What is the Alexander Technique?

The Alexander Technique is an approach to the study of movement. It helps you to eliminate unnecessary tension while learning to move in an easier, more effective way.

The Technique focuses on the unconscious, habitual ways in which we use ourselves - our patterns of posture, our movement and our responses to stress and pressure - and teaches us to have conscious control over these aspects of ourselves. Our patterns of posture and movement are part of our unconscious behaviours. When we are made aware of unconscious patterns that cause us to misuse our body, we can evaluate them consciously and bring about changes to them.

Poor posture, movement habits and unconscious muscular contractions underly a wide range of dysfunctions such as sciatica, back pain, neck pain, knee pain, muscular and joint pain, migraines and tension headaches, most voice disorders, RSI, breathing problems including asthma and a wide range of other symptoms. Alexander Teachers can correct these underlying problems by correcting posture, movement and unconcsious activity.

Besides being used to reduce or eliminate physical pain and dysfunction the technique can also be used to develop and refine a wide range of skills. The technique is taught at the majority of elite performing arts colleges throughout the world. In Melbourne, Alexander technique teachers work at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA); in Sydney - the SCM NIDA. The Alexander Technique is also used by many and sports-people to improve performance and to prevent and deal with injury.

Alexander Teachers have had extensive training in observation of patterns of usage, how the body is used, and in using their hands to help students move out of their patterns of misuse. The experience of being trained often brings about conscious revelations about how our body usage affects our mental or physical condition. This method of conscious guidance was developed in Melbourne over 100 years ago by F. Matthias Alexander, an actor who lost his voice, and is now taught throughout the world.

How can the Alexander Technique help me?

F.M.Alexander's Technique has been used:

• To improve posture
• To deal with neck or back pain, sciatica, RSI,
  and the full range of muscular and skeletal problems
• To help heal physical injuries or recover from illness
• To regain freedom of movement
• To learn how to carry out daily activities with ease
• To learn more effective ways to deal with stress
• To deal with voice problems
• To help their asthma or other breathing problems
• To cope with neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson's disease and MS
• To improve their ability in a chosen sport - running, horse-riding, golf etc
• To improve vision
• For musicians - to play their instruments with ease and without pain
• For performing artists to improve their performances
  

Does the Alexander Technique really work?

The Alexander Technique is a well established and well-respected method for achieving greater body awareness. Highly-regarded medical research institutions (such as the British Medical Journal) have published detailed research and reports demonstrating cost-effective, long term improvements in medical conditions. Additionally, it has received many medical endorsements, journalistic accolades and many testimonials from people in sports and the arts.

The school maintains a small collection of local testimonials, studies and press reports in our interesting articles section. However, a larger collection of resources and facts are available at this site.

British Medical Journal Video and Research Report
Reseach relating to the use of Alexander technique and Parkinson's Disease

Is the Alexander Technique right for me?

The Alexander Technique is a long-term solution that requires effort and a willingness to change behaviour. Although immediate improvements to symptoms will frequently result from just one or two lessons, you should not regard it as a quick-fix if you wish to have long-term relief from symptoms. Research has demonstrated that while six lessons will provide significant reduction of back pain over the long term, a course of twenty-four lessons is significantly more effective. If you would like more information about your particular situation, please feel free to contact us and ask. If the Alexander Technique is not right for you, we may be able to refer you to different specialists or areas of study.

How can I get started?

The best way to learn about the Alexander Technique is to try it. The School provides private Alexander Technique lessons, group sessions and courses, as well as a more advanced teacher training course. Feel free to contact us with your enquiries.

It is important to make sure that anyone claiming to be an Alexander teacher is properly trained. In Australia, trained teachers have undergone a course of at least 1600 hours qualified training over a minimum of three years. Trained teachers in Australia will have a qualification for the Australian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (AUSTAT). There are societies in many other countries which have similar training standards to AUSTAT.

The school maintains a list of qualified local and international teachers in our contact directory - or you can give contact us directly and request a referral.

Study the Technique

If you are interested in studying F. Matthias Alexander's Technique professionally, please take a look at our training course.

More Alexander Technique Information

For more information on the technique, please take a look at our related Alexander Technique articles, or take a look at this detailed definition.

The school also maintains a directory of web resources related to the Alexander Technique.