MME Season 3, Episode 4:

Somatics Alone Won’t Save You (but they can help)

Hey there 👋

In this two-part episode, I dove into something I’ve been mulling over for a while: the relationship between somatic practices and strength work. TL;DR? Somatics alone won’t save you—but they do have a valuable role to play.

Let me explain. 👇

In the first 1/2 of the episode, I tell the story of a curious, body-aware student who pulled her neck doing a very simple movement—reaching in a lunge. Not a fancy trick, not a weighted squat. Just a reach. It raised the question: why do we sometimes feel pain in moments of ease, not effort?

The answer, often, comes down to strength—or the lack of it. Somatic practices help us feel better. They give us awareness, grounding, presence. But feeling better ≠ getting stronger. Strength is what helps sustain those good sensations over time.

In the second 1/2 of the episode, I talk about the integration of the two. How somatic work can support strength training, and how strength can make our somatic explorations more fruitful. They’re not opposing forces—they’re partners. 👫

So if you’ve been using only one side of the equation (either lots of lifting and no feeling, or lots of sensing with no resistance), this one’s for you.

Thanks for being here. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts—have you found a sweet spot between somatic work and strength? Hit reply and tell me about it.

With curiosity,
Jenn