Do We Store Emotions in Our Hips?

In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen dive into the topic of whether or not we store emotions in our hips (or in our body in general).

Points of discussion include:

• Is this claim accurate?
• What’s the explanation for why and how emotions are stored in our hips or in our body, and does this explanation hold up to scrutiny?
• Is the psoas muscle a magic muscle?
• What’s the connection between “hip-openers” and emotion?
• The “recovered-memory therapy” movement from the 1980s and 90s and what lessons and insights it has to offer us today
• What do the terms “tight” and “release” really mean?
• What does an evidence-based approach to self-myofascial release look like?
• …And lots more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

Article: The Return of the Repressed: The Persistent and Problematic Claims of Long-Forgotten Trauma

This American Life Episode: An Epidemic Created by Doctors (About the recovered memory movement of the 1980s & 90s)

”Repressed memory” entry on Wikipedia 

“Day-care sex-abuse hysteria” entry on Wikipedia

Stretching Science 101 online course by Jenni

Article by Chris Lieb: Self-Myofascial Release: What Does It Do? (And What Doesn’t It Do?

Article: Fascia Myths & Fascia Facts

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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