How to use your GeMa Stick

How to use your GeMa Stick

Stockgehen – foot massage with the GeMa Stick – needs little space and no complicated preparation. Take a few minutes, move slowly and notice how the exercises feel.

1. Getting started – hands, tension and relaxation

Place the rounded ends of the GeMa Stick in the centres of your palms and gently press your hands against the stick. Extend your arms upwards, combining the movement with conscious tension and relaxation.

Breathe in slowly and tense your muscles as you do so. Pause briefly, then release the tension as you breathe out. Repeat a few times, gradually changing the position of your arms. Pay particular attention to your hands, shoulders and neck.

Breathe in – tense. Hold briefly. Breathe out – relax.

2. Stockgehen – step by step

Place the GeMa Stick on the floor and stand barefoot in front of it. Starting at your toes, step onto the stick with both feet, taking very small steps.

1. Move slowly from your toes towards your heels.
2. Include the whole sole as well as the inner and outer edges of your feet.
3. Move gently backwards and forwards.
4. Control the pressure through your body weight. The sensation may be intense, but you should remain comfortably in control.
5. Keep breathing calmly and consciously notice what you feel beneath your feet.

This is not a performance exercise. Think less, notice more – and take a few mindful minutes for yourself.

If it feels uncomfortable

Especially at first, some areas of the soles may be sensitive. Reduce the pressure, shift your weight or move more slowly. Pain is not the aim of the exercise.

Notice whether the sensation changes when you continue breathing calmly and adjust the pressure. If you experience severe, unusual or persistent discomfort, stop the exercise and seek advice from a medical or therapeutic professional.

3. Visual exercises with the stick

The stick can also serve as a guide for simple eye movement and gaze exercises:

• Tracking: slowly follow the grooves or the length of the stick with your eyes.
• Focusing: alternate your focus between the end of the stick and a point further away.
• Saccades: move your gaze between two points on the stick.
• Convergence: slowly bring the stick towards the tip of your nose, following it with your eyes.
• Coordination: combine simple gaze exercises with movement.

Getting started: 21 days

To get started, we recommend trying Stockgehen regularly for 21 days – ideally for around 10 to 15 minutes a day. Afterwards, decide for yourself when and how often the exercise feels right for you.

The aim is not to achieve a particular result. Instead, observe how your awareness and personal experience change over time.

A small before-and-after experiment

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, bend your upper body forwards gently and notice: how does your body feel? How far can your hands reach towards the floor?

Then practise Stockgehen for a few minutes and repeat the movement. Does anything feel different? This experiment is solely for your own body awareness, not a medical test.

Please note: The hand, foot and eye exercises shown here are intended for relaxation and body awareness. They do not replace medical, physiotherapy or other therapeutic treatment.

We would love to hear about your experiences in the Stock Blog under the customer feedback comments. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: info@stockgehen.at