In Somatic Experiencing, we pay attention to how the nervous system is naturally pendulating—moving from higher states of activation as found in fight, flight, or freeze to the lower activation states found while resting, relaxing, or socializing. As clinicians, we are always exploring how fluidly a client’s system can move between these two states. Does it get stuck anywhere along the way? Does it shift immediately to extremes? Does it shift at all?
This pendulation idea is important because in life we are continually tasked with moving into higher states of arousal and stress (think about how you feel on Mopac during rush hour!) and then shifting back into more restful states (now think of the feeling as you pull into your driveway, Mopac but a memory). In our modern culture, most of us tend to get a little stuck in the high stress states. Then we can’t take advantage of R & R time as effectively—until we find a way to downshift into it. Some of us become so stuck that we live with non-stop high activation and, as a result, struggle with anxiety, depression, and the range of other mood and health issues that can result.
I was recently in a Bodywork and Somatic Education training with Dave Berger, a master Somatic Experiencing trainer, physical therapist and psychotherapist. During the workshop he recommended interval training to help even a stuck a nervous system to pendulate more fluently. I’ve been incorporating interval training in my running practice ever since and have felt some great results.
During interval training, we bring the body into a state of high arousal or stress by choice (essentially mimicking a fight or flight state) for a brief period of time. Then we downshift to a more restful and relaxed state, tracking our sensations as we do. Then we do it all again. And again.
You don’t have to be a hardcore athlete to benefit from interval training. If you already have some sort of somewhat regular fitness practice—walking, hiking, dancing, swimming, bicycling, yoga, really any kind of movement that can be modulated to increase or decrease the intensity—it can work for you. If you don’t have much movement in your life right now, I recommend building that practice first for several weeks before trying interval training. And of course, if you are new to exercise or have health issues, it’s a always good idea to consult your physician before starting any new program.
Here’s what to do:
1. Warm up in your usual way but add orienting—let yourself look around your environment and notice some details that you haven’t let yourself take the time to see before. Notice any other people near you. Notice the colors, the textures, the sounds of your environment.
2. Start your first interval. Increase you speed and/or intensity of you physical exertion all the way to 10 on an intensity scale of 1 to 10. Stay at this level of output for 30 seconds to two full minutes. Expect that this will be difficult. It is!
3. Observe yourself. As you move, track your inner sensations. Notice all the sensations of your body gearing up for fight or flight. You will feel your respiration and heart beat ramp up. You also may feel tension in the jaw, muscular activity around the shoulders, a fixed gaze of determination or other markers of fight or flight. Just notice all of those.
4. Work to your own edge. If you can’t quite make it to 30 seconds, that’s OK. Just work until you feel you are really pushing the limit of what you can do…and then see if you can hang in there just another couple seconds.
5. Downshift! After no more two minutes at highest output, drop the intensity A LOT—to about a 2 or a 3 on your intensity scale. Keep moving, but with ease. Feel your physiology recovering. Track all the different sensations as your respiration quiets, and your fight or flight-like sensations release. You’ll stay at a 2 or a 3 on your intensity scale for 5 to 6 full minutes.
6. Re-Orient! This is an important step. Don’t skip it!! After a couple of minutes, start to let yourself look around your environment again. Notice new details of what’s around you. Notice people you close by, if there are any.
7. Repeat steps 2 and 3 several more times. I try to incorporate three to four intervals during my routine run. See how you respond and find the number of intervals that feels right for you.
Remember: This way of moving is a tonic to the nervous system; it should feel good to your body to do this. It may not feel awesome during the high intensity part of the interval, but it might actually feel awesome during the low intensity interval. Certainly after your workout, you can expect to feel more revitalized, more buoyant, and calm but alert.
Troubleshooting: If you aren’t feeling this way or if you aren’t feeling really much change at all after your workout, it could be that:
-You are overdoing it. Especially if you feel more stressed after this practice, chances are good you are staying in the high intensity stage of the interval for too long. If it’s your tendency to overwork, you may be susceptible to doing so with this exercise. Hey, here’s another opportunity to correct that pattern and do something loving for yourself by taking it a little bit easier. Try shorter high intensity periods, or only go to 8 or 9 on your intensity scale during high output.
-You are underdoing it. It may be that all the sensations during the higher intensity intervals are overwhelming for you, so you are cutting that stage short to avoid that experience. Unfortunately, you also aren’t staying in the intensity long enough to trigger a pendulation. Your task will be to “befriend” these high intensity sensations little by little, with added emphasis on the “little by little!” For your first interval, stay at max output until you notice the impulse to drop out. Next time, notice all you can about what these high intensity sensations are like and see if you can stay with them a little longer after the impulse to drop out arises—about two or three full breaths. Don’t add any more time until you can stay in high output for this long with little or no overwhelm.
-It’s just not the strategy for you. That’s OK. We are all different, and while this works for a lot of folks, it just may not fit your body, your nervous system, your life right now. Give it a few tries and if it doesn’t help, let it go! Kudos for trying something new—and then a second kudos for listening to yourself and letting go of what’s not serving you!
Leave a Reply