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Inviting more tremors

After months of practice, some people find that their tremors have become gentler or more limited. This can mean your nervous system has processed significant surface tension and may be ready for deeper work. It can also mean your practice simply needs variation.

The techniques in this section can be used before the standard sequence to pre-fatigue areas you want to target, or during tremoring to invite tremors to spread.

Even when inviting more, never abandon your self-regulation skills. The goal is to expand your capacity gradually, not to overwhelm yourself. If you experience dissociation, panic, or a strong urge to stop, regulate first and reduce intensity next time.

For experienced practitioners

These techniques are for people who have practised TRE™ regularly for several months, developed solid self-regulation skills, and built genuine trust with the tremor mechanism. If you’re newer to TRE™, focus on the foundations first.

The core principle​

Muscle tension followed by release invites the tremor mechanism to activate. The standard TRE™ exercises work this way, and so do all the techniques below. Each offers a different way to create tension in specific areas, making them more responsive to release.

The basic pattern is always the same:

  1. Create tension — Contract muscles firmly
  2. Hold briefly — Sustain the contraction for several seconds
  3. Release completely — Let go entirely, not partially
  4. Allow — Rest and notice what wants to happen

The contrast between full tension and full release creates conditions for spontaneous movement. The tremor mechanism doesn’t need to be forced; it activates naturally when conditions are right.

Release completely

The key is complete release. After squeezing, let go entirely; don’t partially hold. The contrast between full tension and full release is what invites the tremor.

Squeeze and release​

The simplest technique, applicable to almost any muscle group.

Method​

  1. Contract the target muscle firmly (not painfully)
  2. Hold for 5–10 seconds
  3. Release suddenly and completely
  4. Rest and notice; tremors may begin
  5. Repeat 2–3 times if desired

Applications​

  • Buttocks — Squeeze glutes firmly, hold, release.
  • Shoulders — Shrug to ears, hold, drop suddenly.
  • Arms — Flex biceps firmly, hold, let arms go limp.
  • Hands — Make tight fists, hold, release completely.
  • Jaw — Place a folded towel between your back teeth. Bite down gently. Remove and let your jaw hang open and loose.
  • Whole body — Tense everything like a board, hold, release all at once.

Isometric contractions​

Sustained muscle contraction against resistance (without movement) creates fatigue that invites tremoring.

Method​

  1. Contract the muscle firmly against resistance (wall, floor, or your own body)
  2. Hold for 30–60 seconds, or until the muscle feels tired
  3. Release completely
  4. Rest and notice; tremors may begin

Applications​

  • Heel press — Lie on your back with legs raised toward the ceiling. Push your heels firmly upward as if pressing against an invisible surface. Hold, release, let legs lower slowly.
  • Standing leg press — Stand with your back against a wall, one foot pressed into the wall behind you. Press firmly as if trying to push through the wall. Hold, then release and notice tremors in the leg.
  • Seated hip squeeze — Sit with a cushion or ball between your knees. Squeeze knees together firmly. Hold, then release and let legs fall open. Notice tremors in inner thighs and hips.
  • Wall push (upper body) — Stand facing a wall, palms flat at shoulder height. Push into the wall as if trying to move it. Hold sustained pressure. Step back, let arms hang, notice what happens.
  • Neck — Place your palm against your forehead and push your head into your hand without moving. Hold lightly. Repeat to the sides and back of head.
Gentle with the neck

The neck is sensitive. Use light pressure only and skip entirely if you have neck issues.

PNF stretching​

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) uses muscle contraction to achieve deeper release. It’s particularly effective for inviting tremors because it engages both the stretch reflex and the tension-release mechanism.

Method​

  1. Move into a stretch position (6/10 intensity)
  2. Contract the stretched muscle against resistance for 5–10 seconds
  3. Release and relax into a deeper stretch
  4. Hold the new position, allowing tremors to arise
  5. Repeat 2–3 times if desired

Applications​

  • Calves — Stand on a step with heels hanging off the edge. Lower into a calf stretch. Push up onto tiptoes against gravity. Release and lower heels further. Notice tremors in calves and legs.
  • Hamstrings — Lie on your back with one leg raised toward the ceiling. Use a strap or your hands to hold the leg in a hamstring stretch. Push the leg against the strap (contracting hamstrings). Release and allow the leg to come closer to your body. Notice tremors in hamstrings, hips, or pelvis.
  • Hips — From the tremoring position, let knees fall open. Place hands on inner thighs. Push knees toward hands (engaging inner thighs). Release and let knees fall further open. Allow tremors to arise in hips and pelvis.
  • Chest — Stand in a doorway with your forearm against the frame, elbow at shoulder height. Lean gently into the stretch. Push your arm into the frame. Release and lean further into the opening. Notice tremors in chest and shoulders.
  • Side of neck — Tilt your head towards one shoulder. Place your hand on the side of your head (above the ear). Push your head gently into your hand. Release and let your head tilt further. Repeat on the other side.
Less is more

These techniques are powerful. Start with one or two per session and notice how your body responds over the following days. You can always add more later.