Active regeneration instead of full throttle – the shortcut to real performance

I originally come from a management consulting background. My everyday life was fast-paced, intense, demanding, and involved a lot of sitting. And my way of balancing that out was sport. Squash, tournaments, climbing, cave diving, weight training. The main thing was that it was intense. Warming up? I didn't bother with that. I warmed up anyway while playing. My recovery consisted of a short cool-down or some stretching, little alcohol, plenty of sleep, and a healthy diet. That should be enough, right?

All of this worked very well for many years. Nevertheless, I was never really satisfied with my performance. My body let me down, especially during tournaments. I was extremely nervous, could hardly breathe, and was therefore unable to perform at my best. In those moments, I was extremely frustrated and angry with myself. The game also had the corresponding results – I usually lost. What frustrated me the most was that I could play for hours in training and was full of energy.

I tried many things: breathing techniques, mental training, visualization exercises, coaching—nothing really helped.

My moment of realization: My body and mind were not ready for performance at all.

Through Sonja, I realized that I was neither mentally nor physically centered.

I had a hollow back, the right side was overloaded, and my shoulders and head were pulled forward. I had never really thought about how my posture affected my performance before—let alone that posture also has an impact on my emotions.

In addition, I was always surprised when I suddenly had an injury that felt like it would never get better. Yet I was convinced that I was creating "balance." But balance is not simply more exercise and training. Balance means releasing tension and regaining your center.

The fascination of the body – it always adapts

The moment I first consciously realized what active regeneration can achieve changed me forever. A single targeted regeneration exercise—and my performance improved, I felt more upright, and my breathing was freer.

I understand: the body always wants to return to its ideal state. All it needs is:

• a frame

• room

• and a clear direction

Just as quickly as it slips into bad habits, it can reorganize itself—if we give it the opportunity to do so.

The body and emotions are inextricably linked.

When we are nervous, our body tenses up. When we are afraid, our breathing becomes shallow. When we are stressed, we hold tension and clench our jaw.

You can not only see it—you can feel it.

And it also works the other way around: when we bring our body more and more into the center, our emotions change too. When space is created in the chest, we breathe more deeply—and become calmer. When the tension in the face is released, the back can relax—and feelings such as stress or inner restlessness can disappear.

For me, that was the key: when I realign my body, my thoughts and emotions change too.

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What true regeneration means

Regeneration is not passive rest, nor can it be achieved with a little cycling or stretching. It is a conscious process of bringing the body back into balance—especially after physical and mental stress. Tension literally distorts the body and leads to poor posture and stiffness.

It comprises five key elements:

• Harmony, balance, and center within a frame

  Straightening the body means returning it to its natural center. To do this, the opposing muscles are specifically activated and the body is given a clear framework for orientation. This framework is like an alignment rail: it shows where the center is and keeps the body there so that it does not deviate or compensate.

• Create space

  Targeted exercises can be used to create space and room in the body, for example after training. This allows everything to rearrange itself and align perfectly. The body always wants to return to its ideal position/center—oriented around the skeleton.

• Breathing & Consciousness

  It's about deeper inhalation, exhalation, and awareness: Where am I breathing? How am I breathing? Breathing affects posture, the nervous system, and focus.

• Mental relief

  Emotions influence our mental and physical performance. Being aware of our own emotions and consciously letting go helps us to regain our balance.

When these elements come together, it's not just your body that changes—your mood, performance, charisma, and posture change too. You become calmer and more resilient.

There are many approaches that utilize individual aspects, such as breathwork, yoga, or coaching. However, the real challenge is to combine all these elements in such a way that they work together—and without requiring a significant time investment.

This is exactly where TSAR comes in. Sonja has developed online programs that combine all these elements instead of treating them separately, in order to quickly achieve mental and physical balance.

I use two of them especially before competitions:

• Breathe freely

  Transform fear into strength—with every breath, gain more clarity, calmness, and inner strength.

• Energized legs

  From nervousness to clarity, focus, and presence—enter the competition with ease.

This allows me to remain calm during today's tournament because my body is prepared. My center is stable. My breathing remains open. My nerves remain under control. And for the first time in a long time, I am simply enjoying playing again, regardless of the outcome.

At the same time, this change also has a noticeable effect on my everyday life: I go through the day feeling lighter, more present, and more relaxed.

My conclusion

Performance does not come from more pressure and more full throttle. You don't need to torture yourself or grit your teeth every day to get ahead. Performance comes when your body and mind are centered and in harmony.

First, we create space. Then we straighten up. Then movement, clarity, and strength follow—all by themselves.

I never would have thought that this type of recovery would become my greatest performance lever. Now I know that without it, you're only training against your own body. With it, you're training with your body.

And that's where the real potential begins.

Would you like to experience it for yourself?

In my presentation, I will go into more detail on this topic and demonstrate several exercises for you to try out and participate in. Observe how your breathing changes, your body straightens up, and your mind becomes calmer.

If you would like to delve deeper into this topic, you can find suitable online programs on our website under Performance & Aesthetics.

And if you're unsure which online program is right for you:

Just write to us. We'll be happy to help you figure out what your body really needs right now.