Improve Posture

Type in the words "improve posture" into Google and you will see a whole range of different products promising to give you a perfect posture. However, the Alexander technique offers a very different approach to overcoming backache and poor posture.

Although teachers of the Alexander technique do recommend certain products in order to improve posture, they put more emphasis on one's thoughts. If you were to go and have Alexander lessons you would probably be taught at some point what they call the Primary Directions. In other words you will be asked to think the following:-

1. Allow there to be freedom in the neck
2. Allow your head to go forward and up
3. Allow your back to lengthen and widen

The teacher also gently encourages the above directions as they guide your body with their hands.

I find it interesting to contrast the above phrases with those that are commonly said by school teachers to their pupils. Whereas the three directions stated above are constructed with words that encourage freedom and choice, school teachers often use the words:-

"must"
"should"
"got to", or
"ought to"

This choice of words alone carry a lot of implications, i.e. that poor posture is caused by a lack of discipline and good posture is something that you must work hard at to achieve.

F.M. Alexander, practiced the 3 Primary Directions over and over when he discovered his technique around the beginning of the 20th century. He found that although he had set his mind on carrying out these directions he would revert back to his poor posture. He reasoned that this goal orientated way is often counter productive, and actually stop you from achieving your goal.

The solution is what Alexander teachers call this 'inhibition' - in other words preventing your habitual response by pausing before moving. It might sound a bit strange but inhibiting is actually a natural process that children do instinctively.