The Alexander technique is a method of releasing unwanted muscular tension throughout the body that has accumulated over the years. It brings awareness of tensions in the body that have been gone unnoticed that are responsible for common ailments. The Alexander technique was named after Frederick Mathias Alexander (1869-1955) who developed a method of “psycho-physical re-education” in response to struggling to cope with his chronic vocal problem.
Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in Tasmania in 1869 and developed the Alexander Technique in the 1890s. He was an actor and had a recurring vocal problem that threatened his career. Alexander sought medical help from doctors, but nothing helped. As there was no clear medical cause for his problem, Alexander pondered that he might be misusing them causing him to strain his vocals. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
He observed himself in the mirror and noticed that he stiffened his neck, pulled his head back and down and depressed his larynx. This went with an audible gasping for air as he opened his mouth to speak. This seemed to be the root of his problem. It gradually became apparent to him that this was part of a bigger pattern of tension involving the whole of his body. This tension pattern manifested itself at the mere thought of reciting. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Over several years, Alexander spends his time working out a way to change this habitual reaction and learn how to prevent this harmful misuse pattern, which in turn improve his health. As he improved his vocal use, breathing and stage presence, other people were drawn to him for help.
Alexander discovered how to reorganize the postural support muscles of the torso (what he called the “head-neck-back” relationship), resulting in more balanced activation of the superficial muscles of the trunk (those needing to be free for a large range of movement and the deeper muscles (those more responsible for postural support). The Alexander Technique helps to facilitate dynamic poised alignment and readiness for action. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Eventually, his research led him to discover guidance and control system that organizes the body for optimum functioning and coordinates the distribution of psychophysical processed starting with the head and spine known as the primary control. This mechanism is automatically activated in response to a stimulus, preparing the organism for action or reaction.
From 1894 onwards, Alexander started teaching his discoveries in Melbourne, and later on in Sydney, where teaching became his career. He had patients referred to him by a number of doctors. In 1904, he brought the Alexander Technique to London, with letters of recommendation from JW Steward MacKay, a famous surgeon in Sidney. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Alexander established his practice in London and published four books on his teachings and discovering. He trained 80 teachers in 1930s and continued to teach until his death in London in 1955. Alexander's reputation grew rapidly in London and had many eminent students. His teachings and methods were endorsed by a number of scientists who recognized his achievements as being in consistent with scientific discoveries in neurology and physiology. The most eminent of these was Sir Charles Sherrington, and today considered the father of modern neurology. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Alexander Technique Training
Alexander opened a formal three-year teacher-training course in 1931, which continued to run until his death at the age of 86. In 1958, his graduates founded the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT), to preserve and continue the work according to the standards Alexander had set out. People came to the United Kingdom to train as teachers of the Alexander Technique. Today, there are currently 18 professional affiliated societies worldwide. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique involves a teacher activating the student’s primary control mechanism so that she does not have to rely upon her unreliable kinesthesia to guide her. The result of which is a recovery of natural and efficient use and functioning.
The aim of the technique is to improve posture and movement in the body, “unlearning” habits to re-correct and help achieve a balanced, more naturally aligned body. The technique serves as a guide to observing one’s way of moving in an everyday skilled activity. There are no physical or therapeutic exercises or meditation or altered state of mind, but there is an emphasis to employ the principles for everyday personal use. It is an active process of conscious awareness engaged in every pedestrian and skilled movement.
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 cause of many common ailments. The Alexander Technique involves examining posture, breathing, balance, and co-ordination. Participants would have a general feeling of lightness in their bodies and has a positive impact on the person’s mental and emotional well-being. (Rosenberg, 2008)
When applying the Alexander Technique, the individual will learn how to release unnecessary muscle tension and learn new ways of moving. The participant will discover this in everyday movements like walking, sitting and standing, placing less strain on the body, allowing the body to work efficiently. The technique is also beneficial to improve balance, coordination, and breathing.
The technique emphasizes the relationship between the head and the spine with the idea that the neck muscles are not overworked allowing the head to balance lightly on the top of the spine. The spine and head relationship sets the tone and determines the quality of the body’s overall coordination. (Gelb,1994)
Our neuromuscular system is designed to work in with gravity. The poise of the head produces an antigravity reaction and allows a natural oppositional force to occur in the torso upwards, causing the spine to lengthen instead of compressing when we move. Instead of slouching or holding oneself in a rigid posture, one can learn to mobilize this support system and use it in an everyday context, in the car, gym, etc. (Gelb,1994)
With the Alexander Technique, one can learn to understand much more about how the body works, and how to make it work personally. One can tap more of one’s internal resources, and begin on a path to enhancing your comfort and pleasure in all your activities. Teachers of the Alexander technique believe that applying the principles can relive painful problems in the back, neck, and other musculoskeletal problems. (Rosenberg, 2008)
The main principles of the Alexander technique are:
· Use and functioning
· The whole person
· Primary Control
· Unreliable sensory appreciation
· Inhibition
· Direction
· Ends and means
Some basic principles of the Alexander technique:
· Recognizing the ‘use’ of the body with its harmful patterns
· Learning how to stop to allow change to happen and to ‘undo’ the knots
· Re-educating the kinaesthetic sense
· Quieting the mind to focus on the mind-body connection
· Establish a good head-neck relationship
(Rosenberg, 2008)
References:
Gelb, M (1994) Body Learning An introduction to the Alexander technique. London: Aurum Press Limited.
Robinson. L and Fisher. H (1998) The Mind Body Workout with Pilates and
The Alexander Technique. London and Basingstoke: Pan Books, Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Gelb, M (1994) Body Learning An introduction to the Alexander technique. London: Aurum Press Limited.
Rosenberg, B. (2008) The Alexander technique and Somatic Education. Somatics 15 (4) 34-38. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=05360b7c-e93f-4e7a-aec0-b0c3b4d4bd11%40sessionmgr198&hid=115 [Accessed 18 January 2015].
Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in Tasmania in 1869 and developed the Alexander Technique in the 1890s. He was an actor and had a recurring vocal problem that threatened his career. Alexander sought medical help from doctors, but nothing helped. As there was no clear medical cause for his problem, Alexander pondered that he might be misusing them causing him to strain his vocals. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
He observed himself in the mirror and noticed that he stiffened his neck, pulled his head back and down and depressed his larynx. This went with an audible gasping for air as he opened his mouth to speak. This seemed to be the root of his problem. It gradually became apparent to him that this was part of a bigger pattern of tension involving the whole of his body. This tension pattern manifested itself at the mere thought of reciting. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Over several years, Alexander spends his time working out a way to change this habitual reaction and learn how to prevent this harmful misuse pattern, which in turn improve his health. As he improved his vocal use, breathing and stage presence, other people were drawn to him for help.
Alexander discovered how to reorganize the postural support muscles of the torso (what he called the “head-neck-back” relationship), resulting in more balanced activation of the superficial muscles of the trunk (those needing to be free for a large range of movement and the deeper muscles (those more responsible for postural support). The Alexander Technique helps to facilitate dynamic poised alignment and readiness for action. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Eventually, his research led him to discover guidance and control system that organizes the body for optimum functioning and coordinates the distribution of psychophysical processed starting with the head and spine known as the primary control. This mechanism is automatically activated in response to a stimulus, preparing the organism for action or reaction.
From 1894 onwards, Alexander started teaching his discoveries in Melbourne, and later on in Sydney, where teaching became his career. He had patients referred to him by a number of doctors. In 1904, he brought the Alexander Technique to London, with letters of recommendation from JW Steward MacKay, a famous surgeon in Sidney. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Alexander established his practice in London and published four books on his teachings and discovering. He trained 80 teachers in 1930s and continued to teach until his death in London in 1955. Alexander's reputation grew rapidly in London and had many eminent students. His teachings and methods were endorsed by a number of scientists who recognized his achievements as being in consistent with scientific discoveries in neurology and physiology. The most eminent of these was Sir Charles Sherrington, and today considered the father of modern neurology. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
Alexander Technique Training
Alexander opened a formal three-year teacher-training course in 1931, which continued to run until his death at the age of 86. In 1958, his graduates founded the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT), to preserve and continue the work according to the standards Alexander had set out. People came to the United Kingdom to train as teachers of the Alexander Technique. Today, there are currently 18 professional affiliated societies worldwide. (Robinson. L and Fisher. H, 1998)
The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique involves a teacher activating the student’s primary control mechanism so that she does not have to rely upon her unreliable kinesthesia to guide her. The result of which is a recovery of natural and efficient use and functioning.
The aim of the technique is to improve posture and movement in the body, “unlearning” habits to re-correct and help achieve a balanced, more naturally aligned body. The technique serves as a guide to observing one’s way of moving in an everyday skilled activity. There are no physical or therapeutic exercises or meditation or altered state of mind, but there is an emphasis to employ the principles for everyday personal use. It is an active process of conscious awareness engaged in every pedestrian and skilled movement.
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 cause of many common ailments. The Alexander Technique involves examining posture, breathing, balance, and co-ordination. Participants would have a general feeling of lightness in their bodies and has a positive impact on the person’s mental and emotional well-being. (Rosenberg, 2008)
When applying the Alexander Technique, the individual will learn how to release unnecessary muscle tension and learn new ways of moving. The participant will discover this in everyday movements like walking, sitting and standing, placing less strain on the body, allowing the body to work efficiently. The technique is also beneficial to improve balance, coordination, and breathing.
The technique emphasizes the relationship between the head and the spine with the idea that the neck muscles are not overworked allowing the head to balance lightly on the top of the spine. The spine and head relationship sets the tone and determines the quality of the body’s overall coordination. (Gelb,1994)
Our neuromuscular system is designed to work in with gravity. The poise of the head produces an antigravity reaction and allows a natural oppositional force to occur in the torso upwards, causing the spine to lengthen instead of compressing when we move. Instead of slouching or holding oneself in a rigid posture, one can learn to mobilize this support system and use it in an everyday context, in the car, gym, etc. (Gelb,1994)
With the Alexander Technique, one can learn to understand much more about how the body works, and how to make it work personally. One can tap more of one’s internal resources, and begin on a path to enhancing your comfort and pleasure in all your activities. Teachers of the Alexander technique believe that applying the principles can relive painful problems in the back, neck, and other musculoskeletal problems. (Rosenberg, 2008)
The main principles of the Alexander technique are:
· Use and functioning
· The whole person
· Primary Control
· Unreliable sensory appreciation
· Inhibition
· Direction
· Ends and means
Some basic principles of the Alexander technique:
· Recognizing the ‘use’ of the body with its harmful patterns
· Learning how to stop to allow change to happen and to ‘undo’ the knots
· Re-educating the kinaesthetic sense
· Quieting the mind to focus on the mind-body connection
· Establish a good head-neck relationship
(Rosenberg, 2008)
References:
Gelb, M (1994) Body Learning An introduction to the Alexander technique. London: Aurum Press Limited.
Robinson. L and Fisher. H (1998) The Mind Body Workout with Pilates and
The Alexander Technique. London and Basingstoke: Pan Books, Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Gelb, M (1994) Body Learning An introduction to the Alexander technique. London: Aurum Press Limited.
Rosenberg, B. (2008) The Alexander technique and Somatic Education. Somatics 15 (4) 34-38. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=05360b7c-e93f-4e7a-aec0-b0c3b4d4bd11%40sessionmgr198&hid=115 [Accessed 18 January 2015].