In the late 19th century, Frederick Matthias Alexander, an Australian actor and orator, discovered he was losing his voice and, in effect, his livelihood. After consulting with specialists without satisfaction, he set his own course for rehabilitation. Although Alexander suffered from asthma, he was convinced that his difficulty stemmed from poor respiratory habits rather than physical illness. Today, his program of "respiratory re-education" is known as the Alexander Technique.
What Is the Alexander Technique?
Alexander's technique first started out as a way of enhancing vocal quality by improving the way he held his body while breathing. However, he discovered that his method of heightened awareness extended beyond simply breathing better to physical habits that regulate the whole body, including posture, movement and tension. In short, how you perceive yourself performing an activity predetermines how well you actually do it. In other words, your thoughts or "mental habits" are like internal software programs that run your body's mechanisms, but it's possible to change the code.
What Are the Benefits?
The technique helps many people with respiratory problems to breathe better. However, the technique also appears to help those with other physical conditions, such as chronic pain, migraine headaches, spinal compression, joint disease, repetitive stress injury, and depression or anxiety related to chronic illness.
Who Uses the Alexander Technique?
People from all walks of life use the Alexander Technique. Many performing artists utilize the technique to enhance their skills, as do athletes, business executives and housewives. There are no physical limitations or age restrictions, and no special equipment is needed. In fact, children and the disabled can learn how to use the Alexander Technique.
How Do I Learn the Alexander Technique?
An important element to understanding how the Alexander Technique is learned is to recognize that it is not a series of exercises or movements for you to imitate. Instead, the technique teaches you to adapt how you perform certain activities to avoid wasting energy and creating unnecessary tension in your body by balancing the coordination between the mind and body. The instructor first observes how you move and position yourself to assess how you may be unwittingly contributing to your problem, whether it's difficulty breathing or experiencing a limited range of motion.
Does the Medical Community Support the Alexander Technique?
Many physicians recommend the technique to their patients. The technique is also offered in wellness and prevention education programs in many hospitals and clinics throughout the world. According to the American Society of the Alexander Technique, several prestigious members of the scientific community also endorse the method, such as Nobel laureates Nikolaus Tinbergen and Sir Charles Sherrington.
How Can I Find an Instructor?
The American Society of the Alexander Technique maintains a list of hundreds of certified U.S. Alexander Technique teachers, as well as a database of international instructors. See Resources.
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