Ep. 66 Training the Body, Preparing the Mind: Why Your Nervous System Doesn’t Care How Prepared You "Think" You Are - Solo

The Connection Between Jiu Jitsu, Somatic Healing, and Nervous System Regulation

In this episode, Lisa Dawn dives into the intriguing relationship between jiu jitsu, somatic healing, and how our nervous systems handle high-pressure situations. 

Lisa recounts her husband Tim's experience during his first jiu jitsu tournament, highlighting the unexpected ways his body reacted despite feeling prepared. She thoroughly explains the stages of nervous system activation and regulation, and how somatic work can help us manage stress in competitions and daily life. 

The episode also explores the broader implications of nervous system responses in trauma recovery and the importance of preparing our bodies for high-stress events. Lisa emphasizes the role of community and shared passions in maintaining individual well-being and deepening relationships, making this episode a comprehensive guide to understanding the body’s responses to high-pressure scenarios.

Work 1:1 with Lisa 

00:00 Introduction and Personal Update

00:57 Exploring Jiu Jitsu and Somatic Healing

03:54 Tim's Jiu Jitsu Tournament Experience

08:59 Breaking Down the Nervous System Response

16:24 Connecting Trauma and Nervous System Reactions

20:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

21:29 Outro and Podcast Updates

Transcript

Lisa: 0:11

Hey guys, Lisa Dawn here. Welcome back and thank you so much for joining me today. Before we get into today's episode, I just wanted to mention that I've been told that I need to start recording videos of my solo episodes and I had to have a chuckle because I'm sitting here in candlelight in my housecoat with my heating cloak on, which basically looks like I'm wearing a cape with shoulder pads that's heated. It's one of my favorite things. So now you know. Does this make you want videos of this recording? More or less, you'll have to reach out and let me know. So today we're going to dive into the somewhat surprising connection between jujitsu, somatic healing, and the way our nervous systems handle high pressure moments. So my hubby Tim recently competed in his first jiu jitsu tournament, and while he's usually cool as a cucumber, something unexpected happened. His body reacted in ways that he didn't anticipate. So we'll break down what was going on beneath the surface. how our nervous systems prep for big events, whether we realize it or not, and how somatic work can help show us how to show up with more ease, whether that's in competition, relationships, or life. So, let's geek out on some nervous system regulation, shall we? The other day, and okay, let's be real, it's pretty much almost every day, Tim and I were talking about jujitsu because, well, he's obsessed. And meanwhile, I've recently started hitting the gym again. And let me tell you, it's been awesome since I'm such a newbie, I'm already noticing so many gains, which is like a nice little boost. Historically, I've been way more into things like Pilates, yoga, and rebounding, but I live on a property with some incredible and serious gym enthusiasts. So, these are folks who have years of experience, wisdom for weight training. So their passion is contagious and I couldn't help but hop on the weightlifting train. Honestly though, I have so much appreciation for our shared collective. Community and skill sharing are some of my favorite things in life. And growing up, I had that sense of community through sports. I played volleyball, softball, basketball. But as I got older, that kind of fell away. And I've realized that there's something really special about being part of a team, whether it's in sports, a book club, a knitting group, or volunteering, whatever it is, having spaces where we connect with others while still nurturing our own passions is so important. It helps us, you know, maintain our individual identities and relationships so that we can keep doing the things that light us up while supporting our partnerships in what they love to do as well. And from this relationship perspective, this is such a powerful way to deepen intimacy. Supporting and celebrating each other's interests, even when they don't overlap, creates a deeper sense of connection. There's something really endearing about witnessing someone fully immersed in what brings them joy. Okay, now back to jiu jitsu. While I have zero desire to get my face smushed into a mat or be pinned down for extended periods, I love that Tim loves it. And by accident, we discovered yet another use for somatic work, which I also love. Now, I've used this type of body based preparation before, helping clients get ready for surgeries, breakups, divorces, you name it. If the body is going to be impacted, we can prepare for it somatically. But for some reason, I hadn't thought to apply this to Tim, to Tim before his tournament. And I love when a modality has such wide ranging benefits. So Tim has really found his flow state in this sport, and after months of training he competed in his first tournament last month. And as I mentioned, he's not someone who gets easily rattled. He's had extensive leadership training. So when I asked if he was feeling anxious, his response was meh, I'll probably sleep like shit the night before, maybe feel a bit nervous, but that's about it. I've always admired how calm and steady he is. He can just show up without spiraling into stress. Meanwhile, I tend to over prepare. And even then, my body still loves to sometimes betray me. Cue the high pitched squeaky voice and the sudden inability to take a deep breath. But I digress. Fast forward to the tournament day. Tim wins his first match. And the aftermath is what we want to talk about. But before we do, let's explore Tim recounting the day. So he says, Even though he felt calm and relaxed prior to the tournament, he really felt as though it was just kind of going to be like getting in an extra few rounds with training partners that he hadn't met before. He was used to doing hour long to two hour classes, so he felt prepared. On the tournament day, he was scheduled for four five minute matches. So going into the tournament, he remembers feeling a little surreal in that he wasn't overly nervous or excited, but he could feel a push and pull inside. So part of him wanted to get ramped up and part of him wanted to leave. So part of him wanted to get right into the zone and part of him wanted to stay calm and cool and conserve his energy. So he recalls noticing that when he stepped onto the mat with his opponent, he didn't feel quite in the moment. So his vision started to feel almost dreamlike, where he had to really convince himself to be here now, to stay in his body. He actually had to stamp his feet a few times just to stay present. So he ended up winning that match within about four minutes. Then, afterwards, he noticed a big adrenaline dump. So his heart rate wasn't going down the way he was used to it going down. It was harder to get good amounts of oxygen in, so he wasn't recovering as fast, and his grip strength was Also already feeling tired and fried his hand and forearms felt like rocks and his grips really felt weak, which to Tim was bizarre because he was used to doing multiple rounds over and over and over again in his one to two hour classes, and here he was feeling exhausted after one four minute round, he noticed that even though he had extra time before his next match, he was instantly in This mental battle of being worried that he wouldn't be able to recover for his next match and then also realizing like, holy, I'm here and I'm just going to go for it. But it felt to him internally, like he was experiencing a flight and fight response, both happening at the same time. He also felt as though he was no longer able to stay calm mentally, as he was trying to hold on tight, and not really able to let the match flow with his next opponent the way he could in training. So, he recounts that the higher the stakes, the harder it is to keep in the moment and in your body. And he also says that this makes the level of practice even more important in learning how to prepare for, to be in a competition rather than just going in with confidence because you do it well in the training room. So, let's break this down, shall we? Tim's experience is a perfect example of how the nervous system navigates high pressure situations, even when someone feels physically prepared. So from a somatic experiencing perspective, we can break this down into the different stages of nervous system activation and regulation and how the body reacts to stressful and overwhelming events. So Number one. So going into the tournament, he remembers it feeling a little surreal in that he wasn't overly nervous or excited, but he could feel a push pull inside. Part of him wanted to get ramped up and the other part of him wanted to leave. This describes, uh, competing autonomic response in his nervous system. So, The sympathetic activation, fight or flight, wants to ramp up, engage, and get in the zone. Meanwhile, the parasympathetic regulation, shut down and freeze, wants to stay cool, conserve energy, or even exit the situation. Excuse me. This initial tug of war is really normal before a high stakes event. So the body is scanning for safety and readiness, trying to find the right level of arousal. So next, he's stepping onto the mat. So when he stepped onto the mat, With his opponent, he didn't feel quite in the moment. His vision started to feel almost dreamlike, where he had to really convince himself to be here now, to stay in his body. He had to stamp his feet a few times to stay present. So what's happening here is his body is signaling mild dissociative response, where his nervous system temporarily disconnected from the present moment. Why? Well, his system was shifting between sympathetic fight and dorsal vagal freeze disconnect. The high stress plus the surreal nature of the competition triggered a protective response, making the moment feel more dreamlike. And then stamping his feet. which is a somatic, could be used as a somatic regulation tool. This is a brilliant instinctive strategy. So it's like activating your body awareness, proprioception, to counteract the dissociative effect and bring him back into the moment. So cool. So number three, the first match, this like high adrenaline and sudden energy dump. He ends up winning the match within about four minutes, but then afterwards he notices a big adrenaline dump. His heart rate wasn't going down the way he was used to. It was harder to get good amounts of oxygen in and he wasn't recovering as fast. So what's happening now? So there's a sympathetic dominance, an adrenaline surge, fast movements, sharp focus, explosive power, and then a sudden parasympathetic drop, so an adrenaline dump, the body expecting a full stop after a life or death event, struggles to regulate, so His incomplete recovery, meaning his heart rate was staying high, difficulty breathing, suggests that his nervous system was still stuck in a high energy state and the competition setting prevented his system from fully downshifting. Number four. So grip fatigue and a bit of nervous system overload. So his grip strength was also already feeling tired. His hands and forearms felt like rocks and his grips felt really weak, which again felt bizarre because he was used to doing multiple rounds in his one to two hour classes. So this isn't just muscular fatigue. It's nervous system depletion. So we're talking about neuromuscular fatigue. His motor neurons were overfiring in response to stress and he had reduced circulation. So prolonged gripped tension, trapped. metabolic waste in his forearms and his fight or flight survival reflex. So the hands are critical for grappling and self defense. His nervous system prioritized grip strength during the match, but once the adrenaline wore off, his hands felt useless. So in training, he could pace himself, but here his nervous system perceived the stakes as life or death, which changed his energy output. Incredible, really. And then number five, so the mental battle, fight and flight at the same time. So even though he had extra time before his next match, he was instantly in his mental battle of being worried that he wouldn't be able to recover for his next match, and also realizing like, I'm here, so I might as well. Go for it. So this is classic nervous system dysregulation. So it's like this mix of fight, determined, aggressive, ready to win, and flight, anxious, wanting to escape, and fearing exhaustion. So his system was stuck between these two responses, creating mental overwhelm. So instead of being fully present in the moment, part of his energy was spent managing these conflicting impulses. That's a lot of energy being spent. And then the matches that followed the second match, so struggling to stay in flow, he felt as though he was no longer able to stay calm mentally, and he was trying to hold on tight, not being able to let the match flow, like in his training. So this suggests a narrowed window of tolerance or a narrowed window of resilience. So in training, he had a wide capacity for pressure and movement. In competition His system was more reactive and rigid, making it harder to flow naturally. His cognitive and motor systems were now under stress, forcing him into over control rather than relaxed responsiveness. Number seven. So he recounts that. You know, the higher the stakes, the harder it is to stay in the moment and in your body. This makes the level of practice even more important in learning how to prepare for a competition rather than just going in with confidence just because you do well in the training room. And this is why nervous system preparation is key. So, it's, it's spot on from a somatic experiencing perspective. Just because someone performs well in training doesn't mean their nervous system is prepared for a competition, for the stress of a competition. And as Tim discovered, training with familiar people, even if they're unfamiliar, week after week is quite different than facing strangers in a competitive fight. And so I just wanted to also quickly tie in how this relates to trauma and its impacts on the body. So just like a fighter needs to train their nervous system to handle high stress fights, trauma survivors need to train their nervous system to handle daily stress without getting stuck in survival responses. So this experience, Tim's experience, was such a great reminder that our nervous system plays a huge role in how we handle high pressure moments, whether in competition or in daily life. How, so how does all this tie into how our bodies react after experiencing something traumatic? So I'm just going to break this down a bit. So one, there's this push pull between activation and conservation. So in the tournament, Tim felt a push and pull. Part of him wanted to ramp up and part of him wanted to stay cool or even leave. In a trauma response, this is similar to how trauma survivors fluctuate between hypervigilant. Hypervigilance, fight or flight, and shutdown, freeze, and dissociation. The nervous system struggles to find balance between these two states. Number two, dissociation under stress. In the tournament, Tim's vision became dreamlike and he had to stamp his feet to stay present. In a trauma response, in overwhelming situations, people often disconnect from their body. All together. So derealization, numbness, feeling unreal, and then ground and using grounding techniques like Tim's foot stamping can help bring them back. Number three, adrenaline dumps and system overloads. So in the tournament after the match, Tim crashed hard, struggling to regulate his breathing and feeling unexpected exhaustion. In a trauma response, after prolonged stress, trauma survivors experience burnout. Chronic fatigue and difficulty recovering from small stressors because their nervous systems are stuck in a loop of survival. Number four, so struggling to stay in flow. In the tournament, Tim couldn't access his fluidity, feeling like he had to force his way through the next matches. And in a trauma response, after trauma, people lose their natural ease and adaptability. They may start overthinking, bracing for impact or feel disconnected from their instincts, making life feel like a constant battle. And then number five, the importance of nervous system preparation. So in the tournament, Tim realized that doing well in training didn't mean he was nervous system ready for the competition. And in a trauma response, similarly, healing trauma isn't just about mental understanding. It requires a nervous system conditioning through regulation, titration. and safe exposure to stressors over time. So our nervous systems reactions are automatic and deeply rooted in survival instincts. They're not something we consciously control with intellect or logic. They are designed to work well and to keep us safe. And when we experience overwhelming events, oftentimes they lead, they need a little help on our end to find that equilibrium, that balance. So when we encounter stress, danger or high stakes situations, our body responds based on primal wiring that has evolved over thousands of years. This is why even if we know we're safe or understand that we're prepared, our body might still react with anxiety, dissociation, or a fight or flight response. These reactions come from the brainstem and the limbic system areas responsible for survival, not from our rational thinking brain. So, no matter how smart or self aware we are, our nervous system operates on a more fundamental and instinctual level. That's why somatic work is so powerful. It helps us work with the body's natural responses instead of just trying to think our way out of them. Ah, that was a lot of information, and I don't think I paused much in, in this episode. Heh. But I just love how somatic work can help us prepare, recover, and stay present when it matters the most. So I just want to say thank you for joining me on this ride. Thank you for tuning in and as always, take care of those bodies and those hearts. So much love. Bye for now. As always, thank you so much for listening. Life is busy. So it means even more that you're carving out time in your day to be here. Listen, we've got so many great episodes coming up, so please make sure you subscribe to follow along on Apple podcasts or Spotify. And for those of you who like to watch your podcasts, we are now uploading them to YouTube. And if you appreciate these episodes, please do us a favor and leave a rating or a review and share it with anyone you think could benefit. See you again next Wednesday.

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