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This technique teaches you how to use your body correctly and eliminate poor posture in everyday life. Following the Alexander technique will prevent excessive muscular tension, which often leads to aches, pains, and even illness.
Frederick Alexander founder of the Alexander technique, settled in London, where during 1930s, he set up the first training school for teachers of his technique. During his acting carrier he began to experience problem with his voice and sought help from his doctor. However, despite through examination carrier could not discover why Alexander kept losing his voice, especially during performances.
Determined to find cause of his problems, Alexander surrounded himself with mirrors and studied himself carefully as he spoke. He noticed that whenever he drew breath to speak, he would tense his neck muscles. This tension drew his neck back and down, a movement that effected his vocal cords and also restricted breathing.
Over next several years, Alexander identified a number of other physical behavior patterns that were affecting his posture such as gripping the floor with his feet. Slowly he began to change these habits. He learned to consciously give his body the correct instructions, which reduced the amount of effort and stress he was placing on his vocl cords.
The Alexander Technique can help us to become aware of balance, posture and co-ordination while performing everyday actions. This brings into consciousness tensions throughout our body that have previously gone unnoticed, and it is these tensions which are very often the root cause of many common ailments. This is exactly what Frederick Matthias Alexander, the originator of the Technique, discovered when trying to get to the bottom of his own voice-related problem.
 When applying the Alexander Technique you will learn how to release unnecessary muscle tension. As most of this tension has built up very gradually over a number of years you are unlikely to be award that it is even there at all. You will also learn new ways of moving while carrying out everyday actions which cause far less strain on the body, and discover ways of sitting, standing and walking that put less strain on the bones, joints and muscles, thus making your body work more efficiently.
In fact, many people who practice the Technique experience a general feeling of lightness throughout their bodies and even describe the sensation as being like ‘walking on air’. Since our physical state directly affects both out mental and emotional well-being, people often say that they feel much calmer and happier even after just a few Alexander lessons. This often results in less domestic tension and a greater ability to cope with life in general.
The Alexander Technique also involves examining posture, breathing, balance and co-ordination. As children our posture and ease of movement are a joy to watch, but as we start to tense our muscles in reaction to many of life’s worried and concerns, our posture deteriorates into what can border on deformity.
An Alexander Lesson
During a lesson, your teacher will work with you on a range of everyday of movement such as sitting, standing and lying down to teach you how to use your body with the least muscular effort. This will help you avoid future aches and pains.
Poor posture with head slumped forward, back curved and legs tucked under the body can become a damaging habit.
Good posture involves keeping head and neck upright, but free legs straight, feet firmly on the ground.
Exercise
Lie on the floor with your head resting on one or two books so it’s just slightly raised and you are comfortable. Place your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent. This allow your muscles to relax, which changes the shape of your body, allowing the spine to lengthen, the ribs to widen, and the head to be the correct position.Recommended Book To Read How to Learn the Alexander Technique: A Manual for Students (Paperback)
by Barbara Conable
"How to Learn the Alexander Technique" is a great starting-out place for anyone who's interested in the process but either doesn't have a teacher or would prefer to do as much on their own as possible. But it would be unfair to dismiss the usefulness of the Alexander Technique if you don't succeed. After all, most people have lessons in learning how to drive a car and so it's not surprising if you end up needing at least some lessons in learning how to "drive" yourself in a better way. Ultimately, I think the best place to get a deeper understanding of the Technique is from Alexander's own books. |
Alexander Technique 