Muscular Tension

Paying attention to physical signals can deepen body awareness and make movement more responsive. Mobility practice can be used to listen to the body rather than treating stiffness only as mechanical. The drill calls for creating tension as if trying to hold in gas. The contraction should be squeezed and maintained throughout the drill. The upper-back opening movement is performed while maintaining the squeeze. Hip or back tightness may have an emotional component. The article cautions that not every sensation has a definite emotional cause.