The Alexander Technique is unique. The significance of its founder's work. F.M. Alexander, has yet to be fully appreciated in spite of its relevance to all fields of human activity and performance. A one hundred-year-old technique that requires no specialist equipment can appear outdated, whereas in reality it is still ahead of its time. It can play a vital role in the training, coaching and development of anyone with an interest in their performance in sport, business or everyday life.

It is essentially a ‘pre-technique’ that can be learnt to enhance performance in all activities and, I believe, can provide the key to entering the elusive state athletes and artists call 'The Zone' or 'Flow', a place where effortless performance is possible.

So what exactly is
The Alexander Technique?

The Alexander Technique is often misunderstood so it is best to start by stating what it is not. It is not a form of relaxation or a set of exercises to improve posture. Neither is it an alternative therapy, although radical it is entirely consistent with orthodox medical science and educational in nature. It is a practical method for preventing interference with free movement.

How does it do that? Well, it can make you aware of the unnecessary effort that you habitually apply to most things that you do.

The majority of adults unknowingly develop habits that lead us to tighten our necks, shoulders and backs that can lead to the all too familiar aches and pains. It adds up to a lot of wasted effort and interference with your body's natural functions such as breathing, digestion circulation, and movement. Its a bit like driving your car in the wrong gear - not very efficient and leading to excessive wear and tear. From a performance perspective it can have a disastrous effect. You cannot perform at your best if you are not functioning properly. The Alexander Technique is a method of re-education that will firstly improve your self-awareness so you can start to recognise your bad habits, and here is the clever part, through applying its practical techniques allow you to change them.

To help to understand The Alexander Technique it is useful to look at the history and development of The Alexander Technique


Teach Yourself Alexander Technique


For many, finding an Alexander Technique Teacher can be very difficult if not impossible. I have written a program designed for those who cannot get easy access to a teacher. It can also serve as a companion to those already taking lessons or give you taster before you decide to commit to lessons.


For less than the cost of just one lesson you could get an experience of this remarkable technique. For more information click here

So why have so few people heard
of The Alexander Technique?

That's a good question. If I am asked what I do for a living, invariably the response is, that sounds interesting, what is it? The less tactful reply is, The Alexander Technique? never heard of it and make the assumption that it is not worth learning, otherwise they would already know of it. We are very good at making instant judgements without any real knowledge to justify them. This is the main obstacle to overcome in order to make the Alexander Technique known to a wider audience.

The Alexander Technique has been taught for over one hundred years to performing artists yet, with the exception of a few elite athletes, is unknown to most involved in sport. Those who have looked briefly at it often wrongly assume it is about improving posture or treating backache and fail to appreciate its scope and significance to athletes.

Why The Alexander Technique is not more widely known may be due to a number of reasons. It addresses a problem few of us realise we have (misuse) until we start to have lessons. There are relatively few teachers when compared to other disciplines. Teaching is mainly done on a one-to-one basis, making it a slow process to reach a sizeable proportion of the population.

Expectations in today’s world have been raised by advances in science with many believing a quick fix is available for any problem. Learning The Alexander Technique requires the pupil to take responsibility for their actions to address the influence of habit. To benefit, as with any other skill, a number of lessons are necessary. This is not what many want to hear and very quickly the idea of taking lessons is dismissed without further thought. This work needs a level of commitment many are not prepared to make.

The Alexander Technique is ideally suited to those with an interest in their health and performance, already dedicated to a life of personal development.

The subtle approach can make it look too simplistic to address a complex problem. In common with all the best solutions, it is a simple one. If we are used to a punishing training programme or the rigours of business, the perceived physical inactivity during a lesson does not seem to be the best way to improve performance. It takes time to appreciate how the work can bring about a change. It takes time to learn how to change. A subtle, yet fundamental, shift in attitude is required before the real benefits are appreciated. Sadly, a number will give up before this level is attained due to over confidence in their ability. If they have been unable to experience changes following a few Alexander Technique lessons, they conclude there cannot be anything to it, rather than accept that they may have been unable to understand the concept. The teacher has to be able to give a practical demonstration of the theory early in a course of lessons to encourage the pupil to continue. This is not always possible if the pupil cannot make a start at preventing the habit. The pupil’s preconceptions and views can sometimes act as a barrier in the early lessons. Many may wish to improve, but do not want to change in the process – an unrealistic expectation.



Can I learn Alexander without a teacher?
Well, F.M. Alexander, its founder, obviously did but it took many years to do so. However, following one hundred years of teaching and the groundbreaking work completed by Alexander, we are able to avoid many of the pitfalls that beset its founder. My Fitness for Life Program contains a number of Alexander procedures that can help to get you started.

How to start the process of change

Change can only happen if you can first learn to stop doing the unnecessary things you have always done. The habit of getting set to do something has to be prevented. This is achieved by intervening at the point where thought becomes action. If your response to all stimuli is to increase muscular tension, nothing can change until you prevent the initial reaction as this habitual state of excessive tension provides the foundation for all actions. This concept can be difficult to appreciate as it goes against all previous experiences of education, which is that to achieve anything you must try harder. When you can acknowledge the influence attitude has on your actions, you eventually accept that there is no other way. If a house collapses due to inadequate foundations, there is no point rebuilding it whilst the original foundations remain!

Alexander’s observations led to the development of a method described by biologist George Coghill ‘as thoroughly scientific’. Alexander’s discovery was so fundamental that many, regardless of qualification or experience, have difficulty in comprehending the basic principles. Whilst a growing number in the medical profession fully endorse Alexander’s work, many still view it as an alternative therapy for treating poor posture, and choose not to investigate further. It is ironic that conventional means to correct perceived postural problems are, by definition, alternative as they have little or no scientific basis. Firstly, poor posture is only a symptom and should not be treated as a condition. Secondly, an understanding of the physiological processes involved would make it apparent that instructing someone with an existing musculo-skeletal problem to sit up straight or perform corrective exercises cannot work. It is ludicrous to believe that if a machine with faulty instrumentation is wrong, it will be able to correct itself using the same faulty instrumentation for guidance.

Improve your posture without exercise
Accepted wisdom tells us that to improve your posture you will need to do specific exercises to correct muscle imbalances. I believe this is misguided. Learn how you can get good posture without needing to do any exercises.

Our concept of how we function is at odds with the reality. Assumptions are based on a limited understanding of ourselves leading to misconceptions that can affect how we use our body. We have no experience of the majority of internal activities occurring beneath the level of consciousness. The most influential aspect in our behaviour is not known to us - habit. When we raise the leg to step forward we are not aware of the pull by the hip flexor (psoas) muscle attached to the lumbar spine. The movement is our habitual response to the wish to be somewhere else in the room. It is only when messages from pain receptors reach a conscious level, that we become aware of the muscle’s function. As much of Alexander’s philosophy goes against our common-sense view of who we are, it can be difficult to appreciate in the early lessons. Without a personal, subjective experience of a lesson it is practically impossible.

Many of the techniques used by sports psychologists and coaches cannot match the scientific endorsements of Alexander’s work. According to Prof. John Raglin, a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, the supportive research into methods such as visualisation, relaxation techniques and confidence enhancement is ‘often lacking or seriously flawed’. The acceptance of these methods by coaches and athletes give them a ‘social validity’ - wide recognition that affords them credibility. This is not a status enjoyed by The Alexander Technique at present. Perhaps the main reason for the Technique not being used more in sport is the attitude that ‘if it was any good, I would have heard of it’. If everyone takes this view it perpetuates the situation as no one is prepared to experiment.

Everyday practical applications of
The Alexander Technique

Sports people find the technique an essential skill for performance enhancement

It is well documented that The Alexander Technique is very beneficial for back pain sufferers

Other common problems such as neck pain and problems with poor posture and hip joints will also be helped by learning The Alexander Technique.

To find a qualified teacher in your area visit www.stat.org.uk for the UK or www.alexandertechnique.com for the US. Worldwide teaching associations can be found on either site.

Breaking habits with the technique

Breathing and posture

Do breathing exercises cause more problems?

Recommended further reading

Body Learning
by Michael Gelb
An excellent introductory book on The Alexander Technique. Shows how the Technique can be applied to make improvements to all aspects of your life.

The Alexander Principle:How to use your body without stress
by Wilfred Barlow
The Alexander Technique, a revolutionary method of bodywork pioneered by the late F.M. Alexander, provides the key to successful body dynamics. Dr Barlow' book is now considered a classic on the subject of posture and health. He covers misconceptions about correcting poor posture and examines the reasons for problems with gait and how to address root causes.

US visitors can order from the Amazon.com



UK visitors can order from the Amazon.co.uk

Want to ask a question? The principles of the Alexander Technique are unique and quite different to conventional educational methods. If there is anything on this page that you would like to follow up please feel free to contact me

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