PMR RELAXATION EXERCISE SCRIPT Back up to relaxation page
 
Aim  The aim is to become practised at relaxation and familiar with the feeling. As you get better able to relax deliberately, you will be able to relax more selectively and more quickly in competition and stress situations. Relaxation skill development will also aid development of concentration skills and body awareness.
 
Principle  This exercise is based on a progressive muscular relaxation, using a light tensioning followed by two relaxation steps, synchronised with breathing, for each part of the body. That is, for each muscle set, the instructions go something light "tense slightly as you breathe in, then as you breathe out, 'let go'. maintaining relaxation, breathe in again evenly and, as you breathe out again, 'let go' again." In the script, the pause "....." leaves time for you to synchronise with your breathing.
 
Preparation 

You should be in reasonably comfortable and familiar surroundings, without distractions. The exercise is intended for a sitting position. An armchair is ideal. If not, sit comfortably with both hands in your lap. You will need to keep up this exercise 2-3 times a week. The exercise is intended to take about ten minutes; the times given are approximate guides for pacing. The script is written for someone to read; a partner, coach or your own voice on tape should work. But once you've looked at it and got the idea, you can almost certainly step through it without reading it. .

 
Completion  At the end of the exercise, take a few moments to 'wake up' yourself and your muscles by moving and stretching hands, arms fingers and toes etc. to return normal circulation before standing up.
Caution: If you stand up too quickly, you may fall over. The slow blood flow and low heart rate you just generated may cause dizziness or faintness.
 
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The Script
Time
min:sec
(Times are only a rough guide to pacing the exercise)
Start Sitting comfortably, ease into regular, even breathing. As you do so, notice the feel of the seat supporting your body.... feel the weight of your feet against the floor....., your arms resting on their support...., the light, comfortable balance of your head on your spine...., the gentle rise and fall of your shoulders as you breathe in... and out....
1:00 ... now ease your attention to your face.... as you breathe in, frown slightly, feeling your forehead contract.... and as you breathe out, let go of the tension..... breathe in... and again, let the tension flow away...
1:30 and gently close your jaw, feeling your teeth connect... the muscles at the side of your face... and breathe the tension away.... and again....let the tension go, and feel your face relax as you breathe ....
2:30 ...and move on to your shoulders... breathing in, hold your shoulders back... and as you breathe out, let them relax.... and again, relax
.. and now let your upper arms take on a very little of the weight of your forearms, and as your breathe out evenly, let your arms' weight subside onto their supports... and again, feel the weight taken by the supports...
3:30 ... and now draw your fingers into your palms.... and let them go as you breathe out......and again...let go.... feeling the deep relaxation in your upper body... and your arms...
4:30 ..and moving down to your buttocks, smoothly add a trace of tension as you inhale... and breathe the tension out and away.... and again, feel the tension flow away....
... and move attention gently to your thighs, tensing the muscles smoothly as you breathe in... and relaxing as you exhale... and relax again as you exhale next breath.... and feel the relaxation deepen ...
6:00 ... and gently press your toes on the floor as you inhale... and ease off as you exhale... and again, ease away the tension....
7:00 ... and feel the deep relaxation through your body as you breathe..., in...., and out...., in..... and out........
8:00 ... and move your attention back to your face, as you breathe out, let the last traces of tension slide away.... and again....
  .. and down... to your shoulders and arms... feel the tension sliding away as you breathe evenly ....
8:30 ... and so down to your legs, feeling the relaxation deepen with your regular, even breathing ......
9:30 ... and gently move your attention outwards... to the sounds around you.... to the sights around you.... and gently ease your arms into motion as you stretch... and begin to sit up .... and gently stretch and 'wake up' your feet and hands, arms and legs ....
 
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