Appendix B: Jacobson s Progressive Relaxation Technique | Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-Factor in Team eXcellence

Overview

Preliminary Instructions

Isolate yourself if possible
Remove contacts, eyeglasses, and distracting jewelry ; wear comfortable clothing
Sit in a comfortable position or lie down flat on your back if you prefer
Keep your eyes closed throughout the exercise (as much as you can until you've internalized the instructions) but avoid falling asleep
Tense each muscle group for 10-15 seconds (just guess don't watch a clock)
Relax each muscle group for 20-30 seconds (just guess don't watch a clock)
Allow yourself to relax (the key is for you to focus on the contrasting feelings of tension and relaxation)
Progress the focus of your relaxation from muscle group to muscle group
Do the long form (small muscle groupings) once a day for two weeks
Do the short form (large muscle groupings) once a day for four weeks

Long Form Directions

Recite the instructions in the steps below to yourself in your own words. You do not have to say them exactly as written. They are not magical words. You will be breaking your body into small muscle groups and tensing and then relaxing each group. You start with your hands; work your way up your arms; and then work from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

Relaxation of the arms (i.e., hands, fingers, wrists, forearms, biceps, triceps)

Settle back as comfortably as you can. Let yourself relax to the best of your ability. Breathe freely and gently; in and out. Now as you relax like that, clench your right fist and forearm. Clench your fist tight. Concentrate on what it feels like to tense your fist, fingers, and forearm. Hold it there for 10-15 seconds. Now relax. Let the fingers of your right hand straighten out and become loose. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation in your fist and forearm. Let yourself go and really relax all over.

Now let's do the same with your left fist. Clench your left fist while the rest of your body stays relaxed . Push the tension in your left fist, fingers, and forearm. Feel the tension there. Keep it there. Now relax. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation. Let the relaxation take over where the tension once was. Return your hands and arms to comfortable positions . Enjoy the difference. Let yourself relax.

Now bend your arms at the elbow . Put all the tension of your body in your biceps. Feel the hardness of the muscles in the upper part of your arms. Keep the tension there. Now relax. Straighten out your arms. Feel the relaxation take over where the tension was. Focus your attention on the contrast between tension and relaxation. Breathe freely and gently and continue to relax.

Now let's focus your tension in your triceps. Stretch your arms as far in front of you as you can. Feel the tension there. Feel it. Now relax. Return your arms and hands to a comfortable position. Focus your attention on the contrast between tension and relaxation. Relax your arms further and further. Even as relaxed as you feel, try to let yourself go that extra bit further. Relax deeper and deeper. Notice the comfortable heaviness that accompanies relaxation.
Relaxation of the top of your body (i.e., shoulders, neck, upper back, face, forehead, and scalp)

Let your whole body relax. Now let's focus on the top of your body. Wrinkle up your forehead and scalp. Feel tension by wrinkling up the muscles at the top of your head. Hold it there. Now relax. Feel the skin of your forehead and scalp become smoother and smoother as the relaxation takes over. Let those muscles relax. Feel the difference.

Now create tension by raising your eyebrows as high as you can without opening your eyes. Feel tension in your eyes and forehead. Feel it there. Now relax. Relax your eyes. Relax your eyebrows. Relax your forehead. Focus your mind on the contrast between tension and relaxation.

Now close your eyes tighter and tighter. Feel the tension. Don't hurt yourself but feel the tension around your eyes. Hold the tension there. Now relax. Feel how good it feels to relax your eyes. Keep your eyes closed but enjoy the sensations of relaxation.

Now create tension in the middle of your face by scrunching up your nose and pursing your lips. Push the muscles and create tension. Hold it there. Now relax. Relax your lips and nose. Let the relaxation spread over your face. Enjoy the feeling. Let yourself relax.

Now clench your jaw. Bite your teeth together. Feel the tension through your jaws and mouth. Now relax. Let your lips part slightly. Appreciate the relaxation.

Now press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Create tension in your tongue and your throat. Feel the tension there. Now relax. Let your tongue return to a comfortable position. Breathe freely and gently, in and out. Let the relaxation proceed on its own.

Let's make sure we have worked all the muscles in your face. Make the most horrendous face you can. Tense every muscle in your face and head. Feel the tension throughout the top of your being. Now relax. Let every muscle relax. Relax your face. Feel your face smooth out as the muscles let go. Treat yourself to some relaxation. You are worth it. Let yourself relax. Continue breathing freely and gently, in and out, relaxing deeper and deeper still.

Now let's attend to your neck muscles. Press your head straight back. Feel the tension in your neck. Shift the tension by moving your head forward. Press your chin down toward your chest. Feel the tension in your neck. Now relax. Return your head to a comfortable position. Focus your mind on the contrast between tension and relaxation. Enjoy the difference.

Now press your head toward your right shoulder. Feel the tension on the side of your neck. Feel it there. Now shift your head to the other side. Press it toward your left shoulder. Feel the tension on the other side of your neck. Now relax. Again return your head to a comfortable position. Allow the relaxation to take over where the tension was. Let yourself relax.

Shrug your shoulders straight up. Feel tension in your shoulders, neck, and upper back by shrugging your shoulders up. Hold the tension there. Now relax. Relax your head and face and neck and shoulders and upper back. Breathe freely and gently as the relaxation progresses. Treat yourself to some relaxation.

Create tension by shrugging your shoulders straight back. Push as if your shoulder blades were trying to touch each other. Feel the tension in your chest and shoulders and upper back. Hold the tension there. Keep it there. Now relax. Let the tension go. Let the relaxation take over where the tension was. Relax deeper and deeper. Feel the difference.

Finally, create tension by shrugging your shoulders toward your chest. Feel the tension in your chest muscles. Feel the tension in the upper part of your arms, neck, and back. Push the tension. Now relax. Return to a comfortable position. Let the relaxation spread deep into your shoulders, your back, your neck, your head and face. Continue relaxing your arms and hands. Let the whole top of your body relax. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation. As relaxed as you have become, try to let yourself go even deeper into the sensations of relaxation. Let go and enjoy as the relaxation takes over.
Relaxation of the middle section of your body (i.e., chest, stomach, lower back)

Continue relaxing your body to the best of your ability. Feel the comfortable heaviness that accompanies relaxation. Breathe freely and gently, in and out. Notice how you become more relaxed with each exhalation. Now let's contrast tension and relaxation in the area of your chest muscles. Breathe in deeply. Fill your lungs with air. Hold your breath . Feel the tension throughout your chest. Study the tension. Now relax. Exhale and let the air out of your lungs. Don't force the air out. Just let it go. Then breathe freely and gently, relaxing deeper and deeper still. After relaxing for about 20 “30 seconds, repeat this sequence. Fill your lungs again. Feel the tension in your chest for 10-15 seconds and then let it go. Relax your chest and lungs. Breathe normally now freely and gently. Enjoy the relaxation.

Now let's attend to your stomach muscles. Tighten your stomach muscles as much as you can. Make your stomach hard. Feel it there. Now relax! Let your stomach go. Feel the muscles loosen and enjoy the relaxation. Concentrate on the contrast between tension and relaxation. Now pull your stomach muscles in as far as you can. Suck your tummy in. Pull it in. Feel the tension. Now relax. Let those muscles go. Feel how good it feels to relax your stomach. Continue breathing freely and gently. Allow yourself to sink into the feelings of relaxation. Now push your stomach muscles out. Push your tummy out. Feel tension in that region of your body by pushing your stomach muscles out. Hold it there. Now relax. Breathe freely and gently. Relax your chest and stomach more and more. Relax your whole body. Don't let tension creep in anywhere . Treat yourself to deeper and deeper feelings of relaxation.

Now let's attend to your lower back. Arch up your spine so that you feel tension along the lower region around your spine. Don't hurt yourself but create tension there. Now relax. Return to a comfortable position. Let the relaxation replace the feelings of tension. Feel the difference in your body. Train yourself to notice tension vs. relaxation in the muscles. Relax the whole upper two- thirds of your body. Relax your lower back and your upper back. Relax your stomach and chest. Relax your shoulders and neck. Relax your face and head. Relax your arms and hands and fingers. Really let yourself go. Relax further and further, deeper and deeper. Treat your body to some deep relaxation.
Relaxation of the lower section of your body (i.e., hips, buttocks, thighs, calves, ankles, feet, toes)

Now let's attend to the remaining parts of your body. Flex your buttocks and thighs. Flex your thighs by pressing your heels to the floor as hard as you can. Feel the tension there. Now relax. Let the relaxation proceed on its own. Contrast the difference between tension and relaxation. Now create tension in your thighs by straightening your knees. Stretch your legs out in front of you. Feel the tension in the upper portion of your thighs. Hold the tension. Now relax. Relax your thighs and buttocks. Allow yourself to relax.

Now let's attend to your calf and feet muscles. Create tension by pulling your toes toward your head. Pull them up. Feel the tension in your calves and ankles and arches and toes. Hold it there. Now relax. Return to a comfortable position. Relax your legs. Relax your feet and calves. Once more create tension this time by lifting your feet and pressing your toes down and away from your body. Feel the tension in your arches and toes and shins. Feel the tension there. Now relax. Return to a comfortable position and really let yourself go. Enjoy the experience of total body relaxation. Feel the relaxation all over. Relax your toes and ankles and feet. Relax your shins and calves and thighs. Relax the whole lower third of your body. Relax your back and stomach and chest. Relax your shoulders and neck and face. Relax your arms and hands and fingers. Keep relaxing more and more deeply. Make sure no tension has crept back into any muscle group. Keep relaxing like that for a while. Treat yourself to total body relaxation.

Cue Conditioning

As relaxed as you have become, you can become twice as relaxed by merely taking in a deep breath and slowly exhaling like a sigh. Do this and as you exhale say the word calm to yourself as you let the air go. Take a deep breath in and then let out that sigh very slowly but without using any tension to hold the air back calm. Do this three times, each time taking air in and then slowly sighing out the word calm to yourself.

Feel how relaxed you have become. See how you can relax yourself. Enjoy the calm, relaxed, but alert feelings of relaxation. Enjoy the feelings as long as you want but, when you are done, count backward from four to one in your head. When you reach one, open your eyes and feel refreshed, alert, wide awake, and calm.

Short Form Directions

Use the short form after you have done the long form for two weeks. This will have allowed your body to consciously detect physiological cues in your muscles distinguishing tension from relaxation. The short form involves dividing your body into the four muscle group areas described above. You tense all the muscles in each group for 10-15 seconds and then relax them for a full 30 seconds. Repeat this twice for each muscle group. Finish the exercise by doing the deep sighs to your cue conditioning word. Do this short form once a day for four weeks. You have now trained your body to relax very deeply. You should still conduct a "booster session" for yourself from time to time, especially after particularly stressful days. It is best to use the long form for these booster sessions.