What is somatic exercise and why it's everywhere | Woman and Home Magazine (2024)

FAQs

What is somatic exercise and why it's everywhere | Woman and Home Magazine? ›

Somatic exercise is all about reconnecting with your body, fostering a deeper mind-body connection, and promoting overall well-being. Derived from the Greek word “soma,” meaning body, somatic exercises focus on the internal experience of movement rather than the external appearance.

Somatic movement is moving with full-body awareness, focusing more on how you're feeling rather than meeting a specific fitness goal. It's a way to connect your emotions to how you're feeling physically. When done regularly, somatic movement can benefit both the body and mind in profound ways.

Not only can somatic exercise help you strengthen muscles correctly, but it can improve mobility, balance, and coordination. But no matter the reasoning, it never hurts to tune into your body for the sake of healing—whether that's physically or mentally.

Somatic movement can indirectly help you reduce stomach fat, mainly thanks to its stress-relieving benefits. Ongoing or chronic stress can lead to cortisol-induced weight gain, which usually shows in the stomach area.

Somatic yoga is an offshoot of these therapies. A somatic yoga practice is more intuitive than a standard yoga class, which often asks you to move mechanically—flex this way, extend that way, stretch, hold, push. Somatics is about becoming more of an expert in yourself.

Another great way to incorporate somatic movement into your daily routine is taking a walk outside and taking the time to really notice your breath, become aware of each step and where you feel it in your legs and feet, and notice your posture and the sway of your shoulders.

Yoga is a classic example of a somatic activity that uses the mind-body connection to promote healing. Yoga has origins in ancient healing practices from Asia, and its original practitioners used it to help them gain insight into themselves.

SomaShare is a free app that brings practical, easy-to-follow tools and a communal space to support people in deep healing and transformation.

It's safe to practice somatic stretching daily if you're doing the technique correctly. When practicing somatic stretching, it is important to listen to your body and your personal limits, and not push any movement too far or in a way that's uncomfortable.

Slow and Gentle Movements: Unlike high-intensity workouts, somatic exercises involve slow, gentle movements designed to activate and engage specific muscles while fostering relaxation.

What is somatic yoga for over 60s? ›

Somatic Movement involves a series of specific exercises that reconnect the brain with the muscles so you can let go of tightness in the body. The movements are slow and mindful, and are performed on the floor, so your body is more comfortable and isn't fighting against gravity. No pain = more gain!

The Pilates Method can be taught as a somatic practice that encourages students to bring awareness to bodily processes such as breathing, sensing and initiating movement from the core.

The biggest principle behind somatic therapy, at least when it comes to massages, is that movement of your body is key to helping your process and release emotions. By attracting awareness to your body, you're able to create internal shifts that improve your physical and emotional well-being.

A somatic therapist helps people release damaging, pent-up emotions in their body by using various mind-body techniques. These can vary widely, ranging from acupressure and hypnosis to breathwork and dance. Other techniques are just as integral but aren't household terms.

Somatic exercises involve performing movement for the sake of movement. Throughout the exercise, you focus on your inner experience as you move and expand your internal awareness. Many types of somatic exercises exist. They include: rolfing.

As a somatic practice, the Pilates Method has been known for developing strength, flexibility and body awareness. While the Pilates Method was initially characterized by a command style of instruction, the pedagogical orientation has changed in the past few decades.

These techniques can include breathing exercises, dance, mindfulness and other body movement techniques. Somatic therapy techniques are body-focused to help us calm our nervous systems that have been overloaded by stress.