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Your routine

Full-body tension routine

Two foundations. Two days. One protocol designed by Christine Annie, MPT, with 25 years as a physical therapist.

When pain shows up in multiple places, the body is telling you that the root causes are systemic. This protocol addresses both of them, your primary core (hips) and secondary core (neck and shoulders). Start with whichever day feels most relevant. Most people feel a shift within the first session.

Days 2
Steps 12 TOTAL
Tools Hip Hook™ · Orbit® · Range®
Level First-timer
Aletha companion app on iPhone with Hip Hook and Orbit tools
Release full body tension
How this routine works

Release./Stretch./Strengthen.

01Release first

Sustained pressure releases muscle tension that stretching can't touch.

02Then stretch

Stretching works far better and feels different after tension is released.

03Then strengthen

Strengthening locks in the results. Tight muscles are weak muscles. Release first.

The two-day protocol

One protocol.
Two days. Pick a side.

Both days are part of the same protocol. The Lower Body Day addresses your primary core: the hips. The Upper Body Day addresses your secondary core: the neck, chest, and shoulders. Most people benefit from doing both within the same week.

Start with whichever day is most relevant to where your pain is. Both are part of the same protocol.

Day 01
LOWER BODY DAY · PRIMARY CORE (HIPS)
Steps6
Time~20 min
ToolsOrbit · Hip Hook
01
Step 01 / Release · Warm up

Release your psoas

REQUIRES: ORBIT 90 seconds per side

The psoas is your iliacus's neighbor: one of two hip flexors that, when tight, compress your spine and affect your entire lower body alignment. Releasing it first warms up the area and makes the deeper iliacus release more effective. The Orbit, softer and wider than the Hip Hook, is the right tool for this step.

How to do it
  1. Lie on the ground with the Orbit positioned inside of the pelvic bone.
  2. Change the intensity of pressure by adjusting your body position.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
02
Step 02 / Release

Release your iliacus

REQUIRES: HIP HOOK 90 seconds per side

This is the step most people have never done, and the one that changes everything. The iliacus is a massive hip flexor, about the size of your hand, that lives deep inside your pelvis. When it holds chronic tension, it rotates your pelvis forward, compresses your spine, and weakens your glutes. Sustained, precise pressure held long enough is the only thing that releases it.

How to do it
  1. Lie on the ground with the Hip Hook positioned inside of the pelvic bone.
  2. Let the tip sink into your muscles for a moment; then press on the handle to rotate the tip towards the inside of your pelvic bone. Continue to hold the handle.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
03
Step 03 / Release

Release your piriformis

REQUIRES: ORBIT 90 seconds per side

The piriformis is the deep hip rotator that can compress your sciatic nerve. Most people treat the piriformis, but almost no one asks why it's tight. It's tight because the iliacus is pulling your pelvis out of alignment, forcing the piriformis to overwork. Release the iliacus first (Step 02), then release the piriformis. The order is essential.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back with the Orbit positioned underneath your glute.
  2. Change the intensity of pressure by adjusting your body position.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
04
Step 04 / Realign

Stretch your piriformis

No tools needed 60 seconds each side

Now that you've released the tension, stretching actually works. You'll notice this stretch feels different after the release: deeper, less guarded. Stretching a tense muscle before releasing it gives you temporary range of motion. Stretching after release gives you lasting change.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back.
  2. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
  3. Reach through and pull the bottom thigh gently toward your chest until you feel a deep stretch in the glute and hip.
  4. Hold 60 seconds. Switch sides.
05
Step 05 / Strengthen

Bridges

No tools needed 2 sets of 10

This reactivates the glute muscles that chronic tension has been shutting down. A tight iliacus weakens your glute through reciprocal inhibition. That's why one glute often stays weak, no matter how much you exercise. After releasing your iliacus, your glutes can actually fire properly. Squeeze at the top of each rep and hold for a moment.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
  2. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  3. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Lower slowly.
  4. Repeat for 10 reps. Rest. Complete a second set.
06
Step 06 / Strengthen

Clamshells

No tools needed 2 sets of 10 each side

This strengthens the external rotators that stabilize your hip. You can't effectively strengthen a tight muscle, and you can't strengthen the muscle opposing it either. Release comes first. Then the strengthening work actually produces the results you've been working toward.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your side with knees bent and feet stacked.
  2. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee toward the ceiling as far as you can without rotating your pelvis.
  3. Lower slowly.
  4. Complete 10 reps on one side, then switch. Repeat for a second set.
Day 02
UPPER BODY DAY · SECONDARY CORE (NECK & SHOULDERS)
Steps6
Time~16 min
ToolsRange
01
Step 01 / Release

Release your pec minor

REQUIRES: RANGE 90 seconds per side

Tight pecs pull your shoulders forward, which forces your neck muscles to overwork. Releasing the pec minor first takes the strain off your neck before you address the smaller muscles. This is where the upper body tension chain starts and where the fix has to start.

How to do it
  1. Line up the tips of the Range on the pec minor muscle in your chest.
  2. Lean into the Range against a wall to deliver a comfortable level of pressure.
  3. Breathe slowly and stay there for 90 seconds, allowing the muscle to soften.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
02
Step 02 / Stretch

Stretch your pecs

No tools needed 60 seconds each side

Now that you've released the tension, stretching actually works. You'll notice this stretch feels different after the release: deeper and less guarded. Stretching a tense muscle before releasing it gives you temporary range of motion. Stretching after release gives you lasting change.

How to do it
  1. Stand in a doorway.
  2. Place your forearm on the door frame at 90 degrees.
  3. Gently rotate your body away from your arm until you feel a stretch across your chest and front shoulder.
  4. Hold 60 seconds. Switch sides.
03
Step 03 / Release

Release your suboccipitals

REQUIRES: RANGE 90 seconds per tip

These small muscles at the base of your skull control 80% of your neck rotation. Trigger points here create referred pain, such as headaches that feel like they're in your head but are actually coming from your neck. Sustained pressure for 90 seconds minimum releases the holding pattern. The Range targets each muscle individually.

How to do it
  1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Position the Range underneath the base of your skull, using any set of tips.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
04
Step 04 / Strengthen

Chin tucks

No tools needed 2 sets of 10

Chin tucks retrain the deep cervical flexors, the muscles that hold your head in proper alignment over your spine. After releasing the suboccipitals, these muscles can actually activate. This is the strengthening component for your neck: simple, essential, and frequently skipped.

How to do it
  1. Sit up tall and place your fingers on your chin as a guide.
  2. Let your chin drift forward slowly.
  3. Bring your head back to neutral and tuck the chin gently.
  4. Hold the chin tuck position for 2 seconds on each rep.
05
Step 05 / Release

Release your upper traps

REQUIRES: RANGE 90 seconds per side

Your upper traps have been compensating for tight pecs and suboccipitals, working overtime to stabilize a head that's been pulled forward. Releasing them is the final step in the upper body tension chain. By the time you reach this step, you've already addressed the muscles driving the compensation, so this release holds.

How to do it
  1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Position the Range between your upper traps and a wall, using any set of tips.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
06
Step 06 / Stretch

Shoulder circles

No tools needed 10 forward · 10 backward

This reintegrates shoulder mobility after releasing the muscles that have been restricting it. Slow, full-range circles lubricate the joint and reinforce the new range of motion you've just created.

How to do it
  1. Stand tall.
  2. Lift both shoulders up toward your ears, roll them back and down in a full circle.
  3. Slow and controlled. This is not a warm-up exercise, it's a movement reset.
  4. Repeat for 10 circles, then reverse direction for 10 more.
Safety notes

Before you begin.

These notes apply to both days. Muscle release is a clinical practice. A few principles keep it effective and safe.

Start gentle

More pressure is not more effective. Start light and build over time. You control the depth.

What's normal

Tenderness, pressure, warmth, twitching, or a "hurts so good" feeling are all normal with muscle release.

Stop if

You feel numbness, tingling, burning, or throbbing. Move the tool to a different spot. These sensations can mean you're near a nerve or blood vessel.

If you're prone to migraines

Ice the muscles you just released for 5–10 minutes after an upper body session. This helps calm the tissues after trigger point release.

Consult your provider

If you have a medical condition or recent surgery, consult your healthcare provider before using these tools. See full safety information →

Tools

Tools used in this routine.

This protocol uses all three Aletha tools: one per release step, across both days.

Hip Hook
Lower Body · Step 02

HIP HOOK

Designed to release the iliacus, a deep hip flexor most tools can't reach.

Learn more →
Orbit
Lower Body · Step 01

ORBIT

Softer and wider, a gentle entry point for psoas and piriformis release.

Learn more →
Range
Upper Body · Steps 01, 03 & 05

RANGE

Designed to reach the pec minor, suboccipitals, and upper traps: the muscles driving most neck, shoulder, and headache patterns.

Learn more →

The Full Body System comes with the Hip Hook, Orbit, and Range. One purchase covers the tools needed for the Upper Body and Lower Body routines. Every purchase also includes the companion app with guided video placement.

Companion app

Never done this before?

The companion app walks you through exact placement for every step, with video, timing guidance, and routines built for your pattern.

Download on the App Store
Aletha companion app on iPhone showing release timer

Have questions about this routine or these tools?

Our team of PTs and movement specialists can help. Email us → hello@alethahealth.com