What is Somatics?
Somatics is a neuromuscular movement practice which re-educates your central nervous system.
The simple movements bring greater awareness of how your body is moving and specifically targets tight muscles. Tension in muscles can become chronic, which leads to pain, reduced movement, poor posture and compensatory movement patterns.
Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) coined by Hanna is when muscles and movements have become chronically tight, restricted and painful. The part of the brain that controls movement and muscles, the Sensory Motor Cortex has lost either full or partial control over them. You may experience this as pain or restricted movements, you may have been told that you have a weakness and need to strengthen.
Some ways in which SMA can show up;
Hip Pain
Back Pain
Sciatica
Rotator Cuff
Frozen Shoulder
TMJ issues
Knee Pain
Shoulder and neck pain
Scoliosis
Plantar fasciitis
In Somatics, which is neuromuscular retraining, you learn how to release this tension for yourself and to put you back in control of your muscles.
“One of the most striking features of Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) is that we are unconscious of muscle contraction while it is going on. It is a startling to discover that we are actively doing something without knowing it” – Thomas Hanna.
Thomas Hanna, who began Somatics, was a student of Mosche Feldenkrais. He developed Hanna Somatics Education in the 1970’s.
Hanna believes that many mobility issues presumed to be associated with old age is a myth.
“….if we are intelligently aware of our bodies and if we use positive countermeasures such as Somatic Exercises to improve our bodily self regulation, the presumed ‘inevitable effects of ageing’ will by and large, not occur”- Thomas Hanna.