The question crops up every now and then, especially with clients who move for a living or lead a life of 'Work Hard, Play & Exercise Hard':
What is the difference between TRE and the neurogenic tremor mechanism, and when muscles shake after a heavy workout or dance class?
As a contemporary dance teacher, choreographer and a TRE facilitator, I would comment that the muscular tremoring after a demanding bout of physical exercise might be due to built up tension perhaps caused by over-fatiguing or over-training the body. This usually occurs when a person has pushed themselves beyond their boundaries and the muscles involuntarily shake in order to release and recover.
With TRE, the neurogenic tremors have a completely different feeling/sensation in the body as it has a far deeper reach in comparison to the physicality of movement.
In dance we speak about dynamic core stability which is the ability to activate the abdominal core muscles as required in order to 'hold' the centre no matter where the body might be in space so that one is able to harness the momentum created by sending the energy outward from the centre. This allows one to feel safer even whilst taking physical risks which is required for growth in movement and in life. However, even this dynamic core stability does not quite access the depth of the Psoas muscles and the tremors/vibration are unlike anything I experienced in the dance studio. They feel far more 'core' and far more innate then the sensation of a muscular tremor from built-up tension in a peripheral shaking of limbs. The one is generated and the other is activated (already in our physical design).
The biggest difference as I see it is that it is all about a sense of relative safety. The release from physical endurance and stamina has a completely different flavour to it and doesn't necessarily allow for integrated understanding of what is being released, only that there has been a release of energy.
In the case of TRE, it is the deep awareness and connection between mind and body when the nervous system understands there is safety that the tremor is activated.
It is deeper than release and relax, because there is intention in the practice which is to let go of what no longer serves you so that there is thriving, not just surviving. There is an intentional lightening of the load, an unlocking and unburdening of what has passed so that a person is able to step forward from the point of departure, of where they are right now in this moment.
*Interoception (see definition below) is not a 'thing' in dance training. I have spent my life honing muscles, ligaments and joints for optimum mastery and I would venture to add that trained dancers are not necessarily taught to be connected to their inner environments and what past experiences have been locked in. It is rather about control and perfection. A clear numbing of physical, emotional and psychological states and sensations in order to 'perform' like a machine. The body is trained to function independently of how the dancer may be feeling, to force the body into submission.People can be phenomenal movers and shakers but can also be totally dissociated and numb to anything happening on the inside. Needless to say, the body will hold the fort until it simply cannot sustain the freeze any longer and this is when thawing begins with or without permission.
Our gut or intuition speaks and if we don't listen, it begins to shout and then to scream until we are placed in a situation where we cannot do anything else but hear what the body is saying. Sadly, when the body screams it is usually experienced in the form of pain, discomfort or even illness.
My understanding dawned during my TRE training as I gathered more and more anatomical information about what actually occurs inside the body when there has been an event which has sent the nervous system into the survival response of Fight/Flight/Freeze. This learning has really given me perspective. It took me a long time to understand and explore how to give my body the permission to release and soften with curiosity rather than to try and control or force the outcome.
Ultimately, I realise that the biggest difference then is in the intention that underpins and anchors any body-based practice. The power of suggestion and intentional practice brings the head and the heart into cohesive alignment and congruence. This allows for authentic exploration and excavation into how we live, how we love, and how we wish to walk in the world.
*“interoception” – your brain’s perception of your body’s state, transmitted from receptors on all your internal organs.
"Interoception may be less well known than the “outward facing” senses such as sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell, but it has enormous consequences for your wellbeing. Scientists have shown that our sensitivity to interoceptive signals can determine our capacity to regulate our emotions, and our subsequent susceptibility to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression."
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/15/the-hidden-sense-shaping-your-wellbeing-interoception