ANCOR Daily Practice Guide

ANCOR DAILY PRACTICE GUIDE

Building Your Personal Regulation Routine

Two Ways to Use ANCOR

1. PREVENTIVE (Daily Practice)

Build baseline regulation so meltdowns happen less often and are less severe

Time commitment: 15-30 minutes per day

When: Best practiced 3-5 times per week

Goal: Reduce frequency and intensity of episodes over time

2. ACUTE (Emergency Intervention)

Stop a meltdown that's already starting

Time commitment: 5-15 minutes

When: As soon as you notice escalation beginning

Goal: Interrupt the cascade before full meltdown

This guide focuses on the Daily Practice version.

THE BASIC DAILY ANCOR ROUTINE

Total Time: 15-20 minutes

You'll need:

A quiet space (or ability to reduce stimulation)

Access to something heavy to lift/carry OR a wall to push against

Optional: warm shower/bath afterward

STEP-BY-STEP ROUTINE

PHASE 1: PREPARE (3-5 minutes)

A - Autonomic Breathing

Find a comfortable position (sitting or standing)

Close eyes or soften gaze

Start with a LONG exhale (6-8 seconds) - push all air out

Breathe in slowly through nose (4-5 seconds)

Breathe out slowly (6-8 seconds)

Repeat for 2-3 minutes

Focus on: Making exhales longer than inhales

Optional supplement timing: If you use glycine or L-theanine, take it now (15-30 min before exercise)

N - Normalize Environment

Dim overhead lights or move to softer lighting

Reduce background noise (or use predictable white noise/music)

Remove visual clutter if possible

Put on amber/blue-blocking glasses if you use them

Set phone to Do Not Disturb

This takes 30-60 seconds but makes everything else work better

C - Calibrate Body Map

Stand with feet hip-width apart

Slowly shift weight to right foot (take 3-4 seconds)

Notice the pressure under your right foot

Slowly shift to left foot (3-4 seconds)

Notice the pressure under your left foot

Repeat this slow shifting 10-15 times

Then: press fingertips firmly into opposite palm for 10 seconds each hand

What you're doing: Waking up body awareness, preparing proprioceptive system

PHASE 2: ANCHOR (10-15 minutes)

O - Overload with Proprioception

Choose ONE approach based on what you have access to:

OPTION A: No Equipment (10 minutes)

Circuit - Repeat 3 times:

Wall pushes: 30 seconds of hard pushing

Rest: 30 seconds slow breathing

Bodyweight squats: 10 slow reps (4 seconds down, 2 seconds up)

Rest: 30 seconds slow breathing

Self-resistance: Press palms together hard for 30 seconds

Rest: 1 minute slow breathing

Between each round:

Do 30 seconds of weight shifting

30 seconds of slow breathing

OPTION B: With Household Items (12 minutes)

What you need: Heavy backpack (15-30 lbs) OR gallon jugs of water OR heavy bag

The routine:

Heavy carries - Walk with heavy object for 45 seconds, rest 30 seconds (x3)

Weight shifting - 30 seconds between carries

Loaded squats - Wear weighted backpack, do 8-12 slow squats, rest 45 seconds (x3)

Weight shifting - 30 seconds between sets

Overhead holds - Hold heavy object overhead 20-30 seconds, rest 30 seconds (x2)

OPTION C: Gym/Barbell Access (15-20 minutes)

The routine:

Deadlifts: 4 sets of 5 reps

Slow eccentric (3-4 seconds lowering)

Rest 90 seconds between sets

Weight shifting during rest

Squats OR Zercher Squats: 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Full depth, controlled tempo

Rest 90 seconds between sets

Slow breathing during rest

Farmer's Carries: 3 rounds of 45-60 seconds

Heavy but manageable weight

Rest 45 seconds between rounds

OR simpler gym routine:

Just deadlifts: 5 sets of 3-5 reps, very slow tempo

Then farmer's carries: 4 rounds of 45 seconds

During All Proprioceptive Work:

Between sets, ALWAYS:

Slow breathing (5-7 breaths)

Gentle weight shifting if standing

Notice how your body feels

Don't rush

This between-set time is crucial - it's when integration happens

PHASE 3: RESET (5-10 minutes)

C - Controlled Thermal Modulation

Best options (choose one):

Hot shower (5-10 minutes)

Let hot water run over shoulders, neck, back

Notice the warmth spreading

Slow breathing while in shower

Hot bath (10-15 minutes)

Full body immersion if possible

Focus on the unified "warm" sensation

Sauna (8-15 minutes)

If you have access

Slower breathing to avoid overheat

Warm compress/heated blanket (5-10 minutes)

If other options unavailable

Less effective but still helpful

Why now: This is when heat is most effective - after proprioceptive loading, your nervous system is primed to downregulate

If you can't do heat:

Skip to Phase 4

The method still works, just not quite as powerfully

PHASE 4: STABILIZE (3-5 minutes) + ONGOING REGULATION

Immediate Reintegration (Post-Session)

Sit or lie down in quiet space

Return to slow breathing (3-5 minutes)

Eyes closed or softly unfocused

Do a mental "body scan":

Notice if internal pressure has decreased

Notice if skin sensations are calmer

Notice overall state

Don't immediately jump into stimulating activity

Let your nervous system consolidate the new state

R - Regulation (Ongoing Daily Practice)

This is the fifth pillar - maintaining baseline stability:

Daily Rest:

20-30 min low-stimulation blocks

Protect downtime without demands

No screens, minimal decisions

Recovery Between Sessions:

1-2 rest days per week from heavy loading

Light movement on rest days

Adequate sleep (see sleep optimization below)

Therapeutic soreness provides ongoing grounding

Physiological Fueling:

Eat foods that calm YOUR nervous system

Remove foods that cause pressure/burning

Maintain predictable meal rhythm

Stable protein throughout day

Hydration strategy (adequate day, minimal evening)

See the full Physiological Fueling Guide for detailed implementation

COMPLETE ROUTINE SUMMARY

Minimal version (15 minutes):

2 min breathing

1 min environment adjustment

2 min body calibration

10 min proprioceptive loading (Option A)

5 min warm shower (if possible)

3 min reintegration breathing

Full version (30 minutes):

3 min breathing

2 min environment + body calibration

15 min proprioceptive loading (Option C)

10 min hot shower/sauna

5 min reintegration

WHEN TO DO YOUR DAILY PRACTICE

Best times:

Morning (before the day starts):

✓ Sets baseline regulation for the day

✓ You're less likely to be interrupted

✓ Can shower afterward as part of routine

Late afternoon/early evening:

✓ Releases accumulated stress from day

✓ Prevents evening dysregulation

✓ Can transition into relaxing evening

NOT recommended:

✗ Right before bed (can be too activating for some)

✗ When you're already in full meltdown (use emergency protocol instead)

BUILDING THE HABIT

Week 1-2: Establish consistency

Pick ONE time of day

Do the MINIMAL version (15 min)

Focus on just showing up

Don't worry about perfecting it

Week 3-4: Find your rhythm

Experiment with timing

Try different proprioceptive options

Notice what works best for you

Increase to 20-25 minutes if possible

Week 5+: Optimize and maintain

Settle into your preferred routine

3-5 sessions per week

Track meltdown frequency/intensity

Adjust based on what you learn

TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS

Simple tracking (recommended):

Daily check-in:

Did I do ANCOR today? (Y/N)

Internal pressure level before: 1-10

Internal pressure level after: 1-10

Weekly review:

Number of meltdown episodes this week:

Average intensity (1-10):

Compared to before starting ANCOR:

What to expect:

Week 1-2: You might not notice dramatic changes yet; expect more muscle soreness as your body adapts to new movements

Week 3-4: Internal pressure may feel easier to manage; therapeutic muscle soreness becomes more predictable

Week 5-8: Meltdown frequency often starts decreasing; you may notice the "good soreness" from workouts helps keep internal sensations calmer

Week 8+: New baseline - episodes are less frequent and less severe

Note on soreness: Many people find that the muscle soreness appearing 24-48 hours after workouts (DOMS) actually helps maintain regulation between sessions. This therapeutic soreness provides clear, purposeful body sensations that may help reduce internal burning and pressure. Target soreness level: 4-6/10 - noticeable but not limiting.

Important: This isn't instant. Give it at least 4 weeks of consistent practice.

ADAPTING FOR YOUR LIFE

"I don't have 20 minutes"

→ Do the 10-minute emergency version daily instead

→ Something is always better than nothing

"I can't do this every day"

→ Aim for 3 times per week minimum

→ Even 2x/week helps

"I don't have access to equipment/gym"

→ Option A (no equipment) is completely valid

→ Focus on wall pushes + bodyweight + carries with household items

"I can't shower every time"

→ Skip the heat module

→ Or just run warm water over hands/wrists for 2 minutes

→ Still works, just not quite as strong

"I have chronic pain/limited mobility"

→ Adapt proprioceptive work to seated or isometric options

→ Focus more on breathing and heat

→ Consult with PT for safe modifications

"I'm not sure I'm doing it right"

→ If you're moving slowly, breathing slowly, and including some resistance work, you're doing it right

→ There's no "perfect" - this is about consistency, not perfection

COMBINING WITH OTHER THERAPIES

ANCOR works alongside:

✓ Occupational therapy

✓ Talk therapy/counseling

✓ Medication (consult doctor about supplement interactions)

✓ Other sensory strategies

✓ Mindfulness practices

You don't have to choose - ANCOR can be one tool in your toolkit

TROUBLESHOOTING

"I feel more activated/anxious after proprioceptive work"

→ You might be going too intense - reduce the load

→ Extend the breathing phases (more time in A and R)

→ Make sure you're including the heat and reintegration - don't skip those

"I don't feel any different"

→ Are you doing it consistently (3-5x/week)?

→ Are you including ALL phases, or skipping some?

→ Try increasing intensity of proprioceptive work

→ Give it more time - some people need 6-8 weeks

"I get too sore from the exercise"

→ Reduce the load/intensity

→ Take rest days between sessions

→ Make sure you're warming up properly

→ Consider Option A (bodyweight) instead of heavier options

Note: Some muscle soreness (4-6/10) is actually therapeutic and helps with regulation, but if you're at 7-10/10 or it's limiting daily activities, you've overdone it

"The soreness makes things worse, not better"

→ You may be one of the people who doesn't benefit from this effect

→ Focus more on the immediate regulation from the workout itself

→ Use lighter resistance with more focus on slow breathing and heat

→ The DOMS effect is helpful for many but not everyone

"I can't remember the sequence"

→ Print out the summary checklist

→ Set phone reminders for each phase

→ Simplify to: Breathe → Move something heavy → Heat → Breathe

QUICK REFERENCE CHECKLIST

Print this and keep it visible:

□ Breathe (2-3 min, long exhales)

□ Dim lights, reduce noise

□ Weight shift (1-2 min)

□ Heavy work (10-15 min - your chosen option)

□ Slow breathing between sets

□ Weight shifting between sets

□ Heat (5-10 min - shower/bath/sauna)

□ Rest (3-5 min breathing, quiet)

Done? Notice how you feel.

REMEMBER

This is YOUR practice - adapt it to your needs

Consistency beats perfection - regular practice is more important than doing it "perfectly"

Be patient - nervous system regulation takes time to build

Track progress - so you can see it's actually working

You're not broken - you're learning to work WITH your nervous system, not against it

Part of the ANCOR Method - Created by Seth A. Horn (2025)

This is not medical advice - please consult healthcare providers

Free for personal and non-profit use (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Contact: ancormethod@gmail.com

Website: ancormethod.com