A Student’s Story
I’ve had several injuries over the years some I fully recovered from; others I still struggle with. I’ve tried various medical and holistic methods including various forms of physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, as well as stretches, yoga, weights, exercise etc.
All have their pros and cons and all work better together it all depends on what the issue is. I still utilize these as applicable and as needed however I now have Alexander technique to add to my toolbox.
Through Under 10 sessions of Alexander practice with Ada, I experienced two major breakthroughs and gained a corrective freestyle swimming stroke that helps me swim pain free despite a long term shoulder injury.
Describing Alexander technique is difficult. For me it is a form of both mind and body work which coupled together have enabled me to feel what it is like to be in a correct posture for the first time 20 plus years.
Oddly the way one arrives at this stage is by relaxing the body to such a state that the body finds the correct posture on its own. It’s a balance of relaxation and concentration. Call it mind over matter or what you will.
Alexander is a practice and having a breakthrough is the beginning. Then we get to try and practice achieving that state solo or with periodic guidance. Once you have a breakthrough, you practice such that as with sports, you gain a memory. With sports it’s a muscle memory; with Alexander, it’s a (regained) mental memory of body alignment.