Many people who come to see me have chronic pain problems caused by the old wives’ tale of ‘Stand up straight, shoulders back, stomach in etc,’It is still a generally held belief that these harsh instructions will help you stand up well rather than slouching. I too, have experienced this, having spent my formative years… Continue Reading
THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE AND GOLF – A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
If you play golf and want to improve to get more enjoyment from the game, learning The Alexander Technique can really help. For a start, one benefit of the technique is that you learn to release excess tension in the body. In my experience, the number one enemy in golf is excess tension which leads… Continue Reading
What is The Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique is a method of retraining the body in everyday movements such as standing, walking, sitting, bending etc. to help regain the quality of movement we once had as young children. In simple terms, beneath our birthday suit is a further interior suit made up primarily of muscle and the connective tissue that… Continue Reading
THE POWER OF HABIT
Have you ever taken the time to notice your everyday habitual tendencies? Do you tend to always park your car in the same spot if you go to a place regularly? Have you ever noticed how your dominant hand will clean your teeth for you with very little conscious input from your self? Are you… Continue Reading
COMMON SENSE IN EVERYDAY MOVEMENT
Being upright beings on just two feet, it is a good feeling to have good posture which allows all our vital organs to have enough space to work well. However, this means that we have to constantly bend down either to squat/sit or deal with something that is below our height. As young children, we… Continue Reading
Walking with Freedom
Posture improvement, pain management and greater movement! — Cue THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE! A lot of chronic pain is caused by poor postural and movement habits. This is the pain that you feel. Unless they are addressed, these habits create long term patterns of surplus tension in the body which can lead to acute, debilitating pain.… Continue Reading
DON’T GET THE HUMP!
Over my many years of teaching the Alexander Technique, I’ve come across the condition known as ‘Dowager’s Hump many times. This seems to be more prevalent in women possibly mostly due to the female form being more susceptible. In later years this dowager’s hump can be exacerbated by vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis. The condition… Continue Reading
10 Reasons to Learn the Alexander Technique
The Alexander technique (AT) is a self-help technique that can empower you to heal yourself. The British Medical Journal (BMJ, 2008) concluded that one to one lessons in AT from registered teachers have long-term benefits for patients with chronic back pain. Lessons in AT still had a beneficial effect on pain and functioning after 12 months. The… Continue Reading
Don’t wait until your posture starts to decline – Posture, Osteoporosis and Parkinson’s
Have you seen your friends or relatives start to hunch or form a small hump on their back? Posture changes can be a sign of Osteoporosis or Parkinsons. Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue. These are typically as a result of hormonal changes, or… Continue Reading
Semi-Supine – A quick lesson in the Alexander technique
Quality “me-time” The Semi-Supine position is a lesson we often first teach as an Alexander Technique teacher. The regular practice of lying down in the semi-supine position will help in encouraging the changes sought with the Alexander Technique. It is invaluable for maintaining a healthy spine. It is a way of giving yourself a ‘little… Continue Reading
