Alex Proudfoot -
Alexander Lessons
Manchester
Tel : 07927 303711
Alex Proudfoot MSTAT
Teacher of the Alexander Technique
A thinking method to regain physical and mental ease
‘Life is easier when less force is applied’’
‘It’s so easy to apply to everyday life’
‘I’m taller!’’
‘People say I’m calmer and easier to work with’
‘My balance is much improved’’
‘I thought change was not possible at my age’
‘I feel in control’’
‘I can walk the hills all day’
‘I look and feel younger’
‘I changed a habit – I put myself first’
‘My golf drive is 30yds longer’
‘Driving the car used to
be a painful chore. Now
it has become a pleasure again. The chiropractor has been amazed at the improvement in my
lower back.’
Applications of the Alexander Technique
Because it is a ‘skill for life’, the Alexander Technique can be applied to everything we do. It is also widely used by people to deal with pain, discomfort or stress; and by actors, musicians, dancers, performers, athletes and sportspeople. Here are just a few more specific applications:
Pregnancy & Childbirth
The Alexander Technique is tailor-
Special consideration needs to be made to movement/fixity. A pregnant woman should not remain standing or sitting still for too long as this can cause them to feel faint. Also with the increased Progesterone (relaxin) in their bodies, any ‘misuse’ of the body prior to pregnancy will be exacerbated during and will become more fixed within two months after childbirth.
Similarly, misuse during pregnancy will also be exacerbated and ‘set’ in the body after childbirth -
A basic course of AT around pregnancy can undo 35 years of misuse!
Sitting at a computer all day?
This is a regular and growing occurrence for many people and we often blame it and other activities for ‘causing’ our discomfort. But this to my mind is back to front! Being human means we are flexible and adaptable to many situations. Likewise, if we ‘choose’ to slump or have poor posture, we can achieve this in any mode, not just working at a desk.
The body is designed to move, so we can help the body by not putting things in its way. Movement includes blinking and breathing too, as we tend to stare and stop breathing when overly focused.
Many people look for answers by adjusting the equipment they use. But my advice would be to look after your own use first -
Mental Ease
I have talked on this website mostly about the Alexander Technique in action, but it also has a unique perspective in improving mental ease.
The link between mind and body is increasingly acknowledged these days. However, it is still not well understood and few 'treatments' or 'therapies' really reflect this truth in practice.
If you have some experience of mindfulness and meditation, you will know something about cultivating awareness of body or mind. But F M Alexander was in fact way ahead of his time in recognising that the mind and body are inseparable. He developed his Technique based on individuals' psycho-
As working with the Alexander Technique allows us to change unwanted behaviour patterns, our attitudes and outlooks tend to change. This frequently results in more mental ease, more balanced moods and a better capacity to deal with the challenges that life throws at us.
There are of course many more applications of the Alexander Technique and I encourage you to come along for lessons to discover them for yourself.