DailyOM: How is somatic stretching different from traditional stretching?
Sadie: Exercise science tells us that long-held static stretching doesn't work well to create lasting flexibility, and it can even hurt you. Static stretching is what most of us commonly think of as stretching, where you're holding still, feeling your muscles and joints stretch out. But studies show that holding passive, static stretches can in fact make you tighter. This is because of something in your muscles called the "stretch reflex" which sounds awesome but really isn't. Your muscles are just not that smart: they don't direct a stretch, they react to it. What this means is that when you pull on them too hard in a passive, static position, your muscles and joint reflexes send a signal to your central nervous system to stop the muscles from stretching.
Once the muscles stop stretching, they start pulling on the connective tissues at the joints every time you try to stretch for a while. If you trigger your stretch reflex in the beginning of a yoga class, which commonly happens from one straight leg forward bend or Downward Dog during the Sun Salutations in the beginning of class, you'll likely stay tighter and lose strength during the whole class. And trust me, as a lifelong yoga teacher who taught the classic "forward fold over your long legs for 10 breaths to open your hamstrings" type of stretching for years, this came as quite a shock to me.
DailyOM: So flexibility doesn't come from our muscles? Tell us more about this.
Sadie: I'm sure at this point, most everyone reading this is asking the same thing: if the old way we used to stretch doesn't work, what does? Two modalities have shown promise in studies: dynamic stretching, which is when you move while stretching, and somatic release work, which bypasses the muscles and goes straight to the source of why most people's muscles are tight at all: the brain.
Your brain has a gamma loop, a stream of messages going to your muscles all the time. It's listening to what your body does repetitively and it's keeping those muscles active and ready 24/7. This is good in a way, because it helps you get stronger and perform your regular tasks more effectively. However, if you don't also teach the gamma loop to relax those same areas, it will keep them tense. The Somatic Flexibility Technique (SFT) I created brings your body and mind into communication. Through gentle and easy moves, you can quickly retrain your brain to keep your muscles relaxed yet ready. SFT restores more full range of motion to our joints, which is what we're really looking for when we stretch.
DailyOM: How about course participants who might be working with some serious limitations due to past injuries. Is this course a good option for them?
Sadie: Absolutely. What's so powerful about somatic flexibility work is how gentle it is. People with past injuries, scar tissue, immobile or less mobile joints, or less flexible connective tissues due to aging, can all benefit from this program. I should know. I'm not only 50, but I also had a severe spinal injury in my teens that caused me a lifetime of limitations I have to care for and manage. SFT work is the best thing I've ever done to maintain my flexibility without a full range of motion in my central spinal joints, and it's working for thousands of other happy students of all body types and needs.
DailyOM: What kind of commitment will students have to make for this course?
Sadie: Each session in this course is around 10-15 minutes. That's it. One session will release a whole chain of interconnected muscles, like hamstrings, glutes, and low back. It's amazing! And once a participant goes through all the sessions, they can return to the ones they need the most. Once they retrain the gamma loop, they will need these less often, but 15 minutes spent on oneself is not too much to ask. I know I scroll social media for way more than 15 minutes a day, and most people have at least these few minutes free to dedicate to their body's holistic freedom.
DailyOM: What if people just need a certain area released? Do you still recommend they do this whole-body program?
Sadie: Our bodies are not made of single muscles that exist independently of one another. Muscles are linked together in lines, or myofascial (muscle and connective tissue) meridians that intercommunicate. For example, the soles of your feet, inner shins, inner thighs, and hip flexors all affect one another. If your hip flexors feel tight, it could be because the soles of your feet or quads are tight, and you're feeling it higher up the line.
Because of this, I recommend that even if people have a certain area where they're feeling the tension, they go through all the sessions on this program in order. The release sessions start at the feet and work their way up, so participants may be surprised at all the secret spots they find to release along the journey.
DailyOM: What would you say to those who have tried everything to release chronic muscle tension and nothing has worked? Why will your program be any different?
Sadie: This is a program unlike any other. It focuses the mind in new ways to give the student more tools in their quest to feel their best every day. This work is holistic. It unites the awareness of the student with their body. Not only are they going to release muscles more deeply than ever before, they are also going to re-educate their brain to send new messages to the muscles all day (and night) long.
With a new mindset comes greater consciousness, so people will start noticing when tension is building up. They will be able to drop into a few minutes of SFT release work, even sitting at their desks, and prevent new tightness from creeping into their muscles. My program is a new way of feeling stronger and freer in our bodies. I invite everyone to come along on this adventure with me!
DailyOM: Thanks Sadie! If you're ready to experience less muscle tension, and a whole new sense of freedom and well-being, join Sadie on this journey. Until next time, be well.
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