5 Simple Somatic Stretches for Beginners
If you’re curious about somatic stretching, here are five beginner-friendly somatic exercises to try. Warren recommends doing each for about five minutes and repeating them daily, to build awareness of how your muscles feel and potentially reap the cumulative benefits of releasing tension.
1. Standing Awareness
Before you do any other somatic stretches, Warren recommends simply standing and bringing awareness to various muscles in your body. Stand up straight with your feet rooted and notice how your feet grip the floor, she says. Try to contract and release those foot muscles. Take deep breaths and notice how your abdominal muscles expand and contract, bringing awareness to how this feels. Finally, scan your body from top to bottom, noticing how your different muscles feel, and especially any areas of tension.
2. Hang Your Head
Stand up straight, with your feet rooted on the floor, Keator says. Slowly hang your head, letting it fall as far down as it will comfortably go. As you do, notice how the muscles in your neck are feeling. Also notice how that neck movement has affected nearby muscles, joints, and tissues, like those in your shoulders and upper back. Identify an area that feels tense (for example, the back of your neck), and really explore (think about) how that tension feels. Notice how it feels to settle into the stretch. Try to release some of the tension you feel.
3. The Arch and Flatten
If you experience back pain, Warren recommends the arch and flatten, which allows you to release and then regain control of the muscles in your lower back and abdominals. It’s a slow movement done lying on the floor. Position feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart with knees bent. Take a deep breath, noticing how the muscles in your lower back and abdominals move as you do. Gently arch your back, bringing your belly upward and pressing your glute muscles and feet into the floor. Stay here for as long as feels comfortable. Then, slowly lower your back and flatten it against the floor. Repeat the movement very slowly, scanning the muscles in your torso for any tension and trying to release it. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do the movement.
4. Iliopsoas Exercise
The iliopsoas is the muscle group that attaches your spine to your legs, and many of us hold lots of tension in it. This progression brings awareness to these muscles and the muscles surrounding them, so you’re better able to release that tension, Warren says. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your right hand behind your head. Gently lift your head as you simultaneously lift your right leg, keeping it bent, about 6 inches off the floor. (This should look a bit like you’re doing a crunch with just one side of your body.) Scan the muscles in your lower back, hips, and legs for tension, and notice how they feel. Gently lower your leg and head. Do the same thing, this time straightening your leg slightly as you lift. Repeat these motions slowly and gently several times, then do the same on the other side. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do the movement.
5. Carpal Tunnel Exercise
If you spend large portions of the day typing on a computer or other device, this exercise may help release tension that may be building in your waist, shoulders, chest, hands, and wrists, Warren says. To do this exercise, lie on your left side with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle out in front of you and your head resting on your left arm (it can be bent or straight). Place your right hand on the ground, resting your upper arm on your body with your elbow bent at roughly a 90 degree angle. Move your right arm up and around your head, so that your right hand is near your left ear and your elbow points straight up. Gently guide your head up to the ceiling with your hand so that the right side of your waist contracts. (This is like a side crunch.) Notice those muscles contracting. When you’re ready, release and move your head back down as slowly as you can. Repeat this once. With your right elbow facing to the ceiling, gently roll onto your back with your right arm behind your head. Bring your left arm out to the side. Crunch your right arm, right shoulder, and head upward and toward the left side of your body. Release and lower your head and shoulder as slowly as possible. Repeat all these movements on the other side. Watch Warren’s video to see how to do this sequence.
