My guess is that we’ve all been in a position, as a child or even in our adult lives,

when someone in a position of authority has made us crumble with fear. In the

dance world, ridiculing students was a common practice and one that often got

passed from generation to generation, as students picked up on the practice from

their own teachers, only to subject their students to the same outdated ideas

about education and learning. I am happy to say that this is no longer the norm,

but, I have still witnessed and been on the receiving end of what I describe as the

Pilates Tiger: a teacher who feels they need to police clients’ movements to the

point where you walk into their session practically afraid to move. I thought about

this as I read about the Polyvagal Theory and wanted to share some of my

thoughts about fear and safety in the Pilates context.

I find myself increasingly aware of and alarmed by my clients’, friends’ and

family’s psychological states. I wonder how these may be impacted by reduced

movement and limited social engagement, and the anxiety and fear that this

brings about. I am aware that by nature of being a somatic practice, my teaching,

to some extent, already offers some tools for regulating negative emotional

states (breathing being the most basic of these). But, I wondered whether there

was anything else I could learn from understanding the Polyvagal Theory.

The ‘Polyvagal Theory’ has been circulating the somatic movement community

for some time. It was proposed by Dr Stephen Porges and is widely applied to

the treatment of trauma survivors. I will briefly outline it below, before going on to

talk about how it might apply to Pilates teaching practice. However bear in mind

that I am no expert in this field and the description I give below is just a starting

point.

What is the Polyvagal Theory?

In simple terms, the vagus nerve forms part of the autonomic nervous system,

that part of our nervous system that is responsible for regulating unconscious

mechanisms within the body, such as heart rate and digestion. Whilst we all

know that we cannot consciously control these mechanisms, we are well aware

of the impact that emotional states can have on them. After all the expression

“butterflies in your belly” is a very real description of a physical sensation in the

gut that results from excitement or fear.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two channels: the sympathetic

nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The

sympathetic branch is regularly referred to as the ‘flight or fight’ channel (in that

order) and kicks in as a response to signals of danger. It also relates to higher

levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the risks associated with chronic stress,

such as high blood pressure etc.

The SNS works in counterbalance with the PNS, of which the vagus nerve forms

the central structure. The PNS has been traditionally associated with the state of

‘rest and digest’, counteracting the SNS, once the danger has disappeared, in

order to bring heart rate down and allow the body to re-balance. However, what

Dr Porges discovered was that, contrary to what was previously thought, the

PNS has two branches: a ventral vagal complex (VVC) and the dorsal vagal

complex (DVC) and that these two branches lead to different physiological

states, hence the poly-vagal theory.

The Ventral Vagal Complex – Safe and Social

The Ventral Vagal Complex is the channel of the vagus nerve that serves the

nerves in the front (ventral) and top part of the chest cavity (above the

diaphragm). It connects the muscles of expression, (particularly around the

eyes), and hearing (around the middle ear) with the heart. It is the vagal portion

that makes mammals sociable creatures, as we not only signal to each other that

we are friendly and happy (or the opposite), but also regulate our heart rate. If we

are receiving signals of safety and connection through the people we interact

with, then our own heart rate can relax, signalling a lack of threat and allowing

the body to be in a restful, responsive state. In this sense, Porges states, that we

are co-regulators. We rely on each other’s signals of safety (through facial

expression and voice tonality) to feel at ease and connect socially. The VVC is a

more recent evolutionary structure and allowed mammals to flourish through co-

operation and community.

The Dorsal Vagal Complex – Freeze and Shutdown

In contrast, the Dorsal Vagal Complex is more ancient in evolutionary terms and

derives from our reptilian ancestors. It is the channel that serves nerves to

structures below the diaphragm, particularly the gut. Whilst still a part of the PNS,

its activation can lead to a physiological shut down and lethargy, with lowered

heart rate and accompanying digestive issues. This aspect of the polyvagal

theory was picked up by many therapists who observed a ‘shutting down’ in

survivors of trauma, which did not subscribe to the commonly held assumptions

of SNS activation. They often described their patients as lacking facial

expression, avoiding eye contact, avoiding loud noisy places, feeling withdrawn

and lethargic. However, the significance of this discovery is not limited to extreme

cases. Porges notes that contemporary society has brought with it many micro-

traumatic events that can lead people in seemingly happy lives to experience this

dorsal shut-down. He talks about the prevalence of Medically Unexplained

Symptoms (MUS) such as IBS and fibromyalgia as possible indicators of DVC

activation, although he’s clear to point out that they may well be caused by other

triggers.

Just as a further note, I think it’s interesting to be aware that the three states –

safe and sociable, flight or fight, freeze or shutdown – are like rungs on a ladder.

People who are in a state of shut-down need to move through flight or fight

before they can get to safe and sociable. And of course, this needs to be guided

by a professional counsellor.

The Polyvagal Theory and Pilates

So what does this mean to the Pilates teacher? How does understanding the

Polyvagal Theory enhance or change our practice?

I think in the Pilates and somatic movement world we often tend to assume that

being in a slightly docile state is a good thing, or, at least, better than being highly

strung. When I read about the Polyvagal theory, it made sense of what I had

witnessed with clients going through depression, even when they had not readily

volunteered this information. I wondered about clients who just seemed totally

vacant during their classes, and this sometimes made me quite frustrated, I just

wanted to tell them to wake up! Worse still I went as far as to judge them for

being lazy or mind-wandering, day-dreamers. Surely they just needed to pay

attention…?

The polyvagal theory is an important reminder about the fact that we do, as

Pilates teachers, sometimes encounter individuals who are in shut down and who

are completely dissociated from the world. Noticing this, can at least enable us to

empathise more easily with these clients, and adjust both our expectations and

our manner of delivering classes. If the state of shut down is brought about by

immobilisation with fear, then we need to always ensure we are not stopping

these clients’ movement, but enabling it. It’s tempting to constantly ‘correct’

movements, but, whilst we need to ensure that they are working safely, I think it’s

possible to let go of a few details and just focus on the main thing: getting them

moving. I also think it’s important to have a general posture of attending to them.

This might include, not facing them straight on, but giving them some space and

standing at an angle so as to support them without confrontation.

I am no expert in this field and I’m just thinking aloud here, so to speak. If anyone

has any more specific recommendations for Pilates teachers, I’d be keen to hear

it!

Of course, many of the people we interact with are not as far down the polyvagal

ladder, and these people might really benefit from the more calming aspects of a

class. The key take away for me is to be aware of the importance of facial

expression and tone of voice, in putting clients’ nervous systems at ease and

allowing them to feel safe, and this is where the Pilates tiger needs to well and

truly be put to bed. It is no surprise to me that barking out instructions about how

to do things ‘correctly’ (even though this is often with the best of intentions), is

counterproductive, and more likely to cause stress as a client tries to ‘get it right’.

I think it can also seem to some teachers that their ‘job’ is to get their clients to do

exactly what they think they should do, that there can be no room for a client’s

own response and that getting it ‘right’ is the primary aim of any movement

practice. I know I’ve been guilty of ‘over correcting’ myself, so this reminder is as

much for me as for anyone else.

Right now more than ever, it seems absolutely worth remembering that safety

and connection underly happy and healthy states. The most effective messages

of safety come from smiling at our clients as they enter the room (whether in

person or virtually), greeting them by name, speaking to them with genuine

openness and keeping our focus and attention on them, rather than being

distracted by our phones or notes etc. On top of this, staying grounded when we

notice our own frustrations rising, and consciously letting go of expectation and

judgement so that we meet and support our clients’ nervous systems in a

generous and empathetic manner. Let us not become anyone’s tiger.

Just a final note that this article just represents my own thinking and is not meant

to offer advice for anyone experiencing trauma or shut down. If you have been

triggered by anything here, you need to contact a suitably qualified

psychotherapist, or reach out to a friend or family member to help you.

References and Resources

A great article that describes the function of the SNS can be found at:

https://www.livescience.com/65446-sympathetic-nervous-system.html

For an explanation on the vagus nerve, I find this video very useful:

https://youtu.be/8AnHlx3qZ30

Stephen Porges’ own book has all the science (though it’s not the easiest of

reads). It can be found on his website together with videos and articles:

https://www.stephenporges.com/