Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE): Understanding the Seven Foundational Movements

What are the exercises for TRE?

The exercises for Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) are a specific sequence of seven movements designed to gently fatigue the lower body muscles, primarily the psoas, to activate the body's natural neurogenic tremor mechanism, thereby releasing chronic tension and stored stress or trauma.

Understanding Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE)

Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE), developed by Dr. David Berceli, are a self-help modality designed to release deep muscular patterns of stress, tension, and trauma. Unlike conventional fitness exercises aimed at building strength or endurance, TRE exercises are a preparatory sequence. Their purpose is to gently fatigue specific muscle groups, particularly in the legs and pelvis, to trigger a natural, involuntary shaking or tremoring response in the body. This neurogenic tremor is believed to be the body's innate mechanism for calming the nervous system and discharging accumulated stress.

The Foundational Principle: The Neurogenic Tremor

At the core of TRE is the activation of the neurogenic tremor. This is an involuntary, instinctual shaking mechanism that mammals (including humans) utilize to discharge excess energy from the nervous system after a stressful or traumatic event. In modern human society, this natural response is often suppressed due to social conditioning or a lack of understanding. TRE aims to safely re-engage this biological process, allowing the body to release deep-seated muscular tension and regulate the nervous system, which can be beneficial for managing stress, anxiety, and the physical manifestations of trauma. It is distinct from pathological tremors and is a self-regulating, healing response.

The Seven Foundational TRE Exercises

The TRE sequence typically involves seven exercises, performed in a specific order, to progressively fatigue the muscles and facilitate the tremor. It's important to approach these movements gently and be mindful of your body's responses.

• 1. Wall Sit (or Standing Calf Raises)

  • Purpose: To fatigue the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.
  • Execution: Stand with your back against a wall, slide down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle, as if sitting in an invisible chair. Hold this position until your legs begin to feel fatigued. Alternatively, perform standing calf raises by lifting onto the balls of your feet and slowly lowering, repeating until fatigue.
  • Key Point: Focus on muscular fatigue, not pain. Stop if discomfort arises.

• 2. Chair Squats (or Lunges)

  • Purpose: Further fatigue of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
  • Execution: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Slowly lower your hips as if sitting into a chair, then stand back up. Repeat this motion, focusing on controlled movement, until your leg muscles feel tired. As an alternative, perform gentle lunges, alternating legs.
  • Key Point: Maintain good form, ensuring knees track over toes.

• 3. Forward Fold with Bent Knees

  • Purpose: To lengthen the hamstrings and lower back, releasing tension in the posterior chain.
  • Execution: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hinge at your hips, allowing your torso to hang towards the floor. You can gently bounce or sway to encourage relaxation.
  • Key Point: Keep knees soft; the goal is release, not maximal stretch.

• 4. Lying Down with Knees Bent and Feet Flat (Constructive Rest Position)

  • Purpose: To prepare the body for the tremor by relaxing the lower back and pelvis.
  • Execution: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart. Allow your arms to rest comfortably by your sides. Breathe deeply and allow your body to settle.
  • Key Point: This position helps flatten the lumbar curve and release the psoas.

• 5. Knees Dropped Inward (Butterfly Stretch Variation)

  • Purpose: To engage and release tension in the adductor muscles and inner thighs, which are connected to the pelvis and psoas.
  • Execution: From the constructive rest position, bring your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Gently allow your knees to drop inward towards each other, resting against each other or a few inches apart. You might feel a slight stretch or tension in your inner thighs.
  • Key Point: This is often where the first subtle tremors may begin.

• 6. Knees Dropped Outward (Pelvic Floor Release)

  • Purpose: To further release tension around the hips and pelvic floor.
  • Execution: From the constructive rest position, bring your feet closer together, then allow your knees to drop outward, opening your hips like a book. The soles of your feet may touch.
  • Key Point: This position can deepen the tremor experience by targeting different hip rotators.

• 7. Leg Extension and Tremor Release

  • Purpose: To allow the neurogenic tremor to fully manifest and integrate.
  • Execution: While still lying down, gently extend your legs one at a time, allowing them to rest straight on the floor. Maintain awareness of any tremors that arise. You can adjust the angle of your legs or the distance between your feet to modulate the intensity of the tremor. To stop, simply bring your knees back to the bent position, roll to your side, and slowly sit up.
  • Key Point: This is the primary phase for allowing the body to self-regulate through the tremor.

Initiating and Navigating the Tremor

The exercises are a preparatory phase. Once the muscles are sufficiently fatigued, and the body is in a relaxed supine position, the neurogenic tremor can begin. It might start as a subtle vibration, a gentle shaking, or a more pronounced oscillation in the legs, pelvis, or even throughout the body.

• Self-Regulation: The key to TRE is self-regulation. You are always in control. You can increase or decrease the intensity of the tremor by adjusting your leg position (e.g., bringing knees closer together to reduce, or extending legs further to increase).
• Stopping: To stop the tremor, simply bring your knees back to a bent position, feet flat on the floor, or roll onto your side and slowly sit up.
• Grounding: After a TRE session, it's important to take a few moments to ground yourself. Lie quietly, breathe deeply, and allow your body to integrate the experience.

Important Considerations and Safety

While TRE is designed to be a safe and natural process, certain precautions and considerations are vital:

• Guidance from a Certified Provider: Especially when starting, it is highly recommended to learn TRE from a certified TRE provider. They can guide you through the exercises, help you understand the tremor process, and teach you self-regulation techniques.
• Listen to Your Body: Always proceed gently and mindfully. If any exercise causes pain or significant discomfort, stop immediately. The goal is gentle fatigue and release, not pushing through pain.
• Pace Yourself: Start with short sessions (5-10 minutes of tremoring) and gradually increase duration as you become more comfortable.
• Contraindications/Precautions: Individuals with certain medical conditions (e.g., recent surgery, bone fractures, epilepsy, severe mental health conditions, pregnancy, or those taking specific medications) should consult with a healthcare professional or a certified TRE provider before engaging in TRE.
• Not a Replacement for Therapy: TRE is a powerful self-regulation tool but is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment, especially for complex trauma. It can be a valuable adjunct to other therapeutic approaches.
• Environment: Ensure you are in a safe, comfortable, and private space where you can fully relax and allow the process to unfold without interruption.

Conclusion

The exercises for TRE represent a unique approach to physical and emotional well-being, leveraging the body's innate ability to release tension and regulate the nervous system. By systematically fatiguing specific muscle groups, the TRE sequence facilitates the natural neurogenic tremor, offering a powerful tool for stress reduction, trauma recovery, and enhanced resilience. While the exercises themselves are simple, understanding their purpose and practicing with self-awareness and, ideally, professional guidance, is crucial for safely and effectively harnessing the profound benefits of TRE.