Today I induced trembling unintentionally.
I’m reading The 4-Hour Body. I was feeling achy in my lower back this morning and decided to try some exercises I read about last week. The Egoscue Method is a postural therapy program with 24 clinics worldwide. Tim Ferriss, the author, was skeptical but tried a session, walking out after 90 minutes with no pain in his mid-back for the first time in six months.
He recommends six exercises for desk-dwellers’ postural imbalances.
If you have the book, I’m talking about pages 302-306.
The last exercise of the six is called the “air bench”. It’s like Exercise 6a of the trauma releasing exercises.
- Stand with back against a wall, feet and knees hip width apart, feet straight ahead.
- Walk your feet out as you slide your back down the wall. Stop when your knees are bent 90 degrees. Ankles should be slightly ahead of knees. Lower back is flat against the wall. Keep the weight in your heels.
- Hold for two minutes.
Aargh, it’s hard work! I bring my attention to my breath and breathe slowly, deeply, and smoothly. Otherwise, I’d be moaning.
When I finished, I lay on my yoga mat and did Exercise 6b, on my back, soles pressed together, knees as wide as possible, sacrum elevated two inches.
Then I immediately relaxed and put my soles flat on the floor and trembled, shook, and quivered for 20 minutes! It was a very good session, with lots of releasing. Both shoulders released, separately.
Nothing new to report except that I seem to be experiencing less intense shaking in my legs. I don’t shake as hard.
I wonder if there’s a point when you’ve done these exercises enough that you only shake mildly and for a short time.
That will be the blessed day…
Anyway, I’m going to try doing just Exercises 6a and 6b to find out if they alone can induce shaking. Next time!
The Well: bodymindheartspirit 
Hi MaryAnn, How you doing with your ‘shaking’ ? I too have been experimenting with the TRE for a few months now. I have also tried various variations that I have made up…some times I have tremored by taking short cuts, and sometimes not. These last 3 weeks I haven’t done anything… i think I am losing interest because even when I try my best to do the set up as well and as properly as i can, I really battle to get any tremors started….too much work for very little results it seems to me.
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Hello, Martie! Good to see you back here! I have slacked off a little from what I intended to do in March, but the month’s not over yet. Does it feel like you are trying too hard? If that’s the case, just do TRE when you can, but with an attitude of not taking it too seriously. The attitude is more important than how often. Do the exercises and welcome any trembling you get rather than focus on whether you’re doing them right. When you talk to yourself about doing these, be patient and gentle and encouraging. Try doing them right after vigorous exercise and hold Exercise 6A an extra minute. I think you’ve inspired another blog post, when I have time to write it. Thank you for commenting.
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I just found your blog – it’s 3:30 am and another night of ongoing shaking. I have the opposite problem as the other poster – I can’t stop the shaking. The more I do TRE the more shaking I get – in more places and more often. Now even during the day. This all started when I entered treatment for PTSD four months ago. I started having jerking legs in my sleep. On my own I found TRE and have been doing it at least a month now. I want to find a practitioner to work with because I’m wondering if I’m not getting the “release.” I shake for at least 45 minutes and could go on – I have to make myself stop. And then it happens again often on its own at night. It’s unbearable. I’ve even tried some medications to calm it at night. The last one started to help but now doesn’t seem to be.
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Sue, I think it would be really wise for you to contact a trained TRE practitioner. I am not trained, although I’m considering it, and unsure at present how to fit the training in with everything else going on in my life.
Check out this list: http://traumaprevention.com/2010/06/09/certified-tre-practitioners-in-the-united-states/
After reading the book and watching the video, if you still have questions not addressed, you can send them to howtodoTRE@traumaprevention.com.
It seems best if you can find a place where you can induce shaking to release tension and afterwards feel “cleaned out” — kind of like being good-tired and very refreshed.
Please email me privately if you’d like to talk more.
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