The Alexander Technique London
The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique
2006 Author: Elizabeth Dodgson
The Alexander Technique (AT) is a unique form of education where you learn how to become more aware of the way you are using your body in all your everyday activities.
Elizabeth Dodgson has been teaching the Alexander Technique (AT) in Chiswick for over five years. Here she tries to answer some of the most commonly asked questions.
What is the Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique (AT) is a unique form of education where you learn how to become more aware of the way you are using your body in all your everyday activities. The way in which we use our bodies in our daily lives can contribute to wear and tear and lead to aches and pains, digestive disorders etc. It is a skill that anyone can learn and provides effective selfhelp for both promoting good health and also for living with many painful conditions.
AT has been taught in the UK since 1904 and was developed by Fredrick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955). He was an Australian actor who had problems with his voice while performing Shakespearian recitals. After unsuccessful treatment from doctors, Alexander embarked on a course of self-observation leading him to discover that it was the way he used the whole of his body that was responsible for the loss of his voice. Medical practitioners were so impressed that they sent other people with breathing/voice disorders to him. The technique developed following the success in treating these and other disorders.
How does it work?
AT is best learned by having a series of one to one lessons from a qualified teacher.
AT is best learned by having a series of one to one lessons from a qualified teacher. Clients are referred to as pupils and the biggest benefits are obtained by applying what is learned to everyday life. The teacher will use both gentle hands-on work and verbal instructions to guide the pupil into ways of moving, sitting and standing with more ease and less tension. After a course of lessons the pupil is then able to apply AT to everything from brushing their teeth, lifting, singing or running a marathon! It is not a ‘quick fix’ but aims to get to the route cause of posture related problems.
The technique is taught on a one-to-one basis. During a lesson, the teacher works in partnership with you to educate your responses to any stimulus. They may first start by analysing a simple everyday action, such as getting in and out of a chair. You will learn to observe how you are using your body and the teacher will use his or her hands to guide you and demonstrate how to move without unnecessary stress on the body. Later on you work with other movements and actions that may be causing you particular problems, eg using a computer, playing a musical instrument or a golf swing.
Part of the session may be conducted with you lying down on a couch with the teacher working on you, gently moving your limbs and encouraging you to release unwanted tension held in ...