Alexander Technique posture principles are concentrated on discovering and putting into practice better ways of aligning your posture and avoiding preventable tensions. If you find that you’re often in pain after a busy day or have a condition causing you discomfort such as scoliosis or even pregnancy, Alexander Technique could well assist in making daily life more bearable. The answers lie within you and the way you currently move, stand and sit. All you need is to be taught to recognise where unnecessary tensions are occurring within your body, and how to correct them. Read on to find out more about this valuable educational process.
How many times do we attribute our aching back to lifting heavy objects, or small children? How often do we blame conditions such as repetitive strain injury on the nature of our work, tapping away at a computer all day? In fact, it is not the activities themselves that cause the painful conditions; it is all about the way we do them. As we grow into adulthood, we tend to pick up bad habits, such as hunching our shoulders when we sit at a desk; or tensing muscles unnecessarily when stressed or in a hurry. Over time, the effects of the ways in which we wrongly hold and move our bodies accumulate, causing aches and pains; or worse, injuries and illnesses. The Alexander Technique for better posture does two things. Firstly, it helps students identify unhelpful physical reactions to the stresses of everyday life. Secondly, it encourages you to pause as you go about your daily business and become more aware, so that you can choose a better response to the situation. When we say ‘situation’, we are talking about moving, standing, sitting, lying and even breathing. All these activities, which we take for granted, can usually be carried out in a better way, one that removes bad habits and tensions and allows us to relearn the healthy balance and co-ordination we had as young children. Once the Alexander posture technique principles are learned and applied, the benefits will stay with you forever.
It is important that you know what to expect when you sign up for lessons in the Alexander Technique for posture. You are not, for instance, joining an exercise class. Although Alexander Technique posture principles are frequently referred to in the same breath as Pilates and yoga, they are not the same thing at all. While you will be taught, and asked to practise procedures such as standing or lying in a certain way, there are no set poses as there are in yoga. Nor will you be given a particular set of exercises, like Pilates. It is more a matter of raising your awareness of how your body operates when carrying out an activity. Moreover, while there are strong indications anecdotally from many users that Alexander Technique posture correction can result in the individual feeling less stressed, more self-confident and more relaxed, it is not in itself a relaxation lessons either. And finally, you will not receive any form of massage or manipulation of muscles and joints; although your teacher will use his or her hands to gently guide parts of your body into better positions. The technique is applied without you having to remove any clothing and there should be no pain, other than occasional small twinges caused by releasing long-held tensions. Do you suffer from mysterious aches and pains in your back or neck? Does the idea of finding the root cause of, and banishing, these misery-inducing discomforts appeal to you? Then you may like to try lessons at Alexander Principle for yourself.
While information abounds on the internet, there is no substitute for learning Alexander Technique posture training with a qualified, experienced teacher. I am Susanna Scouller and I have been teaching the methodology through my company, Alexander Principle, for several years now. If you read through just some of the testimonials on my website at http://www.alexanderprinciple.co.uk, you will see just what benefits my Alexander Technique training has offered my pupils, across a wide range of health and stress-related conditions. You’ll no doubt have questions and I would be delighted to answer them: you can ring me on 020 7821 0007 or email me via susanna@alexanderprinciple.co.uk.