Progressive muscle relaxation: a short script for beginners
A short squeeze-and-release script for six areas, with gentle effort and room to skip any movement.
Meditly Team··4 min readYou put your bag down and notice your hands are still curled, as if they were holding the straps. Progressive muscle relaxation works with exactly that: you squeeze a group of muscles gently on purpose, hold for a moment, then let go.
The short script below follows the six areas in Meditly’s Muscle release exercise. You can do it in a chair, leave out any area, or stop after the first one.
- Use gentle effort, about half your strength, and never to the point of pain.
- Keep breathing as you squeeze. The hold is in the muscle, not the breath.
- Skip any area you’d rather leave alone, including the belly or face.
What progressive muscle relaxation involves
You work through the body one group at a time. First you add a little tension, then you keep it for a short pause, then you stop the effort and give the release a moment of its own before moving on.
Some people notice a clear difference between squeezing and resting. Others notice very little. Either is fine, and there’s no need to keep checking whether an area has loosened enough.
The order here is hands, arms, shoulders, face, belly and legs. If noticing your body feels uneasy, stop and look around the room instead.
Before you start
Sit somewhere that supports you, with room to bend your elbows. Rest your feet on the floor, and put down anything you’re holding.
Read each step before you do it; your eyes can stay open. Aim for about half your strength at most, and start with less if that feels better. Leave out any sore or injured area rather than working through it.
Keep breathing throughout. When you squeeze, only the muscles hold. Your breath keeps moving in and out as it always does.
A short progressive muscle relaxation script
- Hands. Curl your hands into soft fists, without your nails digging into your palms. Hold the light squeeze, then open your hands and let them rest for a few breaths.
- Arms. Bend your elbows and tighten your upper arms a little, leaving your hands loose. Hold, then let your arms drop somewhere comfortable.
- Shoulders. Lift your shoulders toward your ears, only as far as is easy. Hold, then let them sink. Skip this one if your neck or shoulders are sore.
- Face. Scrunch your face gently, or just soften it if you prefer. Keep your teeth apart. Then let your expression go slack.
- Belly, if you like. Firm your belly a little while you keep breathing. Hold that light effort, then let it go. Or leave this one out and rest.
- Legs. Press your heels into the floor and tighten your thighs, keeping the rest of you loose. If a muscle starts to cramp, stop squeezing and let it rest. Otherwise hold briefly, then release and let your legs settle.
When you finish, wriggle your fingers and toes and look up from the page. There’s no extra round to do, and no need to go back to a part that still feels tight.
Lost your place? Carry on with the next area you remember. A two-step version, hands and arms only, makes a perfectly good short practice too.
Skip any movement you don’t want to do
Leaving an area out is part of the practice. Rest through that step or go straight on to the next one. There’s no need to make up for it with a stronger squeeze somewhere else.
If a movement hurts, stop it. If you are pregnant, have had recent surgery, or have an injury or ongoing condition and are unsure whether these movements suit you, check with a healthcare professional first, or simply leave those areas out.
Sometimes the obstacle is practical: a cramped seat, tight clothes, your hands full. Another moment will do, and fewer than six areas is still a practice.
Muscle release vs a body scan
Here you add and release a little muscle tension on purpose. In a body scan, you move your attention through the body and notice what’s already there, without squeezing anything. If you’d rather not tense your muscles at all, a scan is the quieter alternative.
If you’d like to try a practice in bed or on the floor, our guide to meditating lying down covers how to set yourself up.
Try it in Meditly
Open Meditate → Body and tap Muscle release, a free exercise listed at two minutes. It follows the six groups above, with phases labelled Squeeze, Hold and Release.
Each area gets five seconds of squeezing, five of gentle holding and ten of release. Keep breathing through every phase, follow only the movements that feel comfortable, and leave the sequence whenever you want.
When to get extra support
Muscle release is an everyday practice, not medical care. If you have ongoing pain or tension, or stress that stays with you for weeks, it is worth talking to a doctor or a mental health professional.
If you ever feel unsafe, or have thoughts of harming yourself, please don’t wait. Call your local emergency number, or find a free line near you at findahelpline.com. In Meditly, Profile → Get support now lists numbers for your country.
Frequently asked questions
How do you do progressive muscle relaxation?
Gently tense one group of muscles, hold that light effort briefly, then let it go before moving on to the next group. Keep breathing as usual, use gentle effort and skip any movement that hurts.
Can you do progressive muscle relaxation sitting down?
Yes. Sit somewhere with support and rest your feet on the floor or a cushion. Shift position whenever you need to.
Do you have to tense every muscle group?
No. Skip any area that is sore, uncomfortable or that you’d rather not focus on. You can also finish after one group.
What is the difference between progressive muscle relaxation and a body scan?
Muscle relaxation includes deliberately squeezing and releasing muscles. A body scan mainly moves your attention through the body to notice sensations, without adding tension.