What is autogenic training? So you’re interested in autogenic training? That’s fantastic! Autogenic training is a practical relaxation and stress management method many people use worldwide. Let’s dive deeper into this topic and see how you could apply autogenic training.

What is autogenic training, and who developed it?

Autogenic training is a method of self-relaxation that targets specific combinations of psychophysiologically adapted stimuli. Johannes Heinrich Schultz developed it nearly a century ago (1932). In classical autogenic training, six standard exercises are used, trained in individual or group sessions for 6 to 8 weeks. Participants sit or lie in a quiet, undisturbed environment and focus on various body areas addressed with six suggestive formulas to increase relaxation and improve the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic control.¹

What are the benefits of autogenic training?

The technique involves daily practice of sessions that last about 15 minutes, usually in the morning, noon, and evening. The technique can help alleviate symptoms of stress. During each session, the practitioner repeats a series of visualizations that induce relaxation. It is a method that attempts to influence the autonomic nervous system. Autogenic training attempts to restore a balance between the activity of the sympathetic (flight or fight response) and parasympathetic (rest and digest response) parts of the autonomic nervous system. Autogenic training attempts to positively affect health by focusing on parasympathetic activity.¹ The parasympathetic is part of the autonomic nervous system and is responsible for the following activities:²

• Lowering blood pressure
• Slowing heart rate
• Digestion (e.g., promoting gastric acid production and intestinal peristalsis)

There is evidence that autogenic training may be potentially effective in reducing general symptoms of anxiety and irritability. It could also help reduce the intensity of chronic pain¹ and increase resilience to stress^3,4. In stressful times, it could help promote a sense of relaxation and improve concentration. However, it should be noted that scientific confidence in the effectiveness of autogenic training is not high in all cases. Therefore, more high-quality research on autogenic training is needed.¹
Nonetheless, autogenic training may even have one of the abovementioned effects on you. Since it doesn’t seem like autogenic training can harm your body, you might want to try it to see how it affects you. Further down in the article, there are examples of autogenic training. You will also find something in this book about autogenic training*.

A practical approach to autogenic training

The technique involves the daily practice of sessions that last about 15 minutes, usually in the morning, noon, and evening. During each session, you repeat a series of visualizations that induce relaxation. These visualizations include: ^{cf 3}

• The feeling of heaviness: promotes the relaxation of the voluntary musculature of the limbs and reverses the typical tension in the limbs as a response to stress.
• Warmth: opens the blood vessels in your arms and legs and reverses the blood flow to the body’s center, which is typical for the stress response.
• Regular heartbeat: helps normalize the heart rate and reverses the accelerated heart rate characteristic of the stress response.
• Regular breathing: helps normalize the breathing rate and reverses the accelerated breathing rate characteristic of the stress response.
• Relaxation and warming of the abdomen: reverses the flow away from the digestive system, which is typical for the stress response.
• Cooling of the head: reverses the blood flow to the brain, which is typical for the stress response.

Autogenic training examples

Keep external stimuli as low as possible. Wear loose clothing and choose one of the following positions:

• Sit in a chair where your head, back, and limbs are supported, and you are as comfortable as possible
• Sit on a stool, slightly bent forward, with your arms resting on your thighs and your hands hanging between your knees
• Lie down with your head supported, legs about 20 centimeters apart, toes slightly outward, and arms comfortably lying at your sides but not touching your body.

Here are two similar examples for each session with different sentences in Autogenic Training. Often, individual areas are also focused on in different weeks: ^{cf 3}

Example 1

Preparation: Find a quiet, comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit or lie down in a relaxed position. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Weight exercise: Start with the formula “I am completely calm and relaxed” and repeat this several times in your mind. Then focus on your arms and legs and think: “My arms and legs are very heavy”. Repeat this formula several times.

Heat exercise: After you have achieved a feeling of heaviness, focus on the warmth in your arms and legs. Think: “My arms and legs are pleasantly warm”. Repeat this formula several times.

Heart exercise: Focus on your heart and think: “My heart beats calmly and regularly”. Repeat this formula several times.

Breathing exercise: Focus on your breathing and think: “I breathe calmly and evenly”. Repeat this formula several times.

Solar plexus exercise: Focus on the region of your solar plexus (about in the middle of your belly) and think: “My solar plexus flows warm”. Repeat this formula several times.

Forehead coolness exercise: Focus on your forehead and think: “My forehead is pleasantly cool”. Repeat this formula several times.

Conclusion: End the session by taking a deep breath, rubbing your hands, and rubbing off your face. Then, slowly open your eyes.

Example 2

Set 1: Weight

My right arm is heavy

My left arm is heavy. Both my arms are heavy

My right leg is heavy. My left leg is heavy

Both my legs are heavy. My arms and my legs are heavy

Set 2: Warmth

My right arm is warm

My left arm is warm. Both my arms are warm

My right leg is warm

My left leg is warm. Both my legs are warm

My arms and my legs are warm

Set 3: A Quiet Heart

My arms are heavy and warm

My legs are heavy and warm

My arms and legs are heavy and warm. I feel calm

My heart feels warm and pleasant

My heartbeat is calm and regular

Set 4: Breathing

My arms are heavy and warm

My legs are heavy and warm

My arms and legs are heavy and warm I feel calm

My heartbeat is calm and regular

My breathing breathes me

Set 5: Stomach

My arms are heavy and warm

My legs are heavy and warm

My arms and legs are heavy and warm I feel calm

My heartbeat is calm and regular

My breathing breathes me

My stomach is soft and warm

Set 6: Cool forehead

My arms are heavy and warm

My legs are heavy and warm

My arms and legs are heavy and warm I feel calm

My heartbeat is calm and regular

My breathing breathes me

My stomach is soft and warm

My forehead is cool

Formula to calm the mind

I am calm and relaxed.

I feel very still. I feel still, relaxed, comfortable.

My mind is still. I am at peace. I feel an inner silence. I am serene. My mind is quiet.

To learn more about physiological processes, check out other articles on my blog. I look forward to your feedback or questions in the comments. You can also find interesting videos about fitness & co. on my YouTube channel.

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References – What is autogenic training?

1. Kohlert, A., Wick, K., & Rosendahl, J. (2022). Autogenic training for reducing chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International journal of behavioral medicine, 1-12.
2. Waschke, J., Böckers, T. M., & Paulsen, F. (Eds.). (2019). Sobotta Lehrbuch Anatomie. Elsevier Health Sciences.
3. Lim, S. J., & Kim, C. (2014). Effects of Autogenic Training on Stress Response and Heart Rate Variability in Nursing Students. Asian Nursing Research, 8, 286e292.
4. Kerna, N. A., Holets, H. M., Hafid, H., Pruitt, K. D., Carsrud, N. D. V., Ndhlovu, S., … & Nwokorie, U. (2021). A Practical Review of Mind-Body Medicine (MBM): Descriptions of Prevalent MBM Therapies, Indications, Contraindications, and Efficacy. EC Psychology and Psychiatry, 10, 86-98.