The first step out of bed, the way we hold our spoon at breakfast, the way we walk down the street – these are all habits we have learned ourselves. And the way we approach these everyday tasks can put additional strain on our bodies.
That’s the view of supporters of the Alexander Technique, which is a series of principles which helps the body to function in the most effective way.
Many people in full-time work find themselves getting increasingly stressed meeting targets and trying to enhance their careers, and teachers of the technique claim a person’s posture at their desk and how quickly they get out of a chair can impact on a person’s well-being.
That’s how I found myself in a room at St Nicholas Hall at English Bridge, taking part in a half hour session introducing me to the technique. All that was in the room was a single chair, Alexander Technique teacher Sonya Staton and me.
Sonya explained that the technique is focused on maintaining relationships between different parts of the body. When standing up she tried to place my head in a position where it was placing as little strain as possible on my back and neck.
I quickly noticed how tense my shoulders, neck and knees were – clear signs to me of how the tension of my working day was affecting my body. When Sonya tried lowering me into the chair my knees automatically locked up.
The technique is very gentle and non-invasive – Sonya would work softly on areas of my back and my knees. As the session progressed I did feel calmer and was able to carry out her instructions more clearly and comfortably.
Pushing down
In my job I am regularly bouncing out of my chair to talk to people, and when Sonya asked me to stand up from a seated position she noticed I was craning my head forward and pushing down heavily on my feet – something I would imagine many people do. She taught me how to stand up by raising my head to a target position, removing all the strain I was putting on my body.
By the end of the session I did feel more relaxed and somewhat lighter on my feet.
According to the principles of the technique, the aim of the ‘student’ is to become aware of how they are misusing their bodies and eventually adopt a lifestyle based on conscious reasoning rather than automatic responses. Adherents claim this allows people to achieve a ‘level of functioning’ far greater than what they could previously manage.
There’s only so much that can be achieved in an initial half hour, and Sonya was quick to point out the technique is not a quick fix. The Professional Association of Alexander Techniques is launching a new series of courses in Shrewsbury, Telford and Market Drayton, and there is an open invitation for everyone to take part.
I know without following up my initial interest I may well slip back into my old bad habits. But thanks to my session I have learned things about the way I go about my day that will prove useful in controlling stress levels.
For more information about classes call 01939 290101.
By Peter Kitchen