Alexander Technique & Pilates

Pilates and the Alexander Technique are two methods of movement that originated in the early 1930s. Although both techniques use one-on-one instruction to build body awareness and realign posture, Pilates and the Alexander Technique address different concerns from different perspectives. Pilates uses springs to generate support and resistance to strengthen the core muscles and develop intentional movement. The Alexander Technique begins with awareness of the thoughts behind everyday movements to increase efficiency and reduce strain.

History of Pilates

Joseph Pilates practiced yoga, weightlifting, gymnastics and martial arts to overcome a sickly childhood. He developed his mat series of exercises, which he called "Contrology," based on his eight principles of breathing, centering, concentration, control, precision, fluidity, imagination and intuition. Interned at the outbreak of World War I, Joseph Pilates used metal bed frames, mattress springs, straps and pulleys to develop the "bednasium," a fitness apparatus to help bedridden soldiers strengthen their core muscles. When the German government asked Joseph Pilates to teach his system to the army, Pilates decided to leave the country and moved to the U.S. Today, the classical Pilates programs on the mat, the Reformer, the Cadillac and the Wunda Chair consist of a specific series of exercises passed down directly from Joseph Pilates.

History of the Alexander Technique

Frederick Matthias Alexander was an Australian actor at the turn of the 20th century. He developed chronic laryngitis that doctors were unable to cure. Through rigorous self-study, Alexander realized that although he believed his posture, specifically the carriage of his head and throat, were efficient, when he observed himself in a mirror, his actual posture differed from what he was envisioning. Nicholas Brockbank, an Alexander Technique instructor, writes in his article "What Did Alexander Discover -- And Why is This Important? "... the way we think in response to a stimulus largely determines whether we contract or release into movement, and whether we are impulsive or considered in our actions." Alexander's process of inhibiting detrimental physical patterns brought about a dramatic improvement in his laryngitis. He began teaching other actors and others outside of the theater world.

Benefits of Pilates

Pilates aims to strengthen the "powerhouse": the lower abdominals, the buttocks and hamstrings. The Pilates exercises work these muscles, while trying not to increase the strength of the quadriceps, chest and shoulders, which are habitually overworked in daily life. In order to engage the powerhouse while relaxing the usually dominant muscles, you need to concentrate on precise movements. A certified Pilates instructor will help you retrain your muscles and realign your posture. Many of the Pilates exercises work the muscles at their point of extension rather than at their point of contraction, resulting in a leaner physique. All of the movements within each exercise and even the transitions between exercises build strength and flexibility. With the support of a solid core, the back, neck and limbs can move with ease.

Benefits of the Alexander Technique

The 1973 Nobel Prize winner for Physiology and Medicine, Nikolaas Tinbergen, spoke at length about the benefits of the Alexander Technique in his acceptance speech. By recalibrating your physical awareness, the Alexander Technique can help you use an appropriate amount of energy for each movement you make. Certified Alexander Technique teacher Jill Geiger writes, "By knowing how to perform the activities of personal and professional life with appropriate effort and tension, people typically find that they're able to do more with greater ease and less strain." The Mayo Clinic includes the Alexander Technique among complementary alternative medicines that can help reduce pain. The National Center for Biotechnology Information reports in a study on the use of the Alexander Technique for Parkinson's patients, "There is evidence that lessons in the Alexander Technique are likely to lead to sustained benefit for people with Parkinson's disease."

Warning

The terms "Pilates" and "Alexander Technique" are in common use in the mainstream, and neither term is protected by copyright. As a result, Pilates and Alexander Technique instructors are self-regulated. Certified classical Pilates instructors go through year-long study with hundreds of observation hours. Alexander Technique societies require three years of full-time study at an accredited school with over 1,500 hours of instruction. However, there is no official regulatory body to prevent undertrained teachers from calling themselves Pilates or Alexander Technique instructors. Be wary if your Pilates or Alexander Technique lesson resembles a typical gym class.