About the Alexander Technique

Contributor

By Carol Wiley
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating:

(0 Ratings)

The Alexander Technique is a way to re-educate your body to reduce the unnecessary tension you hold in muscles. According to Alexander Technique teacher Robert Rickover, the technique teaches people to be "sensitive to messages their body is sending them, and how they can respond in a useful and constructive manner."

The Alexander Technique promotes ease of movement.

History

Frederick Matthias Alexander, an Australian actor in the 1890s, often lost his voice on stage. Doctors offered no solution, so Alexander practiced in front of mirrors to study how he used his body. He found that the tension caused by his head movement compressed his larynx, leading to the loss of voice.

Although he found a way of moving his head that solved the problem, on stage he returned to the old movement out of habit. Alexander continued to experiment and learned how to stop the old movement and consciously let the new movement happen. He developed the Alexander Technique to teach people how to use their conscious mind to change subconscious patterns of muscle tension.

Principles

The Alexander Technique teacher leads the student through movements using gentle hands-on guidance. The teacher does not attempt to fix anything but rather to guide the student to finding an easier and more natural way to move without excess tension.

Another principle of the Alexander Technique is primary control, which refers to the relationship of the head, neck and torso. Alexander believed that this relationship is key to releasing excess tension and creating easier movement.

Benefits

The benefits of the Alexander Technique include easier movement, less strain when doing activities, less pain, more comfortable posture, easier breathing and developing the ability to change habits that interfere with optimal movement.

Who Can the Alexander Technique Help?

According to the Complete Guide To The Alexander Technique, the technique is useful for people with repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel syndrome, backache or stiff neck and shoulders, and people who experience tension because they sit at a computer for long periods. The technique can also help singers, musicians, actors, dancers or athletes who feel they are not performing at their full potential.

Misconceptions [ref 2]

Rickover addresses misconceptions about the Alexander Technique. The first is that it is a type of physical therapy. Rather the Alexander Technique is an educational process that teaches students how to identify and release tension. Often, releasing tension leads to therapeutic effects. Another misconception is that the technique is only for performers. The technique is for anyone who wants to better perform the activities of his life.

Finding an Alexander Technique Teacher

A qualified Alexander Technique teacher has been through a three-year training program. Around the world are several thousand Alexander teachers. Most are members of a professional society, such as the American Society for the Alexander Technique or Alexander Technique International.