The
Benefits
The
Alexander Technique has been used by musicians, dancers, singers,
athletes and actors, and in a wide range of areas such as gardening,
pregnancy, computer use, public speaking and horseback riding, with
improvements that include:
Injury
prevention
Injuries are avoidable! Most accidents are caused by stress and
fatigue. Improving attention to yourself and your actions gives
you control over situations that might otherwise be hazardous. Chronic
injuries are usually called "over-use injuries," but they
might be more aptly called "poor-use injuries." Everyone
has movement habits that could lead to injury if repeated enough.
The Alexander Technique teaches you to use yourself better, with
the understanding that injuries are caused by HOW you do activities,
not necessarily by WHAT you do.
Posture
Learning to sit, stand and move in a way that is better for your
body will naturally bring about better body alignment and poise.
Through the Alexander Technique, you will come to understand what
good posture really is.
Chronic
pain reduction
As you gain a better understanding of your own particular habits,
you will start moving in a way that is better for your whole body.
Though not meant to be therapeutic, most students with chronic pain
start to feel better with a few lessons. The Alexander Technique
shows you how to have control over your movements. It gives you
the power to change habits you have that bring about pain. Students
with excessive pain may choose to take Alexander lessons in combination
with a therapeutic practice that decreases inflammation, such as
physical therapy or acupuncture.
Respiratory control
Many of us hold our ribs rigidly and breathe by lifting the shoulders
or over-expanding the abdominal region, making it difficult for
the lungs to maintain normal breathing. Proper breathing mechanics
require a chest that is able to expand and contract fluidly, and
a back that is long and supportive of the whole torso.
Vocal use
The muscles that support the voice are intricately connected to
the head, neck, spine, and shoulders. If there is tension in any
or all of these areas, it is impossible to speak or sing with strength
and clarity. It is only through coordination of the whole body when
vocalizing that the voice can project without strain.
Self-presentation
We forget how important body language is. The exhaustive slump that
may feel normal to you, or the tension you put into sitting with
"good posture" both send out messages you may not want
to be projecting. As you learn to move in ways that decrease the
strain on your body, you start to feel more comfortable sitting,
standing, or performing for other people. The comfort you feel makes
you appear more confident and easy-going in both one-on-one interactions
and group presentations.
Overall
fitness
Fitness is the body’s ability to do work - to lift heavy objects,
or sustain an activity for an extended period of time without fatigue.
Exercise in NOT the only way to improve fitness. Fitness can be
improved by learning to do more work using less energy. A sedentary
person can come to feel more fit, and a regular exerciser may find
huge improvements by changing HOW, not HOW MUCH you are exercising.
Tension
and stress reduction
Most of us are not aware of just how much excess tension we put
into everything we do. It is only by becoming aware of the amount
of stress we carry that we can start to reduce tension and the impact
it has on our daily lives. Contrary to popular belief, relaxation
is NOT the best solution for stress. Most people "relax"
by making their bodies heavy, collapsing, and putting undue pressure
through the spine and legs. The Alexander Technique teaches you
to find just how much tension is necessary to maintain yourself
through your day without fatigue, or to perform demanding work without
strain.
Balance
and mobility
The Alexander Technique improves your body’s ability to sense
muscular activity, pressure and subtle changes in stability, and
therefore your ability to monitor balance and improve mobility.
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