A few days ago I was sent a video of my one-year-old nephew taking his first steps. I was struck by the pure joy that he expressed as he laughed with delight every time he picked himself up from the floor and was able to take a few steps, his postural balance developing at every new attempt.
As I was walking through Burgess Park (my local SE London much-loved green space) this morning, I thought about that delight in walking and I began actively directing my own walking through my Alexander Technique Directions. Letting my neck be free from tension to allow my head to release upwards to let my trunk lengthen and my back widen.
I immediately could feel the difference this thinking was making on my steps. Freed from compression from above, my legs were responding with renewed springiness. I felt myself walk with more ease and flexibility. My knees bending effortlessly and my ankles and feet flexing smoothly. Walking suddenly became more enjoyable.
Even after years of practicing and teaching the Alexander Technique myself, I am constantly rediscovering my joy in such everyday activities. And walking is just one of many everyday and yet essential actions that can be improved by better coordinating the use of our body.
If you want to learn how you can do what you do better, give me a call and talk with me about how the Alexander Technique can change that for you.
I have just finished running a three-session workshop on “Alexander Technique for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Release of Stress for/in the Sonography Profession at the brand new Chase Farm Hospital, for the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Over my years of working with Alexander Technique for the radiography professions, I have learned that working as a sonographer involves a sequence of repetitive movements carried out regularly. The concentration required by these precise movements together with the focused reading of images on screen often results in forgetting about one’s own body and how it is being used—or misused. In each session of these workshops I guided the team into experiencing how much tension they were unconsciously carrying in various parts of their body and how a better, more natural use could be learned and applied in the way they worked.
We looked at and explored together:
Session 1: Head-neck-back relationship – postural balance and spine upward direction
Session 2: Sitting bones and their supportive connection to fine-tuned hand movements
Session 3: Shoulders and arms support from the trunk
At the end of each session I guided the team in the Constructive Rest Procedure which consists of verbal instructions and hands-on guidance to carry out full mind-body integration and re-alignment. We also explored the importance of breathing naturally to re-balance the nervous system with guided Breathe in with Ease and Breathe out Tension exercises.
The Technique is a great tool to help overcome poor coordination and ensuing tension. At its root is a method of neuromuscular re-education that positively affects the entire musculoskeletal system. This leads to better understanding and use of the body – the way the various parts of the body are connected and affect each other and the way it is meant to function naturally in movements.
Learning and applying the Technique leads to improvement in mobility, postural balance and muscle tone – our coordination is enhanced and we function more efficiently.
