Download Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PRT)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PRT)
 Developed by Jacobson
 It involves alternately tensing then relaxing muscles
 Done in a sequential fashion for each major
muscle group
 Concentration on sensations of tension and
relaxation and the contrast between the two
 It is a skill (takes practice) (twice a day for 6 weeks)
 It works on the “overshoot principle”
 By first creating tension then relaxing, muscles
will relax more than its’ normal level.
Conditioned Relaxation
 Use PRT to achieve a relaxed state, then learn to
associate that state with a cue word or image.
 The goal is to eventually be able to use only the cue
word to elicit relaxation.
The Technique
 16 muscle groups - best to start with
 7 muscle groups (I use with experienced athletes)
 4 muscle groups (after the person has experience)
PRT Procedure
Cycles start with 2 contractions per muscle group
1. Tension 5-7 seconds then relaxation 25 seconds
2. Tension 5-7 seconds then relaxation 50 seconds
Suggestions
1. Relax tension all at once
2. Once the muscle group is relaxed, don’t move it
unnecessarily
3. Avoid distractions
4. It should be put in a daily schedule
5. Focus on pleasant images while relaxing
Actual Technique
1. Dominant Arm - Bend your arm at the elbow, make
2. Non Dominant Arm - a tight fist, press down and in
in with the biceps.
3. Face - Raise eyebrows, wiggle nose, squint eyes, bite
down hard while pulling the corners of the mouth
back.
4. Neck - Pull chin down to touch the chest while at the
same time resisting.
5. Chest, shoulders, back and stomach - Pull shoulders
back and together, make stomach hard.
6. Dominant leg - Lift leg slightly, turn foot inward,
7. Non Dominant leg - curl toes, tense muscles hard.