Part 3 from the series: Trauma in the body

Many people live with a level of tension in their body that they barely notice anymore.
Shoulders slightly raised.
A neck that never truly relaxes.
A belly that feels held rather than soft.
A subtle state of readiness, as if something could happen at any moment.

This tension often feels “normal” because it has been there for years.
But it is not random.
It has a history.

Sometimes it’s the result of stress.
But often, it is a protective response the body developed during experiences that were overwhelming or unsafe—moments where there was no room to feel, express, or defend oneself.

The body held on to protect you.
And eventually, it didn’t stop.

What Is Muscular Armor?

The term muscular armor refers to chronic tension in the body that develops as a protective mechanism.

When someone is in a situation where they:

• cannot express their feelings,
• cannot leave,
• cannot speak up,
• or must endure more than they are able to process,

the body activates a stress response—but the energy mobilized to survive the situation cannot complete.
It has no release.

That unresolved protection shows up later as:

• a tight jaw,
• lifted shoulders,
• a tense belly,
• pressure in the chest,
• an inner alertness without a clear reason.

This is not a flaw.
It is a strategy.

The body is trying to maintain control so that nothing will hurt as deeply again.

Why Letting Go Isn’t a Choice

Relaxation is not a matter of willpower.
Even though we wish it were.

One cannot simply decide to let go if the body believes that tension equals safety.

For the body:

Tension = I am prepared.
Relaxation = I am exposed.

If someone learned early on that the world is unpredictable or unsafe, relaxation can feel threatening—even in moments where there is no real danger.

This is why attempts such as:

• “just relax”
• breathing exercises done with pressure
• positive affirmations
• or forcing muscles to release

may feel uncomfortable, overwhelming, or even frightening.

Not because you are doing something wrong.
But because your body is trying to protect you.

How Chronic Tension Develops

It often builds slowly:

1. Stress or emotional overload occurs.
2. The body tightens to cope.
3. There is no moment of release or safe processing.
4. The tension remains and becomes the new baseline.

Eventually, tension feels “normal” and relaxation feels unfamiliar or unsafe.

The Key Understanding

Your body is not holding on because you can’t let go.
Your body is holding on because it believes it must.

This means:

Healing does not begin with more effort.
It begins with safety.

How the Body Can Soften Again (Gently)

Small, gentle practices can support this:

• A few natural breaths, without trying to change anything
• Warmth: on the chest, belly, or neck
• Slow, simple movements, not stretching or forcing
• Supportive touch: a hand resting on the heart or belly
• Moments of pause that require nothing

Not to release everything at once.
But to gradually show the body:

“You are not alone now. It is safe to rest a little.”

Muscular armor is not weakness.
It is strength that was needed once.
The body protected you.

Now it may learn, slowly and in its own time, something softer.
No rushing. No forcing.
Just a gentle return to safety.

If you recognized yourself in this, you’re not alone.
Many people carry this quiet tension for years.
You do not need to resolve it all at once.
And you do not have to do it alone.

My Heal Your Body E-Book series is created to support this process gently—through small daily moments of presence and kindness toward your body.
Not perfectly.
Just softly, consistently, and with care.

If you feel called, you can begin here:
just a few minutes a day to show your body that safety is possible again.