The
Alexander Technique is a method of learning to use your body in a way
that subjects you to much less unnecessary stress and tension.
Our
bodies are swathed in a complex network of about 600 muscles, each of
which can tighten and shorten when we want to perform an action. When
you bend your elbow to take a drink, your brain is telling your biceps
muscle to tighten up, to pull your forearm towards your mouth.
When
not in action, muscles can soften and lengthen once more. But often
we don't let them. We keep ourselves on red alert for too much of the
time. Check over yourself now and again. Are you:
gripping
your car's steering wheel far too tightly?
hunching
up your shoulders and rounding your back?
clenching
your jaw and grinding your teeth?
tightening
your buttocks as you sit, or perhaps tensing your calves and thighs,
ready to jump out of the chair at any minute?
bracing
your knees back like mad just to keep standing up?
scrunching
up your toes inside your shoes?
holding
your breath whilst doing something important? Or perhaps sucking in
air in short, irregular gasps?
Over
time, the cumulative effect of using our bodies thoughtlessly can lead
to bad muscle tone, aching joints, and painful imbalances in the back
and neck, as well as restricted breathing through habitual tightness
in the muscles surrounding the ribcage.
BREATH
Holding
your breath and tensing up to perform an important action is rather
like putting your handbrake on before setting off in your car. Keeping
a nice natural rhythm of breathing whilst in movement helps you to perform
everyday tasks more smoothly and efficiently.
POISE
The
Alexander Technique aims to restore the body's natural poise and balance
by gentle manipulation, and by raising awareness of your own harmful
patterns of using your body.
YOUR
BODY HELPS YOU!
Once
you stop doing the 'wrong' thing, the 'right' thing gradually starts
to do itself, as the body's delicate, subconscious mechanisms for balance
and posture re-assert themselves. The good news is that your body has
superb natural powers of recovery, even from chronic pains in the joints
and muscles, if you stop being too hard on yourself, and start the process
of freeing up your body and getting it into a good balance. You can
breathe easier and do everyday movements and tasks with considerably
less effort.
BODY-MIND
As
the body frees, the mind also can be freer to operate in a less tense
way, and become more grounded, clear and creative.
WHO
CAN BENEFIT?
The
technique is of enormous benefit to any person, even those who feel
perfectly fit and completely free from aches and pains. It's essential
for people who do repeated physical or vocal exercises and movements,
such as musicians, actors, dancers, singers, nurses, keyboard users
or sportsmen and women. But the majority of people who come to Alexander
teachers are outside of these groups: they may have various aches and
pains caused by bad posture (we prefer to say 'bad usage'), but many
just want to be freer, less tense and more balanced.
MORE
DETAILED INFORMATION
Click
below to access a website which gives a comprehensive view of the
Alexander Technique, with many useful links to other sites:
The
Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique
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