The Alexander Technique focuses on breathing, vocalization, and simple movements to improve a patient’s quality of life or performance. Exercises are developed individually for each patient and commonly include lying in a neutral position, vocalization, and observing everyday actions to make adjustments.
While each person’s experience in learning the Alexander Technique is different, there are a number of common Alexander Technique exercises that can be employed by various instructors. For the most part, the Alexander Technique focuses on breathing, vocalization, and simple movements that can be adjusted to improve a patient’s quality of life or performance in certain activities. The exercises used are developed individually for each patient.
The most common of the Alexander Technique exercises begins with a patient lying face up in a relatively neutral position. The legs are often extended, although the knees may be bent in this exercise if extending them causes discomfort. This position allows a person to control the body and develop awareness of the breath. A patient who is practicing the Alexander Technique at home will often come back to this exercise as a way to reconnect before working on another skill.
Historically, Alexander’s technique exercises have focused heavily on the breath. While the applications of this technique have extended far beyond its original use as a treatment for asthma, there is still much focus on breathing, as the way a person breathes affects almost every aspect of their life. The first lessons of the Alexander technique often focus on retraining a person to breathe more healthily, the specifics of which are different for each patient.
Alexander technique exercises also commonly include vocalization. These exercises focus on posture and how the breath leaves the body when a patient is speaking. Common vocal exercises may include sustained sound practice, projection, and speaking from the diaphragm. Depending on the patient’s needs, the instructor will develop various techniques for the patient to practice either during a session or at home.
Patients are often observed by their instructors performing various actions, most of which are common, everyday actions, such as walking, sitting, standing, or switching between them. By examining the patient’s movements, the Alexander Technique instructor is able to guide the patient toward adjustments that make these common actions smoother or less painful. In most cases, instructors use their hands both to feel the movement of the patient’s muscles and to guide the patient into changes that will improve these actions. Alexander technique exercises that help retrain patients to perform each of these actions in a new way are developed and practiced one-on-one with the instructor.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
