Hi, my name is Martin Blows.

I came to Somatics almost by accident after being told that my low back pain was due to having tight hamstrings.  In searching the Internet I found information about Thomas Hanna and his work.  Reading ‘The Myth of Aging’ made so much sense and rang so many bells with me that I quickly recognised how powerful and relevant his ideas were and was hooked.

My low back pain wasn’t the result of tight hamstring, but the tight hamstrings and low back pain were the result of my Green Light Reflex. The other way around!

I became more interested and using audio and video resources as well as Hanna’s book I taught myself his ‘Cat Stretch’ sequence of movements, but it would have been so much easier with a  qualified coach!  At the time I was struggling with the chronic low back pain and had given up playing golf.  Somatics changed all that, I am now playing golf again and can lead an active life once more. 

Along the way I tried most of the traditional therapies; osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists. acupuncture, massage, Alexander Technique, pilates, yoga,  But none of them enabled me to take charge of my own problems and become my own healer.  Somatics enables me to be in control of my body and to manage aches and pains for myself.eI used to stand in our Community choir and notice how many peope had postural issues, couldn’t stand for the whole session and I wanted to share my new knowledge and understanding of Somatics with them, but how to start?

In 2013 I discovered Martha Peterson’s Essential Somatics website and saw that there were opportunities from Martha to get some Somatics training without having to go to America. So in 2013 I trained with Martha to become a Hanna Somatics Exercise Coach.  

After this I began taking classes and working with individuals, but soon realised that I needed more information and skills in working on a one-to-one basis.  So when the chance came to train with Martha to become a Clinical Somatics Educator I grabbed it.  

This was a three year training programme, held in the UK, and led by Martha. It was a great experience and I graduated from the training in December 2017 as a Certified Somatics Educator in the tradition of Thomas Hanna.

In my working life, I am now retired, I was a teacher and trainer for adults.  Somatics has allowed me to bring all of these skills into a new arena and I am keen to share this learning with as many people as possible and help them to regain control of their muscles and bodies, and live active, flexible and pain free lives

In normal, non Covid, times I offer one-2-one clinical sessions at my home studio in Leamington Spa and classes in a nearby Fitness centre. At the current time I am offering online classes on a Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning but am once again seeing clients on a one-2-one bases.