What makes the Alexander Technique different

 The Alexander Technique is a form of re-education applied to everyday activities which allows people to recognise and overcome automatic, habitual limitations in movement and thinking.

 The Alexander Technique is not a cure or a quick fix. It is not:

·         exercise

·         a medical treatment

·         a therapy

·         or a ‘modality’

 FM Alexander did not advocate the replacement of medical treatment with Alexander lessons. Alexander did say that the Alexander Technique could alleviate the symptoms of certain conditions. Although many people start having Alexander lessons because of a specific problem, you do not necessarily deal with a problem directly in the lesson, in the way you would in a therapy session. The Alexander Technique addresses the whole person, not components.

 FM Alexander recognised that when you try to change one element, problems can migrate or develop into a new one. Many people find that when one problem is resolved, another arrives on its heels.

 This is not to say that medical treatment and surgery can be superseded by lessons. But the way we do things habitually affects us over time, and lessons in the Alexander Technique can aid in avoiding the recurrence of problems and reduce the symptoms of chronic conditions.

 Students not Patients

 Students (they are not called ‘patients’ in the Alexander world) are actively involved in their lessons. It is much more akin to having a music, riding or golf lesson than it is to an exercise class.

 The Alexander Technique is usually learned in individual lessons, initially once or twice a week. Each lesson is an experiment: it is not about doing things the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way. It’s about exploring ways to increase flexibility, improve balance, mobility and co-ordination, and reduce tension. The one thing the student knows going into lessons is that their current way of doing things either isn't working as well as it could, or isn't working at all.

 Alexander lessons give a space to try things doing things in a different way. Gradually, students come to recognise harmful habits, and are able to make conscious choices about the way they sit, stand, work and play. There are no exercises to do between lessons, but the more students apply the Alexander Technique to their lives, the more profound the impact will be.

 Where the technique is useful

 It is often assumed that people who have Alexander lessons do so because they have a physical problem which limits their everyday activities. These include back pain, shoulder and neck pain, breathing and voice problems. But you don't need to be in pain to benefit from Alexander lessons.

 Consider performers: dancers, musicians, singers and actors. These are people whose body is their instrument. Even those who play an instrument may really be considered to use their own body as an extension of their instrument (for example, the body as a 'resonating chamber' for a wind instrument). Performers who have had Alexander lessons include, among many others, Keanu Reeves, Yehudi Menhuin, Dame Judi Dench and Sting. Many conservatories and drama schools in Great Britain have included Alexander lessons in their curriculum for years.

 Another group of people who have become interested in AT are those involved in sports. Seven members of Britain’s gold-medal winning rowing team at the Sydney Olympics had AT lessons. In recent years, the Alexander Technique has been applied not just to horsemanship, but also swimming, golf and running. Any sport where balance and finely co-ordinated muscle reflexes are important would be a good candidate for the application of the Alexander Technique.

 What to expect in lessons

 A lesson is usually half an hour to forty-five minutes long. I'd like to stress that it is very rare that a teacher would ask a student to remove clothes. Normally, students wear comfortable clothes for lessons. Removing shoes is quite common, but not necessary.

 If you are looking at changing habits, physical as well as mental, it is useful to start with small, every day actions which have been carried out without thought for a lifetime.

 There are two constants that most Alexander teachers start with in early lessons: chairwork and tablework. Standing up and sitting down are actions that most people undertake automatically every day, making them good activities to examine. The teacher uses her hands to guide the student in everyday activities.