Many of us are not flexible. The common recommendation is to stretch more as a cure for tight, stiff or aching muscles. Wikipedia defines stretching as follows: “Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately expanded and flexed...” There are many techniques for stretching and it can be dangerous when performed incorrectly. Instability, permanent damage to the tendons, ligaments and muscle fibers can be the result. There must be a better way to maintain mobility and a healthy range of motion!
Think about a rope with a knot in it. What happens when you pull on the rope? The knot becomes even tighter. To pull the knot apart, the rope must be relaxed and slack. Pandiculation is a similar approach. You are taught to soften and release the muscles so that the muscle can lengthen. You learn how to sense your muscle tension and how to work with your body to resolve it. My students will often hear me advice on reducing the effort or making the movement smaller if a student experiences discomfort. This approach makes pandiculation inherently safe.
Pandiculation involves conscious flexing followed by gradual releasing and relaxation, therefore engaging the brain to reset the resting length of muscles and making it easier to maintain comfortable movement.
There are three stages of pandiculation:
1. You sense the tension and voluntarily contract your muscle a little bit more, like turning on the light switch. This provides sensory feedback to the brain and helps connect to the targeted muscle.
2. Following is a mindful and deliberately slow release of the muscle. It is a more passive movement of letting go, like gently dialing down the volume of your music. This allows the brain to restore control of the muscle and establish a new resting muscle tone.
3. The last stage is a deep breath cycle or two, completely relaxing the muscles. This allows the brain to process new stimulation and feedback.
The root cause of chronic muscle tension is addressed through Somatics. Pandiculations are coordinated whole body movements that target specific muscles but connect them to the whole body. Traditional stretching often works with a muscle in isolation with little to no instructions on how the rest of the body should move to accommodate the stretch.
Pandiculation provides a safe, effective, whole-body method for improving your range of motion and reduces chronic tension. The body is not pushed or pulled into specific poses or into submission. For more information on how to work with me please refer to my website
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