MoPro
TrainersEye · Jaw, TMJ & Headache
Jaw & TMJ A
Trainer's Eye
Phase 1 · Settle the jaw · Session A

Lips together.
Teeth apart.
All day.

The rest position is the whole foundation. Six gentle drills that teach it, plus the breathing that keeps the jaw out of your stress response.

  • Asession
  • P1Settle
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

The rest position

Lips together, teeth apart, tongue on the roof of the mouth. Your teeth should be in contact only while eating — a few minutes a day, not hours.

Stress goes into the jaw

Muscle activity in the jaw rises with psychological load. Breathing and relaxation work are part of the treatment, not a soft extra.

Pain is not damage

Jaw pain is an alarm, not a sign the joint is wearing out. Most jaw joints with pain look entirely normal.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · a jaw that rests

A

Find the rest

Rest position hold + tongue-to-palate holds
A1

Rest position hold

60 s · slow reps

Lips gently together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. Hold, release, repeat.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder hold longer

R1R2—
A2

Tongue-to-palate holds

12 × 5 s · ×2

Rest the tongue tip just behind the top front teeth and hold it there, jaw completely loose.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder 10-s holds

R1R2
B

Breathe

Diaphragmatic breathing + nasal breathing drill
B1

Diaphragmatic breathing

60 s · slow reps

Hand on the belly; breathe so the belly rises and the jaw and shoulders stay completely still.

Easier lying down  ·  Harder longer exhale

R1R2—
B2

Nasal breathing drill

10 breaths · ×2

Lips closed, breathing only through the nose, tongue on the palate — the resting default.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder longer breaths

R1R2
C

Release

Masseter self-release + temporalis self-release
C1

Masseter self-release

60 s · slow reps

Fingertips on the muscle at the angle of the jaw; small slow circles with gentle pressure.

Easier less pressure  ·  Harder more pressure

R1R2—
C2

Temporalis self-release

12 × 5 s · ×2

Fingertips on the temple; press gently and hold while the jaw stays completely loose.

Easier less pressure  ·  Harder more pressure

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. Rest position: lips together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. Your teeth should only touch when you eat.
  2. Nothing in this programme forces the jaw open. Everything stays inside a comfortable, pain-free range.
  3. Soft food for the first two weeks: no chewing gum, no hard crusts, no biting into apples.
  4. Pain rule: up to 3/10 during, gone by the next morning. The jaw is more sensitive than most joints.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Rest position holdslow reps in 60 s —
A2Tongue-to-palate holds12 × 5 s
B1Diaphragmatic breathingslow reps in 60 s —
B2Nasal breathing drill10 breaths
C1Masseter self-releaseslow reps in 60 s —
C2Temporalis self-release12 × 5 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-JAWTMJ-A