10 Common Misconceptions About Somatic Exercises

Somatic exercises are for everyone. They invite you to listen to your body, tune into its sensations, and connect with your emotions. Despite the benefits, somatic movement is often misunderstood. This article busts the most common myths about somatic exercises.

Are somatic exercises only for people with injuries or chronic pain?

While somatic exercises are incredibly effective for easing pain and supporting recovery, the benefits of somatic exercise extend far beyond that. Everyone can benefit from somatic exercises. They can help you improve your posture, flexibility, overall movement quality, and quality of life. You can use somatic exercises to focus on subtle, intentional movements, which help you regulate your nervous system and release tension. You also become more aware of how your muscles contract and extend, helping you prevent injuries before they happen. It’s like a built-in body awareness system that strengthens you from the inside out.

Do you need to be flexible to do somatic exercises?

Flexibility is one of the benefits you gain from somatic exercises, but you don’t need to be flexible to begin. I often have students come to me and say they can’t do yoga because they aren’t flexible. I think that’s like saying, “I can’t lift weights because I’m not strong.” You practice yoga and somatic movement to become flexible; you lift weights to become strong. The beauty of somatic movements is that they meet you where you’re at. You can tailor them to your level. You have to start somewhere, and flexibility is a practice like anything else. Some people may be naturally more flexible than others, but everyone can benefit from flexibility training. Whether you’re feeling stiff or already have a yoga-like range of motion, somatic exercises guide you gently toward greater mobility. The beauty of this practice lies in its adaptability. You work within your current range, gradually expanding it without pushing or forcing.

Are somatic exercises just stretches?

Somatic exercises aren’t just stretches. What sets them apart is their focus on breath and total body awareness. These are mindful movements that emphasize the internal experience of your body. Instead of concentrating on how your body looks, you tune into how it feels, moving with intention and listening to your inner guide.

While somatic movements often involve stretching, they go deeper by addressing root issues and unlocking your potential. This approach creates long-lasting changes. I’ve worked with athletes who used to stretch for sports. When they started practicing yoga and connecting their breath to the muscles they were opening, it transformed their experience. One wrestler I taught recognized many of the moves from his pre-tournament stretches but had never used his breath to deepen them. That small change made all the difference.

Somatic exercises are gentle, slow, and intentional. They focus on what feels good and relaxing, rather than pushing you past the point of pain or discomfort. Growing up as a dancer, I had teachers who encouraged us to stretch far beyond what was safe. In contrast, somatic movements combine stretching with breathwork, awareness, visualization, and insight. This intentional approach supports your health, well-being, and deeper connection to yourself.

Is it true that somatic exercises don’t build strength or fitness?

Somatic exercises don’t aim to build strength or fitness directly, but they focus on improving your mind-body connection — and this makes you stronger and fitter in everything you do.

One of the biggest myths about yoga is that people don’t expect it to deliver such an incredible full-body workout. I still remember my very first yoga class. I was sweating buckets, and it wasn’t even in a heated room! Yoga challenges your entire body with poses that demand strength, stamina, and focus. Other somatic practices, like Pilates, also build strength, endurance, and fitness in unique ways.

Practices like yoga, dance, Tai Chi, and Pilates reveal strength you might not even realize you have. I’ve never met a “weak” dancer. Their strength, balance, and body awareness always amaze me. Even adding a little somatic dance movement to your week can boost your strength, flexibility, and overall fitness.

When you hold a plank, balance in Tree Pose, or engage your core during Pilates, you actively build strength. Somatic movement makes strength training more intentional.

Do you need special equipment to do somatic exercises?

You don’t need special equipment to practice somatic exercises! These gentle, mindful movements work anywhere — no fancy gear, specific clothing, or shoes required. For the most basic warm-ups, all you need is

• A comfortable place to sit or lie down.
• A yoga mat or large towel (optional but helpful).
• Your body, breath, and a willingness to move.

That’s it! The simplest movements often deliver the most profound changes. Start with what you have and build from there. As you grow more familiar with your practice, you might choose to invest in small props, but every exercise works perfectly with just your body. You can explore a wide range of movements without any tools:

• Body scans and breathing exercises
• Bodyweight strength exercises like planks, pushups, and core movements
• Guided visualizations and progressive muscle relaxation
• A good pair of comfortable, supportive shoes is all you need for mindful walking
• Pilates and yoga
• Tai Chi and other martial arts

Are somatic exercises too easy to be useful?

Somatic movements may appear simple at first glance, but they require a tremendous amount of awareness. In a world filled with distractions, tuning into your body on such a deep level presents a unique challenge. While you may not be lifting the heaviest weights or running the fastest, somatic exercises teach you to:

• Align your body for proper form when lifting weights or performing other physical activities.
• Improve mobility and flexibility in your joints, which enhances balance and coordination and supports healthy backs, hips, and shoulders.
• Walk and run with good posture, naturally increasing your cardiovascular endurance while avoiding injuries.

For me, somatic movement is tougher than anything else I’ve ever done. It often involves unlearning or repatterning lifelong habits, which can feel daunting. Listening to your body on such a deep level can make you feel vulnerable. It requires you to let your guard down and remove the walls you’ve built over time. Opening yourself up like this can be intimidating but also deeply transformative.

Somatic movement challenges the outdated “no pain, no gain” mindset. You don’t need to push your body to its limits to see results. Instead, holistic movement nurtures your entire body, giving it the love and understanding it truly needs. This approach reduces the risk of overdoing it or ending up sidelined by injuries. Even professional athletes use somatic exercises to improve performance and manage stress. These practices:

• Increase body awareness, which allows for more efficient and effort[1]less movement.
• Reduce muscle tension, easing both physical strain and mental stress.
• Retrain reactions to stress, helping athletes perform better under pressure.

Do you need a class or teacher to practice somatics?

You don’t need a class or a teacher to practice somatic movements. The goal is to look inward and start paying attention to your body, and you can do that on your own. Once you learn some basic moves, you’re free to experiment, adjust, and discover what works best for you.

Classes or teachers can enhance your experience if you want to explore deeper techniques or gain new insights, but they aren’t required. Somatic Exercises For Dummies offers step-by-step instructions and plenty of exercises to help you get started right away. Somatic movement is about trusting yourself and connecting with your body, and that’s something you can do anywhere, anytime, without anyone else.

Is it true that somatic exercises aren’t scientifically proven?

Somatic exercises have a long history. Yoga dates back 5,000 years, Tai Chi has been practiced for thousands of years, and Joseph Pilates introduced his method in the early 1900s. These practices wouldn’t have remained so popular if they didn’t work.

Modern science supports aspects of somatic movement, especially meditation and mindfulness. Research shows that meditation improves mental health, enhances sleep, reduces pain, lowers blood pressure, sharpens focus and memory, and fosters emotional resilience. It also increases compassion and interoceptive awareness — your ability to sense what’s happening inside your body — and supports better decision-making. Somatic exercises incorporate these elements of mindfulness and meditation by combining movement with breath and focused awareness. Instead of avoiding sensations, you embrace and fully experience them.

Are somatic exercises different from yoga?

Yoga is one type of somatic movement, but if yoga doesn’t resonate with you, plenty of other options exist. Practices like Pilates, the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, and dance may share some similarities with yoga, but they are distinct in their methods and goals. When I first started teaching yoga in the 90s, I was often asked to substitute for Pilates classes. That curiosity led me to pursue a Pilates certification, and I discovered how different it is from yoga.

Other forms of somatic movement, such as mindful walking, shaking-it-off exercises, body scans, and meditation are also unique from yoga. While yoga classes can be taught in a somatic way, some styles focus more on achieving specific poses (asanas) and breathing techniques.

Is awareness enough when practicing somatics?

Somatic awareness is an essential first step, but it’s not enough to create real transformation. Awareness gives you the insight to recognize your patterns, but change happens when you turn that insight into action. This is where many people mistakenly think somatic exercises are too easy or not challenging enough to produce real results.

Somatic practices help you acknowledge what holds you back, both mentally and physically. By becoming more aware, you can take deliberate, mindful action, creating a ripple effect of positive change. Awareness leads to action, and action sparks motivation. As you integrate these steps into your life, you’ll feel inspired to keep evolving and uncovering your full potential.