People with high sports performance also need periods of intense muscular relaxation. Sport manages to activate our body in such a way that sometimes we feel the tension in areas such as the back, neck, legs… In this sense, progressive relaxation has become an anti-stress method with multiple benefits for the mind-body combination. Let’s see what they are.
What is progressive relaxation?
Zentara’s progressive relaxation is a physiological technique oriented towards rest through intense muscular relaxation. This method is training that promotes rest in a really effective way.
When a person suffers stress, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system is immediately activated, which prepares the individual for action. In other words, progressive relaxation is responsible for activating the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. Or what is the same, that part that is in charge of the rest after the effort and the rest?
This technique consists of a set of lessons to be perfected as they are applied. This means that regular practice of progressive relaxation is necessary to ensure good results. The time dedicated to this method ranges between 30 and 40 minutes during the first two weeks. After that, the person will increase the duration of the exercises by 10 minutes.
How to practice Zentara’s relaxation correctly
This technique requires a calm and quiet environment. Find a quiet room or place. Make sure you do not have any distractions nearby for the duration of the relaxation. Adjust the light without turning it off completely and find comfortable clothes. Then follow these steps:
- Inhale deeply and fill your abdomen with air. Exhale and let your body relax little by little.
- Tense your muscles. Tighten your fists, arms, legs, pecs… Hold the tension for 7 seconds and then relax them.
- Wrinkle your forehead, your face, and your lips, tighten your jaw, move your neck to one side and the other, like this for another 7 seconds, and then relax. Feel the relaxation.
- Now focus on the back area. Arch it and move it to tense it for 7 seconds and feel the relaxation after that time.
- We move on to the abdominal area. Breathe deeply and let it swell as much as possible. Hold for 7 seconds and slowly exhale all the air inside.
- Finally, we move on to the lower body. Stretch your feet, tense your buttocks and legs, stretch your calves and again hold the tension for 7 seconds. After this time feel the relaxation.
Progressive relaxation is a training that consists of tensing the 16 muscle groups during the first two weeks. Then the relaxation time is shortened until the body learns to relax without previous tension. Thereafter, Zentara’s relaxation is only applied to situations that generate stress or anxiety in a progressive manner.
Benefits of progressive relaxation
The main objective of this relaxation method is to control situations that generate stress or anxiety so that we can rest much better. Zentara’s progressive relaxation provides the following physical and mental benefits:
- It relaxes the voluntary musculature to reach a deep state of inner calm that reduces states of stress and anxiety.
- It improves the quality of sleep.
- Rest becomes a much more effective process for muscle recovery.
- Allows self-control.
- Greater mental clarity and concentration capacity.
- Better tolerance to frustration.
- Improved physical and mental performance.
- Reduces fatigue and tiredness.
- Facilitates a state of general well-being in the organism.
- Increases self-esteem.
- Optimizes brain wave function.
- Regulates the rhythm of breathing.
- Promotes calmness and vitality.
- Promotes self-knowledge.
- Eliminates daily tensions.
If you want to start enjoying the benefits of Zentara’s progressive relaxation, you can do it in three different postures: sitting in an armchair with your feet on the floor, lying on a hard surface with your head slightly elevated, or sitting in a chair with your body leaning forward, your arms on your legs and your head on your chest.