. I would recommend learning more movements to do before and after this wonderful psoas release.
Consider coming to class if you'd like to learn more movements that can help you continue to run and feel better. essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes
Enjoy!
TKS A lot. Amazing somatic motion for Psoas. Wonderful HIGHLIGHTS
Thank you so much! I love this movement and do it every day in my own practice. Enjoy!
I need to find a hands on teacher too. Is there a directory?
The Essential Somatics website has loads of information. Check it out!
Here's our practitioner directory: essentialsomatics.com/find-clinical-somatics-practitioners
Consider attending one of our in person events as well. They are excellent and you will learn a lot about how to release Sensory Motor Amnesia. When you work with a practitioner one on one and then attend either weekly classes (online or in person) or a weekend immersion you will have strong skills to help you stay independent, pain-free, and able to recalibrate any time stress hits you:
essentialsomatics.com/fundamentals
Thanks for this video. I have had a very tight left Psoas for decades. I can see the truth of the 'pattern of tightness' you mention - all down my left side I have very tight muscles around the Lumbar Vertebrae, an unbelievably tight Teres Major muscle behind my left shoulder, and the tightness runs right up the left side of my neck.
Forceful stretching of the Psoas only seems to aggravate the problem. So, in principle, this Pandiculation approach sounds very appealing . But I'm sorry to have to report that it made no difference at all - my muscles have no intention of letting go so easily. What could I be doing wrong please?
I don’t have an answer for you, sorry….but literally everything you described is the same exact symptoms that I’ve been having for the past 5, nearly 6 years…I’ve been to the doctor more times than I can count. I tried physical therapy for a year. I’ve been to chiropractors. No matter what I do, the pain comes back.
@@Emily-eg4gg Sorry to hear you have the same trouble as me. I've been seeing various osteopaths & chiropractors for decades (the triumph of hope over experience...). There was one period when my problems seemed to randomly go away for about a year, but then one day I was shifting a heavy motorbike, and I felt it all tighten up again, that was about 25 years ago and, whilst the tightness varies in intensity, it never goes away completely. But, but I can't help thinking there must be a 'key' manipulation of my neck or lower back/pelvis which would unlock it all again. But none of these professionals have been able to find the solution. I keep scanning on RUclips for potential solutions, and many of them sound really encouraging (like this one), so it is disappointing when they don't work for me. I am going to keep trying it from time to time.
Oh man, I know what you mean about getting your hopes up with things only for them to not work! And just feeling even worse/more discouraged after. I've been dealing with hip issues for 9 years now, it's been a journey, very tough but I've learned a lot and feel that breakthroughs must be close.
The most amazing thing that helped me so far was an osteopath who, among other things, palpated an area near my spine where there's a cluster of nerves, which apparently helped the body turn off the sympathetic (tense/fight/flight mode) and turned on the parasympathetic (rest/relaxation). Not every single session had amazing results but some of them did, and overall at the end I felt better than I had in years...feelings I'd forgotten. Definitely helped my chronically tight hip flexor ACTUALLY relax and my glutes to start firing again.
Anyway unfortunately I had to stop going right as breakthroughs were being made so they only held for about a week at the most after the last appt. I'm sure had I kept going I would be feeling amazing.
But ALSO wanted to mention looking into TRE - I'm excited as I have my first apppointment today and I think it could potentially achieve the same Thing and its something I can learn and do myself. If it doesn't help im sure it will help in so many other ways so I'm okay if that's the case - but I think there's real potential to help as again it is working with the nervous system. Anyway just wanted to comment as I have felt these pains, really highly recommend looking into TRE/ down regulation of the nervous system
Also you can learn tre yourself on RUclips but I'm choosing to go see someone.
Also I'm not sure how to tag or reply to people but hoping you both see this!
@@Emily-eg4gg tagging
I would love some advice - my right psoas muscle has suddenly become so tight and painful after exertion, that the leg extension you demonstrate is impossible - especially the inward turning one. I am very interested in the technique you show but am finding it very difficult even to weight bear just now. I have a history of a tight right psoas muscle but this sudden flare up after a long walk is very distressing. I would be very grateful for any advice.
It sounds as if you're stuck in a habituated Trauma Reflex. I can't give you specific advice here because I don't know your history and haven't seen you move. I would recommend that you work with me one on one online for a series of sessions. I can teach you how to resolve YOUR specific pattern of tension, and then you can also start coming to our online classes. This is the most efficient and effective way to get back to learning to move freely. Address the whole system and you will restore your freedom of movement.
PS to my previous response: there a few other movements you should learn before doing this one.
My psoas has been chronically constricted my entire life from chronic childhood abuse resulting in Complex-PTSD as well as a severely restricted posterior airway of 1-2mm instead of 10-15mm. I've been suffocating my entire life and my airway collapses when I lie down leaving me with debilitating insomnia. Instead of stopping breathing (apnea) my adrenals and nervous system kick in and flood my body with adrenaline. This keeps my nervous system in a heightened state as well, so it has really been a double whammy! I've been working on releasing my psoas for years (I've done a LOT of work!) and am having great difficulty. I'm having a double jaw surgery at the end of the year to expand my airway and releasing my psoas as much as possible will help with my surgery and recovery. My hips are so tight I could never (at this time) get my knees up like this. Any suggestions? Thank you!
@@kirtonos I have not but I am looking at it now! Have you tried it?
Trauma Release exercise
I apologize for how long it took me to see this! There are so many comments. My suggestion is to come and learn in person. It sounds as if you are stuck in all 3 stress reflexes to a certain extent. PTSD evokes the Red Light (Startle) reflex, which locks down the center of your body (in slumping/protection/drawing inward) and can affect the jaw, pelvic floor, psoas, etc. I suggest working with a qualified Clinical Somatic Educator or Essential Somatics Movement Teacher (ESMT) in your area or coming to one of our in-person weekend immersion. You will learn life-long skills for self-care so you can reset your nervous system on a daily basis and learn to self-regulate, relax, and restore the way you used to move and connect to yourself.
I did this today and got such a sharp pain in my left buttock. I have Sciatica. The movement where the foot slides on its outer edge. Hectic!!
If you have sciatica, your waist is likely tighter on one side that the other. Take this movement really slowly and only play with the vector in which the knee is pointed towards the ceiling (rather than outward, with the foot on its outer edge). Can you allow BOTH sides of your waist to be long and soft? That's the first step.
Also...there's so much more to learn, and starting at the beginning is the best way. Consider coming to my Shift Network course starting January 24, 2022. You'll not only learn the psoas release in real time, but you'll learn other movements that prepare you to do that movement.
Excellent, how many times a day should a person do this and are there any more exercises for the psoas or is this the only one(which would be perfect) and would this be considered one set out of the two or three that you recommend for each side.
This is one of my favorite movements and I do it twice a day in my personal practices. I've found that this is the most effective and "to the point" psoas release because it addresses not only the psoas, but all the muscles that coordinate together with the psoas. Because you are a somatic system and the brain doesn't recognize you as just one muscle, you can create more ease and freedom - not to mention mobility, stability, and control - when you address patterns of tension rather than individual muscles. This is what pandiculation and Somatic Movements are all about.
If you feel like you "need" to release your psoas several times a day, there is probably an habitual movement (or "non-movement," like sitting) that is contributing to the issue. Often the best way to figure that out is by working one on one with a skilled practitioner (go to the Find a Practitioner page on the ES website) or attend a Fundamentals Immersion. Thanks for the question!
@@EssentialSomatics how to work out sitting problem pl
Hi @EssentialSomatics I don't really understand how the breathing syncs with the movement you demonstrate. Could you clarify? 1) Arch - inhale, 2) release - exhale, 3) then it seems the entire movement of bringing the knee to the core AND back again is on an exhale only? Do you not take an inhale between 2 and 3? I don't think I can exhale for that long a time in proportion to the minimal inhale time? Thanks.
You can breathe as many times as you want to. Don't think about the breath too much. Explore and see what works best. You'll notice that it's easiest to sink and curl as you exhale, but how many breath cycles you take to come into the curling is up to you. My favorite cue right now is "breathe as you need to!" Enjoy!
Thanks, I was also confused about this
So my psoas is always tight...like really tight.
I have developed an overactive bladder because of it and the overall pressure in my abdomen, mid back, and lower abdomen.
Recently, my legs started weakening because my vaculature has been tightening due to soensing time in cold temperatures... so blood flow is bad to my kidneys etc.
My psoas was tighter... and it basically as I noticed it get weaker and weaker...
Now I couldn't walk much at all. Can barely raise my legs to put on my pants, my arms are weak too...
As my psoas always has felt shrunk and tight over a bit above my kidneys....
I must be careful to relax it...but the stretching etc isn't the real deal.
It's my mind.
What you are describing is classic sensory motor amnesia. Mental, emotional and physical stress shows up the same way in your body: tension and often pain that can cascade into deeper issues of dysfunction. If you hold a lot of habituated, unconscious tension in your muscles you may FEEL like it's weakness when in fact your muscles are so STRONG and tight that they won't let go!
I would highly recommend working with a skilled Essential Somatics-trained teacher. You can find one in your area on our website (essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/)
Or, even better, come and learn in person in one of our Fundamentals immersion courses. They're so informative, experiential, and profound. You'll learn - and experience - missing link information that will help you take back control of yourself, your future, your sense of comfort in your body. essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-fundamentals-course/
I hope this and other movements on the channel, are helpful to you. A gentle arch and flatten and Flower would also be helpful in calming the mind and body.
Will this help with SI joint pain?
Yes, definitely. SI joint pain comes from a combination of the Green Light reflex and the Trauma reflex. You also need to address the back and front of your body and how your pelvis moves (or doesn't move for that matter!). This movement is just the beginning to learning to relieve SI pain. The Back Lift, Side Bend, and Washrag are also important movements to learn.
If you want to learn more about how to create your own home practice and dive deeper into these movements, we're running an online Intro Series (as well as a few in-person courses) that you can access here: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-intro-to-somatic-movement-course/
Scroll down for the time zone that works best for you.
Keep exploring and enjoy your practice!
I am finding it difficult to understand when I'm supposed to breathe in and out. I understand when to 'inhale and arch' and 'exhale sink your back'...but after that can I breathe freely? or am I still on the exhale when my leg is moving (that seems like a lot of movement on just one exhale...it feels like I'm holding my breath!
Breathe as you need to. Never hold your breath! In fact, sometimes it's helpful not to think about breathing at all. You will find that as you round your back, slide your foot towards your pelvis, lift your head and your knee, that doing it on the exhalation is the most intuitive and natural way to do it. When you release, just keep breathing!
if someone is recovering from a psoas/iliopsoas strain, would you recommend they wait until movement is completely pain free to do this technique?
Pandiculation can help you release the tension of the strain. I would go slowly, however. Somatic Movement should never been fast, nor should you push it. The technique itself will help you not only with the strain, but with figuring out whether you have an imbalance in your somatic center that may have contributed to the strain.
I also recommend coming to class and work under the watchful guidance of a skilled Clinical Somatic Educator (essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes) or working with a practitioner one on one.
Be well!
A little confused on timing. Inhale then exhale exhale?
Don't think too much about the breathing. It's more intuitive to curl up when you exhale (you're rounding your back so inhaling is more challenging) and then breathe easily when you slowly unfurl the front and put the foot down. The key is to breath as you need to. Some people need more breaths when slowly lengthening the leg all the way out.
I hope that helps.
Thank you for the information. I will start incorporating this as my hip flexors, particularly psoas, are tight. I experience a cramp often when I do the inner part and my foot is pointed inward and my hip tends to cramp up when flexing at the top. Also how do you feel about the dead bug core exercise because I’ve been doing that recently for better core activation, but every time I do it my hips click on the way down.
Go more slowly and work less when you do this movement. It's not about creating strength, but release. It all depends on why you're doing the dead bug and how it improves the way you move, whether rolling on the floor or moving standing up. Clicking indicates tension in the tendons/joints. There are loads of wonderful functional strengthening movements you can do that address the entire body.
I find this extremely helpful, but am confused about the breathing patterns. I wonder if Martha could add a layer of commentary in this respect, or clarify. For example, it seems to me that we do the arch & curl plus leg raise, as well as the 'return' to the floor, on one exhale. That's a long exhale. The inhales on the other hand seem to be short and quick (like the one prepreing for this sequence.) Martha's face does not really show signs of breathing at all; so in and out through the nose? Thanks.
Always breathe as you need to! The reason it doesn't look like I'm breathing is because my breathing is relaxed. Think about it this way: as you inhale, is it easier to arch your back on the inhalation or exhalation? As you release out of an arch, what's the most natural? As you sink and curl yourself up and bring the knee inward, which one - inhalation or exhalation? I like to challenge my students to explore on their own so they discover the natural breath pattern and take several breath cycles to sense the contraction into and release out of the movement.
Inhale and arch, SLOWLY release (you could take two breath cycles to do this). Exhale and sink and curl. SLOWLY release as you inhale/exhale/inhale...however many breath cycles it takes you to SLOWLY put the foot down, "unfurl" the front of the body, and slide the foot out.
Remember that this isn't an exercise...so regimented breathing can get in the way. Play with it and let me know how it goes. And remember - come to class! Students learn these things in real time and it's a lot of fun. Thanks for your question.
@@EssentialSomatics Thanks so much for that. Very helpful. I was beginning to introduce tension and contraction just to time the 'full' movements to either inhale or exhale in a most regimented fashion. 'Several breath cycles if needed', and basically, 'Listen to your own body!' -- that is totally congruent with my Kai Men and Shiatsu, although relatively new to me. I'll keep at it, because those few basic exercises I picked up from you via RUclips have already done wonders for me. (As I suspected all along, that Leg Length Difference was not that at all, but a contracted, contorted and in this position 'frozen' midsection. After one week of some of these releases, I have now ditched the one-sided elevation in my shoe (which kept my firmly contraction in place) and I have movement like I haven't had in years, even decades. However, I realised I could do even better if I didn't get so tied up with the breath patterns! Hence the question. Again, I am very grateful!
@@irisjean-klein5866 I'm thrilled that you're feeling so good and able to get rid of the lift in your shoe. Leg length discrepancies are very often a habituated trauma reflex rather than a structural leg length difference. It sounds like you are deepening your learning through your own self-exploration. Don't forget - I'm teaching classes in which you can learn even more. It would be great to have you there.
i have L5S1 disc herniation. can this help my pain
Yes. However, I would start with Arch and Flatten and then progress to this movement. The Back Lift, done very slowly and gently, is also important. Discs herniate in part because of overly contracted back muscles that won't fully let go. Pandiculating the back and then the sides (Side Bend) can go a long way towards helping you recover from a disc herniation. Be gentle and pay attention to how you're doing the movements.
Hello Martha,
I bought your (very good!) book recently and just learned to do all the mat/floor exercises.
Will this exercise in the video replace any exercises in the book, for example "Nr12: Inversion and Eversion of the feet"? - Thank you!
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your kind words about my book. This particular movement (for the psoas) is different from inversion/eversion and at the same time, I think it's a great one to prepare you to explore inversion/eversion.
Just so you know, we teach certain movements slightly differently these days from when I wrote my book. Inversion/eversion is one of those movements and the Side Bend is another (you can find the updated Side Bend here on the YT channel). On the Legs/Hips video lessons on the Essential Somatics website (essentialsomatics.com/shop/) there is a slightly different version - a more accessible one I'd say - than what I teach in the book. That being said, if you're finding that you enjoy the one from the book, then keep playing with it! I hope you're enjoying your practice.
If you'd like to dive deeper into creating a basic home practice we're running a 6-week online Intro Series that you may be interested in: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-intro-to-somatic-movement-course/
Scroll down for the course that corresponds best to your time zone.
Enjoy the book!
@@EssentialSomatics Thank you, Martha, for your helpful explanations! I will definitely dive deeper into your valuable material.
Which of all the somatic exercises would you consider essential and should be prioritized? - When you could chose about 5 exercises?
Thanks!
You are doing just one leg.
We have to do just one leg too?
Do both legs. I'm showing just one for the sake of instruction. Rewind the video and do the other side as well.
You also don't have to do all three vectors that I show. Try starting with just two, go slowly, and connect the leg to the center of the body.
I’m having a difficult time with the arch of my pelvis. Any videos to help with this? I do have a spinal fusion L5s1-L4. Thank you
Hi Tamara,
I would need to see you move and know more about you in order to advise you properly. It could be that there is excess tension in your abdominals that is getting in the way of the movement of your pelvis. Or it could be that you're holding your breath or trying too hard. I just don't know. A spinal fusion may restrict movement, yes, but to what extent I don't know.
Arch and Flatten is a helpful video from this channel, as is the Flower. There is so much more to learn in order to unwind the tension in your body that may have contributed to your fusion. Sensory Motor Amnesia (watch the video about the Three Stress Reflexes) can create all kinds of tension that could be exacerbating your movement restriction. What that is for you I don't know.
As I'm saying to everyone these days, it's best to learn in person if you possibly can. Nothing takes the place of a good teacher who can assess you, guide you, and help you feel what you can't feel and move in a way that's comfortable.
I hope this helps.
Can the pasos musle cause years of chronic pain? :(
A tight psoas can be part of a full body pattern that can contribute to years of chronic muscle pain. It's never one muscle causing pain, so learning to release the pattern of tightness (in the front, back, or sides of the body) is what you want to be doing. The psoas is very much a part of many patterns of imbalance, movement inefficiency, and muscle soreness.
I believe I've had that.
My psoas is quite tight. sometimes I fall to the floor if I stand up too rapidly as it pulls on my spine. Its also has turned my feet outwards when I lying down.
Ive been trying to do these exercises for a week and so far nothing. I find that if I just arch my back it does not hurt my L4 area, but as soon as I inhale into my belly it hurts in the L4. Weird.
Hi - It sounds as if you are somewhat "braced" between the front and back of your body and could greatly benefit from working with a Certified Clinical Somatic Educator. A skilled practitioner can both assess you properly and guide you through the basic movements that will help you be able to find more ease in your movement and in standing up. Nothing takes the place of learning from a skilled teacher. If you can work with someone in person and do some hands-on clinical sessions that will only jump start your learning and improvement even more.
I would also suggest that you come to some of our online classes. Everyone trained at Essential Somatics is now teaching online. Here are Martha's classes if you would like to attend: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes
@@EssentialSomatics Thank you for the reply. Ill sign up to the pain free lower back class. :)
@@diplod5000 Excellent!
There is a video where you hold certain postures, which stress the posas and then lay down, the body shakes uncontrollably and the posas resets, I’m looking for that video if anyone knows how to find it? Thanks
What you describe is not pandiculation. The psoas will release when you pandiculate, however. Pandiculation is nature's reset; it addresses you as a system. Remember that it's never one muscle causing your pain or discomfort. There's always a full body pattern involved.
Hi. I have a replaced hip since 26 years and I have managed to avoid replacing the other one but now feel it gets worse so I am searching for anything to avoid surgery
Hip replacements are wonderful. The surgeon fixes your structure (the worn out hip socket), yet their expertise and focus is not in helping you restore and optimize your function. Tight muscles create pressure on joints, which can wear joints out. Muscles are controlled by the brain and must be re-educated and recalibrated so they can fully release. This is what can create more space in the joints and thereby help you prevent another hip replacement.
The need for a hip replacement frequently develops due to muscle imbalance in the center of the body: due to an accident, injury, or one-sided functional habit, the muscles of the torso are tighter on one side more than the other. This is the trauma reflex. You can read more on our website about this.
I would suggest working one on one with a practitioner who can assess you properly and help you learn to release the sensory motor amnesia that is likely contributing to your muscular imbalances. You can also come to some of our online classes to have an experience of the many movements we teach (in addition to this psoas release) that can help you restore full mobility and reduce your hip pain.
I hope this is helpful!
Martha, love the video but you are going fast especially for a beginner. I wish you would consider slowing down the pace. Thank you
I'm so sorry it's too fast for you. Apologies! How about watching just a bit of it, practicing that part, then continuing on. Hopefully that can help.
@@EssentialSomatics thanks Martha. Will give it a go. It’s the pace of the instructions that catches out a beginner slow coach like me. Hopefully I’ll get adapt to it.
@Essential Somatics Hello Martha, will Pandiculation actually fix anterior pelvic tilt from tight psoas?
Yes. As I said to the last commenter, it's never one muscle causing your pain or discomfort. There's always a full body pattern involved. An anterior tilt is generally the result of a habituated green light reflex. Learning the Back Lift (among other movements) as well as this psoas release would address the fuller pattern.
There's LOADS to learn. This movement is the tip of the iceberg.
The psoas can cause calf/knee tightness?
A tight psoas can certainly contribute to calf/knee tightness. Yet, it's only part of a larger pattern - likely habituation of the Red Light or Green Light reflexes.
Hi, I have a question. Could a tense psoas muscle be the cause of a nagging pain in my thigh when I walk up the stairs. Walking down the stairs is not an issue. Thank you.
Yes, the psoas is involved in sensory motor amnesia, so it can be tight due to a tight back (green light reflex), tight abdominals (red light reflex), or an accident or one-sided injury or overuse (trauma reflex). My suspicion is that you have one side of your torso tighter than the other and you're feeling it in your thigh. I encourage you to explore more (and come to our online classes) in order to learn to release the tight muscles that are contributing to your nagging pain.
That´s great i thank you!
You're very welcome!
Hi! The exercise led to relief of the psoas; great! I wonder whether it is only meant for relief, or if we can practice this every day with the hope to stop the chronic pain? Do we need to integrate this exercise to others? If so, which ones?
It's a pretty wonderful movement, isn't it?! I do it daily as part of my movement practice. Come to some of our online classes so you can learn more about the work, the movements, and how you can incorporate them into a simple daily routine that can help you address your particular areas of sensory motor amnesia.
I really find this beneficial, thank you very much! I also have a question. Practicing yoga, I always thought that in order to release the psoas I should have stretch it (gradually). Is stretching wrong? What's the difference then between this release and the one I ve mentioned? Thank you again!!!
The difference between stretching and pandiculation is explained quite well in our RUclips video "Stretching versus Pandiculation." Stretching PULLS a muscle without reeducating it (and it doesn't work) and pandiculation involves the brain resetting your sensation, motor activity, and the length and FUNCTION of the muscle. It's a game changer!
Hello. This exercices will strengthen AND relax my psoas ? Or just relax ? What mean "release" in the other case please ?
No, this movement won't strengthen your psoas. It will teach you how to release it so your brain has more voluntary control over it. That's what pandiculation does!
What if you have sciatica?
Sciatica is a combination of tight back muscles and one side of the torso being slightly tighter than the other. The psoas release is great as part of a practice if you have sciatica, but you need to learn to release your tight back muscles as well as your waist! The Back Lift and Side Bend are wonderful for that.
I always recommend working with a skilled practitioner who can watch you move, assess you, and guide you through a clinical lesson and somatic movements that can restore full and comfortable movement. You can find our practitioners on our website here: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/
I hope this helps!