Progressive Relaxation Exercise



The technique

Relaxation exercises tend to be classified as either mental or physical. Mental relaxation techniques generally involve visualisation and are commonly used in therapeutical situations and even many spiritual traditions.
Musicians tend to spend enough time in their heads so I prefer physical exercises such as this one. Importantly for the rest of the program it begins the process of focusing on specific areas of your body.
It is called a progressive relaxation exercise because you gradually progress through your body, first relaxing your face and head and moving down to your feet. You need to start by getting your breathing steady. The basic breathing technique is to fill your lungs up all the way to the bottom. When your diaphragm contracts it pulls the lungs down and pushes the lower abdomen out, as if the air was filling your belly. Take a few deep breaths so that your belly rises with the inhalation and falls with the exhalation, keep your upper body relatively still, especially around your shoulders, you don't want the secondary respiratory muscles to work here.
The basic technique is simple. You work through different parts of your body, clenching as your breathe in, hold for 3 seconds and relaxing as you breathe out, repeat a few times and move on to the next one, the full sequence is below. Just try this first, with your hands making a fist is probably easiest.

The full body relaxation exercise

To start with you need to get comfortable, lie on a bed with a pillow under your knees to take the strain off your back and a small cushion or towel rolled up under your neck to support the natural curve in your cervical spine.

  • Start by getting on contact with your breathe. Allow your abdomen to rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out. When you feel like you’re in a rhythm move on. If you're finding it difficult don't stress, just do the rest of the exercise and it'll come to you eventually.
  • Shut your eyes tight, count to 3 and relax.
  • Open your mouth as far as you can, again count to 3 before closing it again.
  • Clench all of the muscles in your neck, count to 3 and relax.
  • Pause for a few seconds and just allow yourself to breathe.
  • Raise your shoulders up toward your ears, feeling the muscles at the top of your shoulder contract (upper trapezius and levator scapula), count to 3 and relax.
  • Pull both shoulders forward to close your chest, feeling your pectoral muscles contract, count to 3 and relax
  • Now pull both shoulders back, squeezing the two scapula together so that the rhomboid muscles between your scapula and spine contract, count to 3 and relax.
  • Push your arms down into the bed feeling the muscles at the back of your upper arm contract (triceps). Count to 3 and relax.
  • Clench the muscles in the front of your upper arm (biceps). Count to 3 and relax.
  • Clench both fists and feel your forearm, hands and fingers all tighten. Count to 3 and let it go.
  • Pause again.
  • Clench your abdominal muscles, not enough to pull your upper body up off the bed, but almost. Again count to 3 and relax.
  • Push your upper back down into the bed feeling the muscles all the way up your back contract. Count to 3 and relax.
  • Clench the muscles in your buttocks, count to 3 and relax.
  • Pause again.
  • Straighten your legs as hard as you can, feeling the muscles at the front of your thigh (quadriceps) contracting. Count to 3 and relax.
  • Push your heels down into the bed and be aware of the tension in the back of your thighs (hamstrings). Count to 3 and relax.
  • Point your toes to the floor and feel the muscles at the back of your calf contract (soleus and gastrocnemius). Count to 3 and relax.
  • Flex your ankles, pointing your toes up toward your head. Muscles at the front of your calf, on the outside of your shin (the anterior compartment) will contract. Count to 3 and relax.
  • Spread your toes and point them up toward your head, feeling muscles in your feet and the front of your calf contract. Count to 3 and relax.
  • Curl up your toes, feeling the tension in your feet and the back of your calf. Again count to 3 and relax.
  • Breathe and lie there for as long as you like.
  • When you’re ready to finish, focus on the back of your head, your back, buttocks and the back of your legs. Feel the contact with the bed and how heavy you feel.
  • Slowly wriggle your fingers and toes, move your arms legs and shoulders. Gently allow your body to unwind and peel yourself off your bed.
  • Take a few breaths and focus on your lower abdomen, be aware of the breath rising and falling before opening your eyes.