About Alexander Technique

How does one learn the Alexander Technique?
Learning takes place in a private lesson. The teacher uses a combination of very gentle hands-on guidance, verbal instruction and repetition. There are no exercises. Rather, over time, the student incorporates freer ways of moving into his or her everyday life.

What is a lesson like?
An individual lesson in the Alexander Technique usually lasts 30-60 minutes during which the student's balance and coordination are explored. Sitting, standing, walking, reaching, bending, lifting, and using the hands are common starting places for improvement. A series of lessons (weekly or twice-weekly ) is usually needed to counteract many years of habits that interfere with activities.

Specific complaints and applications are also addressed, such as using the body well at a computer, playing a musical instrument with more freedom, driving a car feeling more relaxed, lifting a baby with a healthy back, working at a desk with a free neck. You may feel lighter and easier just walking down the street.

What kind of people study Alexander Technique?
Over the years, people of all ages and types have recognized the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique in improving physical and psychological well-being. Performing artists, computer users, athletes, teachers, doctors, and gardeners say their work is easier after a series of Alexander Technique lessons. Many well-known people have spoken of the Alexander Technique as an integral part of their growth: writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher John Dewey, Nobel prize-winning scientist Nikolaas Tinbergen, George Bernard Shaw, actors Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman, and Kenneth Branaugh.

Who is F.M. Alexander?
Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in Tasmania in 1869 and made his living as a Shakespearean recitalist. After losing his stage voice, he consulted doctors who found nothing wrong. His personal story is one of keen observation of his own habits and nearly decade-long experimentation, resulting in a discovery that has universal application. He demonstrated that once we learn to stop interfering with our reflexes, our balance improves, pain and stiffness decrease or disappear.