Soften the Grip: How can tension impact our yoga poses?
- Sam Turner
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
Hello curious person
October was host to an interesting journey as we explored Soften the Grip, a theme that first sprouted from the idea of releasing tension. We looked inward, connected with our personal points of tension, and encouraged release as we moved through each sequence. Tension in the body is like a boomerang, it always finds its way back. Learning to release it is a practice in itself.
As we approached the end of our first class exploring this theme, I decided to include a practice called progressive muscle relaxation. As I guided you to tighten areas of the body and then release, I found myself inspired. Rather than just thinking about releasing tension, how would it feel to also encourage you to increase the hold, grip or tightening within your personal point of tension?
Tension is often demonised. You often hear people say we need to be free from it. But, much like stress, there are times when a little bit of tension is useful. When the body tenses or tightens, it can provide stability and steadiness. We want our muscles to engage, to support the shapes we make.
With all that in mind, I decided to add an extra layer to our exploration. As we moved through postures, I wanted you to notice how tension, whether we’re engaging or releasing, can change the experience of a shape.
When I first brought this into my own practice, I noticed my personal point of tension: my glutes. I have a bad habit of over-engaging this area. Most of the time, that engagement helps me move; it’s one of the largest muscle groups in the body, and it supports standing and balancing postures. However, it can also restrict certain movements, for instance, in a seated forward fold, a little release in this area can make all the difference.
Similar to our breath, we want tension in the body to be reactive. We want to use it and then lose it, in alignment with the shapes we’re making. The more we practise this cycle of engagement and release, the less we have to think about it. Your wonderful body is always learning.
Prompts to Explore
As you move your focus around your body, can you sense any areas of tension? Maybe it’s something new, maybe it’s familiar.
Can you tense and engage that area?
Can you release and soften that area?
If you can engage and release from a neutral position, try it within a pose. Throughout our classes, we practised a sequence of Warrior I → Pyramid Pose → Warrior III. On one side, you engaged and released in Warrior I; on the other, you did the same in Pyramid Pose. Each time, you had a chance to explore whether extra engagement or complete release helped or hindered the shape you were making.
Outside of yoga, there are also moments when tension serves us well. In the gym, for example, I might tighten muscles to support the barbell resting across my shoulders. Over time, that tension has become instinctive, and releasing it wouldn’t help with the movement.
Soften the Grip became more than a theme this month, it turned into a reminder that tension isn’t the enemy. It’s information. By noticing where we hold on and where we can let go, we start to refine our movements and responses, both on and off the mat. Sometimes, stability comes from engagement; other times, ease arrives through release. The practice lies in recognising which is needed, moment to moment.
Where do you notice yourself holding on, and what might change if you softened the grip, just a little?
Thanks for taking the time to read this with me
See you soon
Sam
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