Upper arm relaxation
This is carried out in a sitting position. With the upper arm, concentrate on producing a relaxed biceps muscle. This muscle rests on the inner sides of the upper arm and is opposed by the triceps muscle behind the arm. Usually when the biceps is relaxed the triceps is in contraction and is tense. It is difficult to experience the feeling of a tense triceps, and the big arm-lifting muscle called the deltoid muscle, unless one arm holds the other and attempts to move it away from the body. Doing this, however, tends to teach tension rather than relaxation in muscle groups.
a. To relax the upper arm, start by feeling the ‘super-wobbly’ left biceps moving between your right-hand fingers as you gently shake the tension out of it. Stay with the feeling as you actively relax those triceps muscles. As they relax you will feel the biceps go hard and tight again. This is only natural, for these muscles work in antagonism. Gradually, however, you will be able to work through these feelings and get the whole arm to feel relaxed.
a Feel your left biceps move as you shake tension out of it with fingers of right hand. Stay with this feeling as you relax the triceps muscle.
