How does it work?
The Alexander Technique teaches us how to release harmful patterns of muscle tension that have become a fixed part of how we move, breathe, and hold ourselves
The Technique works by making changes to the distribution of postural muscular tone throughout our body. Postural tone is the ongoing muscular activity that supports us against gravity.
The Technique can improve our ability to prevent often unconscious habits of muscular tension that disturb the balance of postural tone and lead to significant compression and distortion of the spine, and inefficient muscular imbalances that we bring into every action we perform, including exercising.
Downward pressure on the skeletal system
When we unconsciously use too much muscular tension in our neck, our head is moved off its balancing point at the top of our spine. When our head is off balance, it falls downwards onto our spine.
Our head weighs approximately 5kg or 11 pounds. This exerts a significant downwards pressure and compression on the spine and our entire skeletal system; and prevents our spine from supporting us in the way it is designed to.
Interference with postural support
Excessive muscular tension also disturbs the healthy co-ordination of our muscles with some being over-stressed and others underactive.
We end up using our larger muscles, designed to organise movement, rather than engaging our natural, in-built, postural support musculature.
We then tend to veer between trying to hold ourselves up and slumping when our muscles tire.
How does the Alexander Technique help?
Through gentle hands on guidance, we learn to undo the patterns of that can damage our musculoskeletal system, cause us pain and interfere with our postural support.