Even experienced fitness trainers and exercise enthusiasts have off days. Days when the very thought of movement or doing anything at all feels overwhelming. Stress levels have been rising globally, deterring many people not only from exercise but also from hobbies they once enjoyed. We are just too tired.
Enter somatic workouts, the latest trend in the business that has captivated everyone who can relate to this scenario. The Wall Street Journal describes it as the workout that entails “doing nothing,” while noting that it has gained immense popularity.
Earlier this year, the Sydney Morning Herald predicted that these workouts have become a rage among Australia’s fitness influencers and entrepreneurs. We might just start seeing somatic workouts everywhere.
If the name sounds soothing to you, imagine what trying out this workout might achieve. We share three reasons to get started with this newest exercise and incorporate it into your rotation.
1. Learn How to Release Your Muscles
When you’re beginning a somatic workout, you will typically practice very tiny clenches and releases. Your instructor will help you learn to move naturally, even unintentionally. The attention will be on tuning in to how the movement makes your body feel. Performing it in a certain, “perfect” way is not the focus.
Everyday Health gives the example of reaching skyward or making circles with the feet. A somatic movement therapist explains that the objective is to be connected in your body and aim for pandiculation, an instinctive bodily motion in which we release our muscles. Eventually, you will learn to let go of the built-up tension in you.
For example, if you perform somatic stretching, you will find it very different from stretching in the conventional sense. It is the opposite of a standard high-intensity exercise: indeed, it may even look like napping to an onlooker.
2. Manage Age-Related Stress and Limitations
Thanks to our chaotic lifestyles, the effects of aging now manifest much earlier than before. You may feel it in your achy joints after a day spent hiking. Or an irritable mood after losing a night of sleep, when you could pull an all-nighter without fuss, only a few years ago. (Not that we recommend it, mind!)
Age-related health concerns have become a serious issue as they also limit your ability to perform your daily activities. Diminishing flexibility and knee problems mean you struggle to continue activities you used to enjoy and benefit from.
Somatic workouts can help address some of these challenges. A new study in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found that ten weeks of somatic movement intervention improved spine mobility and postural awareness in older adults. It worked especially well for the participants with a lower baseline performance.
You can consider incorporating doctor-approved somatic movements into your usual routines. For example, some of the best exercises for seniors are walking and strength training, which can increase flexibility and balance. You can incorporate somatic movements as mindful additions into these routines.
3. Vent Pent-Up Emotions
As a fitness-conscious individual, you have almost certainly experienced the high of exercise. That feeling of contentment and peace we get after a satisfying session makes the sweating and aching worthwhile.
Some studies find that somatic workouts can be an excellent way to stimulate the release of mental or emotional stress in your body. A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports confirms that different sensations triggered by exercise correlate with distinct topographies on our bodies. This means that mapping physical movements and sensations with emotional experiences can personalize the entire experience.
Accordingly, you may feel various emotions well up inside you when you practice somatic workouts. You may find releasing them (or at least dealing with them) easier. This is also why you should be cautious if you’ve experienced trauma in the past, as some people find conscious movements triggering.
On this note, here’s another word of caution: let’s not forget to distinguish between somatic workouts and therapy. The latter is a strictly therapeutic experience that needs professional instruction and guidance from a mental health counselor.
The increasing attention on somatic connections has spurred many would-be versions on social media. The New York Post discusses “Somatic Shaking,” a viral TikTok trend where people shake and jiggle away their emotional and physical tension. Those who have tried it admit it requires shedding self-consciousness and can be noisy. But some people have found it helpful.
We leave you to decide if this degree of shaking is for you.
Stress Be Gone
In a world where everyone seems to be rushing about all the time, the opportunity to pause and look inward is a blessing. That too in a workout class, without feeling guilty or judged!
We recommend giving somatic workouts a try next time you are up to experimenting with something new. You might just end up loving the chance to release and unclench, instead of having to hold on tight to all your bodily and mental stress.