Why do so many riders struggle with stiffness and back pain?

Lots of people are "pushing through" stiffness and back pain when they ride, instead of listening to their bodies, because they just don't know what else to do...

Does this sound familiar?

  • Are you tired of feeling sore or ignoring your aches or back pain when you ride?​

  • Do you worry that your stiffness and tension are hurting your horses back or mouth?​

  • ​Are you tired of your instructor telling you the same things over and OVER about your position?​

  • Do you dream of being so fluid and supple you can easily follow every movement of your horse, even sitting the trot?​

  • ​Are you exhausted from trying to do it all - horse, family, career...AND trying to make time for yoga or pilates so you are "fit enough" to be a good and kind rider for your horse?​

  • Wish that you could feel the ease, freedom and joy you recall from riding as a kid?

Well, WHAT IF...

  • WHAT IF there was a proven way to get supple and get rid of tension?

  • WHAT IF it was appropriate for all riders, no matter discipline or fitness level?

  • WHAT IF you could say 'Goodbye' to stiffness and back pain, FOR GOOD?

There is a SOLUTION...

A solution that has helped thousands of people all over the world to get out of pain and to thrive in sport and life... It's called Hanna Somatics.

...this is NOT a new exercise program or workout, it's not 'bodywork' or some woo-woo healing modality. This is how you Hack your BRAIN to change your habits, using 100% proven physiology and neuroscience.

Hi, I'm Alissa Mayer

And this is my heart-horse Doc A'Nalu

I have been the mind-body instructor, interspecies-relationship advisor and Hanna Somatic Educator to dressage trainers, international clinicians, Olympians, dancers, fitness instructors, horsemanship gurus, business owners, grandmothers, recreational horse riders, and thousands of people around the world wanting to be more supple and pain-free.

❦


I've been teaching Hanna Somatic Education to my riding students and horse training clients for over a decade at my clinics and workshops around the world, and the #1 thing I get asked by friends and clients is:


"How can I get more flexible so riding doesn't hurt so much, and I can more easily follow the movement of my horse?" 


If you're like 99% of riders, you probably feel sore or uncomfortable in the saddle at times. Your seat could be 'better.' It's fine, but your habits keep creeping back, and your back or hips complain.


You might even have resigned yourself to just not enjoying riding or playing with horses as much as you used to...


Well, I'm here to change all that! I want to show you how you can easily and quickly start unwinding your tension so that you immediately start to feel AND ride better!


You don't need to break a sweat, or even have any experience with somatics, because I've broken it down for you into an easy to follow program with simple step-by-step instructions.

So, what is Somatics?

Hanna Somatics is a revolutionary approach to pain relief and improving the function of your body.

Using proven science and a gentle movement-based education process, you can literally re-write your habits and patterns of chronic stress to find true neutral, fast. When you tap into your own natural reflexes of Self-Care, you will start to enjoy the results IMMEDIATELY. Re-learn how to relax your muscles and become the supple, pain-free rider you and your horse dream of!

What people are saying:

"Fabulous Course!"

Nancy Horne, TBT Master Practitioner, MMCP, CEMP - Montana, USA

The exercises and info you put together are astoundingly helpful. At this time in my life - as I recover from being rear ended 17 months ago (!)… with the combined pain and brain issues - I am finally able to commit to this work, and grateful for the lifetime access. Your exercises are perfect for this recovery! Especially the neck work - so perfect for whiplash issues to stave off or break up scar tissue. This course is the gift that keeps on giving!

"Getting my Range-of-Motion Back!"

Hayley Josephs, horse owner - Colorado, USA

I just wanted to shoot you a quick email today to say the warmest and most resounding “thank you!!” that I can manage for putting this course together. I was most definitely dealing with both upper and lower crossed syndromes as well as having winging shoulder blades to boot! But your Hanna Somatics teachings have given me relief from so much of the pain and tension that had become my normal. Slowly but surely I’m getting my range of motion back! I have been so, SO grateful to be able to incorporate your teachings into my life and I can’t wait to see how my transformation continues!

"This course is a gift...I feel fantastic!"

Kathy Adams, Equine bodyworker - Swellendam, South Africa

I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying and benefitting from your PTP course so far. I am only on week 3 and already I have felt such a difference. One doesn't realize how much residual and unconscious tension one is holding onto until it's being let go... it's such a lovely feeling! Now I know why the horses look so sleepy and relaxed and yawn their heads off when we're doing the EHS with them!!

"The difference was SO noticeable..."

Sherry Bernard, lifetime horse owner - Oregon, USA

"Before doing the Neck & Shoulders Lesson, I was so stiff I had to turn my whole body to check for traffic while driving. Now, I can turn my head around easily! The difference was so noticeable it surprised me!"

"This Program is a Life-Saver!"

Kim LaFollete, Horse Owner

Alissa, your PTP Course for riders has helped me immensely to alleviate the chronic back and hip pain I’ve had for over two years, since my hip injury… I had rehab the first year after the injury, but it only made it worse. Your program has been a life saver for me. I can't even begin to tell you what a relief it is to move freely again and not feel constant pain! I even sleep better because the pain that was there even when I was laying down is now GONE. I owe a lot to you and am thrilled with the results on my back and hip. Thank you!

Feel Better. Ride Better. BE Better!

In this DEEP-DIVE audio and video training we'll cover how to unwind chronic tension in ALL your major muscle groups to ditch pain, gain body-awareness and reveal your inner athlete.


You can use these techniques to get pain relief, become a more flexible rider, and even to become a more present partner for your horse!

My friend, I even show you how to access the natural self-care reflex that is the MISSING LINK to becoming the rider of your (and your horses) dreams! It's called PANDICULATION, and with the approach I'll teach you, it's easy enough that anyone can do it!


“This course has helped me immensely to alleviate the chronic back and hip pain I've had for over 2 years! I can't even begin to tell you what a relief it is to move freely again and not feel constant pain. I even sleep better. Thank you!!!”

- Kim LaFollete

In fact, here's just a sample of what we'll cover in this incredible 8-week Training Program:

You will LEARN:

  • HOW to harness the power of your Brain to unwind your patterns of tension and pain.

  • HOW to let go of the habits that control your posture and prevent you from sitting 'correctly' on a horse

  • HOW to find True Neutral to access your full range-of-motion and strength to make great riding feel effortless

  • HOW to be empowered to address your current patterns of tension or trauma, AND to prevent future tension from affecting your posture or becoming pain

  • HOW to "lock-in" your releases for Long-Lasting Results and Real Change.

  • HOW to create a daily self-care practice to maintain your results and live in relaxation

  • HOW to use these strategies to help your horse let go of tension too, so you can be a better and more harmonious team

  • ... and much, MUCH More!

Don't miss this breakthrough audio and video training that will finally show you how to get rid of 'poor posture' and old habits once and for all...

...and to ditch your pain and stiffness so you can immediately start to ride like you were born to ride!

What's included in the 8 Week Program?

Here's everything you get when you enroll:

  • 8 Somatic Movement Lessons - each week you get a 1-hour Somatic Movement Lesson laser-focused in on one of the central areas of the body where equestrians tend to carry and hold tension.

  • 8 ‘Lock-In’ and Mindfulness Lessons - each Somatic Movement lesson is followed-up by a practical lesson to implement your new supple muscles, expanded range-of-motion and body awareness so you lock-in your immediate results, and continue the unwinding process.

  • LIFETIME Access to the course content, so you can go through it at your own pace or repeat the lessons as many times as you like.

  • Access to all the group class replays, and BONUS discussions on the applications of what we are learning to riding, sport and horsemanship.

  • Get advice and help when you need it with LIFETIME Access to the private PTP Facebook Group where you get online coaching & support from Alissa for the 8 weeks of your course, and occasional LIVE Q&A sessions! Here you can connect with other course participants to compare notes and share your AHA! moments and embodied experience.

  • BONUS: Monthly LIVE Movement Sessions with Alissa - customized to what you need each class. These live group classes compliment the 8-week lesson content, and also encourage and support you in maintaining a regular self-care practice. Available until space runs out...

  • BONUS! The INTRO Mat Class (Podcast version) - This 40 minute audio class is a full-body movement experience - an expanded version of the daily practice session we recommend for everyone to both maintain suppleness and prevent injuries. This is Alissa’s most popular class that she teaches at clinics and workshops around the world! (yours to keep)

  • BONUS! The INTRO Mat Class (EBooklet) - includes photos and written descriptions of the 9 movements introduced in the extended Podcast class for easy reference and a short-and-sweet version of your daily practice. (yours to keep)

  • BONUS! 8 Video Trainings: The Body-Mind Hack (download version). Learn 7 more simple yet powerful movements to reduce tension and improve range of motion, including one hands-on movement you can share with your horse or dog! This is how you become more balanced, improve your performance and get out of pain, FASTER! (yours to keep)

What makes Somatics SO Effective?

Hanna Somatics works directly with the root cause of chronic tension and pain - your BRAIN and the way it controls your muscles and movement.

Only your brain can make lasting changes in your posture and tension levels, from the inside of your nervous system. Other methods of exercise or 'bodywork' focus on strengthening or stretching individual parts of the body, or working on the body from the outside. This can give temporary relief, but the patterns coming from the brain will inevitably re-assert themselves, and the pain or stiffness and asymmetry will keep coming back... unless you change the root cause of your tension patterns - your brain!

Feel Better. Ride Better. Be Better.

Unleash your inner athlete to become your Best Self. Do it for your Horse.

Get started now

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the Program!

    • Welcome Video & Course Syllabus

    • How to use this course

    • How to get the MAXIMUM Benefits from Somatic Movement

    • The Problem: Chronic Tension caused by Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA)

    • A word on Stretching

    • Join the PTP Community

    • Before we begin...
  • 2

    Week 1: Suppling the Muscles of your Back

    • Introduction - An important message from your instructor Alissa!

    • REVIEW: How to Get the MAXIMUM Benefits from Somatic Movement

    • PTP Lesson 1: Controlling Your Back Extensors

    • Wellbeing: Seated Exercise + Intentional Breathing
  • 3

    Week 2: Suppling the Muscles of your Stomach

    • PTP Lesson 2: Controlling Your Stomach Flexors

    • Week 2 Wellbeing: Appreciation Meditation
  • 4

    Week 3: Suppling the Muscles of your Waist

    • PTP Lesson 3: Controlling Your Waist Muscles

    • Post Lesson Q&A

    • Wellbeing: Luxurious Seated Lateral Work
  • 5

    Week 4: Learning to Control Trunk Rotation

    • PTP Lesson 4: Controlling the Muscles of your Trunk & Rotation

    • Post-Lesson 4 Discussion: Carrying the weight of your body

    • Wellbeing: Breathe in the Idea...
  • 6

    Week 5: Lengthening the Muscles of your Hips & Legs

    • PTP Lesson 5: Controlling Your Leg & Hip Muscles

    • Wellbeing: Run, Dance, Ride!
  • 7

    Week 6: Relaxing the Muscles of your Neck & Shoulders

    • PTP Lesson 6A: Controlling the Muscles of your Neck & Shoulders

    • PTP Lesson 6B: Neck & Shoulders Session (part 2)

    • Wellbeing: Unwinding the Shoulders Audio Class (8 minutes)
  • 8

    Week 7: Learning to Control your Breathing

    • PTP Lesson 7: Controlling the Muscles of your Breath

    • Mindfulness: We are all One - Post lesson discussion on Feel
  • 9

    Week 8: Improving your Walk

    • Finding your Tripods - The Foundation of your Posture

    • PTP Lesson 8: The "Sexy Walk"
  • 10

    Monthly LIVE Mat Classes

    • Join me via Zoom for a live group class (links inside)
  • 11

    Next steps

    • Congrats! Here's what's next...

    • eBooklet: Full-Body Daily Maintenance Routine

    • Audio Class: Full-Body Daily Maintenance Routine (42 mins)

    • More resources for you

    • Before you go...

Bonus material

  • The INTRO Mat Class

    Prepare to relax - this is the easiest “work” you will ever do! This 40-minute audio-guided class is suitable for total beginners as well as those with an established practice of Hanna Somatics. This is the EXACT class I teach at my clinics and workshops to riders all over the world, from non-riders to international competitors...

  • EBooklet Somatics for Daily Maintenance

    6-pages of written instructions and photographs of Alissa doing the Eight Somatic Movements she teaches at all of her workshops around the world... This is a great way to get started with Hanna Somatics, as a daily practice or to use as homework between Private Sessions.

  • The Body-Mind Hack (download version)

    8 more Video Lessons, yours to keep! These additional movements are quick 'brain-hacks' for easing tension in your back, neck, shoulders and hands + one hands-on movement you can share with your horse or dog!

The KEYS are inside you.

Awaken your inner athlete. Get closer to your Best Self, and your best RIDE!

Get the course, now!

Week 1

Suppling Your Back

The first week's lessons are all about getting in touch with your back muscles, and learning to control how much tension you do or DO NOT carry around with you. When these muscles are activated and chronically contracted, they are responsible for the most common complaint in our society: lower back pain! Movement is Life! It’s about recognizing your power to cultivate your somatic experience - the unique experience of living your life, in your body, from your perspective.

Week 2

Suppling Your Stomach

These muscles pull in the opposite direction of the extensor muscles of the back - the area you learned to control in Lesson 1. When both the muscles of the back and the muscles of the stomach are pulling at the same time, the body is put into a "dark vise" of pressure from both front and back, which can contribute to shallow breathing, a distorted heart beat rhythm and changes in blood pressure (Hanna 106). At the end of this lesson, we will do some Body Image Training - to do this you will need to sit in your chair near a full length mirror, and be able to hear me.

Week 3

Suppling Your Waist

In this week's lessons, you will be cultivating greater Somatic Self-Awareness as you create more length and suppleness in your waist. The muscles of the waist are involved in expansion as the breath enter the body, and in the movement of all four limbs. If the muscles of one side of the waist are more contracted, the trunk will tilt or curve toward that side, creating a visible asymmetry that makes it difficult to balance oneself, or on a horse! The movements in Lesson 3 will relieve this tension, bringing you more toward your natural verticality.

Week 4

Mastering Trunk Rotation & Stability

From lessons 1-3, you have attained a growing sensitivity and control in the three main sections of the trunk muscles: the back extensors, the stomach flexors, and the lateral muscles of the waist. In this lesson, you will experience lengthening in all three muscle groups simultaneously. Your pelvis, ribcage and entire spine are beginning to move more freely, and you are entering a stage in your neuromuscular training where you may begin to feel a bit like a cat doing his or her stretches after a nice nap - lazy and luxurious! After the movement portion of this class, we will be doing Body Image Training.

Week 5

Suppling Your Hips & Legs

In this week's lessons, you will experience why we do these Somatic Exercises repeatedly and begin the series with the large muscle groups in the center of the body. Today you will notice how your trunk must be able to move easily to allow your legs to move freely. The walking motion and pattern, which should come naturally and easily to all of us, becomes more and more restricted and "stiff" as we accumulate Sensory Motor Amnesia - a preventable and reversible condition that is often mistaken for "aging." As you begin to free the muscles of your legs and hip joints, you will not only be working with the muscles that are involved in walking, but in all leg movements, including running, dancing and riding horses!

Week 6

Suppling Your Neck & Shoulders

This week's movement lesson is based on an exercise invented by Moshe Feldenkrais. You will discover new levels of attention and awareness, and experience the freedom that comes with moving more easily. As Thomas Hanna says in his book Somatics "It is the inner change in brain function that makes possible outer change in muscle function."(129) This lesson is traditionally done in a seated position on the floor, but if sitting on the floor for extended periods will be uncomfortable for you, these movements can also be done seated in a chair without arms.

Week 7

Mastering the Muscles of Breathing

This week's lessons are about learning the art of deeper breathing, aka "diaphragmatic breathing." This is only possible after you have achieved greater awareness and suppleness in the muscles at the center of the body, the core, back and upper trunk - as we have done in Lessons 1-6. The exercises in this lesson will improve your breathing every time you do them, in the words of Thomas Hanna "allowing you to take in more and more air with less and less effort." It is recommended that you repeat this lesson a few times this week, and then revisit this lesson from time to time.

Week 8

Mastering the Human Walk

"Humans are the only creatures on Earth that walk on two legs with the arms swinging freely in counterbalance." - Thomas Hanna, from his book Somatics, Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility and Health. As the muscles in the center of the body become stiff with an accumulation of tension and protective bracing due to life experiences and trauma, walking easily and fluidly becomes more and more difficult... Eventually, one forgets the feel of the natural human walk. In this final weeks lessons, you will once again experience the wonderfully circular motion of the hip and pelvis, as well as the alternating gentle rotation and twisting of the spine as the arms swing rhythmically. After freeing the major muscle groups in your body in lessons 1-7, you are now ready to Walk your best walk... ...Run your best race... ...Dance your best performance... and Ride your best ride!

More happy riders..!

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Not happy with your results? Just email me any time up to 30 days after your purchase and let me know that you aren't happy, and I'll be happy to refund you the total price - as long as you have at least tried the first three movement lessons. You know change requires action - you have to DO the WORK.
Join the 8 Week PTP Course $397
Hanna Somatics for Riders money-back Guarantee!

Still Skeptical???

I'm confident that even just a few of my PTP classes will start to CHANGE YOUR LIFE - that's why I can back this course with my money-back guarantee. This stuff JUST WORKS, for everyone, every time. Prepare to relax - this is the easiest “work” you will ever do! The INTRO Mat Class is a 40-minute audio-guided class that is suitable for total beginners as well as those with an established practice of Hanna Somatics. This is the EXACT class I teach at my clinics and workshops to riders all over the world, from non-riders to international competitors... and it's yours to keep as part of the PTP Course.

FAQ's

  • Is this course just for equestrians?

    No, it's for everyone! The lessons in this course are designed for every human body - no matter your sport, discipline or lifestyle. This course is especially beneficial for equestrians because we need to use our bodies to communicate with our horses.

  • I don't have back pain, is this course still useful for me?

    YES. First, congrats on not having back pain! 85% of riders complain of stiffness or pain, so you are one of the lucky few. However, you may still have some unconscious muscle tension that is preventing you from performing at your maximum athletic potential and in comfort and ease. This course will teach you to unwind that tension before it becomes pain, and prevent the accumulation of future tension too!

  • I am recovering from an injury/surgery, can I still participate?

    Yes, but when you start depends on your recovery progress. The general recommendation is that you do not begin doing Hanna Somatics until your physician has cleared you to begin physical therapy.

  • What's the format of the Program?

    When you register, you get immediate access to all the course materials, so you can begin your transformation right away. I recommend that you take the full 8 weeks to work your way through the course materials, but they will still be beneficial if you go faster or slower.

  • What equipement do I need to buy?

    None! All you need is a computer, tablet or smart phone to access the course, and a comfortable place to lay on the floor to do the mat classes!

  • Is this for English or Western riders?

    Both. This course is for everyone, every discipline, every sport... from riders to dancers, competitive athletes to grandmothers and new mothers too!

  • I already work out, do Yoga and/or Pilates. Do I need Somatics, and how is it any different?

    Somatic Exercises are unlike any other form of exercise. Rather than focusing on the body itself, we are focusing on making changes in the brain and how it controls muscle contractions. Instead of stretching or strengthening the muscles themselves, with Hanna Somatics we are changing the instructions that the muscles are receiving from the central nervous system. No other form of exercise or bodywork does this, which is why Hanna Somatics is so unique, so reliable and so effective!

  • Do you have a refund policy?

    Yes! We have a 30-day 100% refund policy. Just email us to request your refund, and tell us why the course isn't working for you, if you feel like sharing. We do ask that you have tried the first three movement lessons before asking for your refund - because in order to create change in your life, you have to do the work...right?

  • Who is this NOT for?

    If you are happy with your posture and your physical performance, or don't believe there is any way to change your body or get rid of your back pain, then this course is probably not for you - because I can guarantee that you will see and feel results with this program! That's not my personal opinion either, Hanna Somatics works because it is based on proven science, anatomy and natural reflexes. So if you aren't ready to have your mind blown and your limits lifted, don't enroll in this course!

What's Inside the 8 Week Course

  • 8 Weekly Somatic Movement Lessons

    Weekly Transformational Instruction devoted to increasing awareness, flexibility and range of motion in a specific area of your body.

  • 8 Mindfulness & Well-Being Exercises

    Embody your learning and lock-in the changes you are creating with these practical lessons on Body Awareness, Proprioception and Natural Human Movement.

  • Replays of all LIVE Mat Classes

    Transformation requires changing your routine - this course is about helping you to get out of pain, yes, but ALSO to support you in creating a regular SELF-CARE PRACTICE. So you get ongoing support in addition to the course content, with access to replays of ALL our monthly CUSTOMIZED Group Mat Classes.

  • Community

    Accountability is powerful. Hanna Somatics provides us real tools for accessing our potential...BUT it only works if you DO THE WORK. The keys are already inside you - and we will cheer each other on in our private Facebook group.

  • The BONUS PACKAGE

    The complete Somatics for Riders INTRO Course (the 9 exercises I recommend to EVERY rider/athlete as a daily practice; Monthly LIVE Movement Sessions with Alissa (space is limited) - customized to what you need each class; the downloadable Body-Mind Hack videos; and more...