Young children naturally have good 'use'






F.M. Alexander teaching his technique to a young pupil

What is the Alexander Technique?

Good Use

As young children almost all of us are lightly focused, energised, poised, balanced, and free in our movements. Some of us manage to maintain this level of "good use" for most of our lives.

Misuse

However, most of us struggle to deal with the excessive, mentally demanding stimuli of the modern world. We develop a range of related harmful habits such as poor posture and coordination, excessive tension, mental over-focus, and nervous overreaction.

Pain

At some point most of us experience pain or functional problems caused or made worse by this "misuse" of ourselves.

Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is a science and art of reducing or preventing these sorts of harmful habits, so that we use our body more naturally and experience less tension and pain, greater poise, and more freedom and ease in all our activities.

While there are therapeutic benefits, the Alexander Technique is primarily thought of as an educational process. It is taught by a teacher to an individual student during Alexander Technique lessons. It can, however, be introduced to students in a group setting.

While some learning happens automatically during lessons, a student needs to make an effort to apply what they learn to their lives. After a course of lessons a motivated student will be able to continue to make further improvements on their own.

Origins 

The Alexander Technique was developed just over a century ago by an Australian, F.M. Alexander, in a successful quest to solve his own problems with tension, breathing and loss of voice.

Later he moved to London where the popularity of his work spread. Today there are about 2500 Alexander Technique teachers worldwide. In the UK and some other countries the Alexander Technique has become a mainstream discipline used by people in all walks of life.

Further Information

 


 


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