the brighton school for alexander technique
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testimonials from our trainee practitioners
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what the course has meant to me so far
finn keller-webb
lessons on a bicycle
I am a first year trainee teacher of the Alexander Technique at the Brighton School for Alexander Technique run by Chris Element and Suzie Sanderson. Recently, I completed the 2007
London to Brighton bike ride, the first time I
have done the event. Having done very little
cycling preparation before hand I was a little
curious as to how I would fair. I must admit that seeing 27000 other cyclists at the start was reassuring and very motivating as well. I would describe myself as relatively fit and healthy and
try exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week.
As a teacher trainee of the Alexander Technique
I also knew that I had an ace up my sleeve for the
ride but was not sure how the technique would
really benefit me.
As an ex Physical Education teacher this was an opportunity to apply my Alexander training to physical exercise over a prolonged period in an activity that I have no expert experience.
Alexander himself described bicycles along the lines of being ergonomically designed to foster poor use. When you consider the position of the head and neck in relation to the back while cycling with the arms extended in front, the back and legs working
at varying/opposing degrees of angle causing the back to narrow, and the eyes aiming to look
forward and up thus causing the neck and head to hyper extend, one can understand the potential for poor use. However with this in mind I attempted to pay attention to my use as much as possible throughout the 56 miles especially as I only had a basic mountain bike.
My first direction was to try and direct the head forward and up as much as possible and use the
eyes independently to look ahead. By thinking forward and up as opposed to just forward and potentially down as fatigues sets in, I was able to
as much as possible avoid the situation or position
of hunching over the handle bars
(contracting down) in order to try and exert more effort.
The benefits were really noticeable when cycling uphill when the temptation is to exert more effort and lean forward into the effort. Directing forward and up while standing up on the pedals allowed the body to maintain its proper alignment and equal displacement on the inclined bike so that the weight was directed over and through the central cog with the pedals.
This resulted in greater fluidity of movement, more power through each leg rotation and less effort directed down into the pedals and legs. This was very noticeable when going up Ditchling Beacon, the last hill of the day over the South Downs, which lasts for approximately 2 miles and is a 1 in 4 gradient at times.
Secondly, I directed into my upper and lower
back in order to lengthen and widen them.
This was helped by subtly changing my position on the saddle so that I sat slightly further back in the saddle which in turn allowed me to get ‘back in my back’. The result was quite simply increased speed, fluidity, power and ease of effort from the legs. At times it was almost as if the bike was being powered without any effort whatsoever. I can only assume that the space in the back of my back allowed the hips and knees to function freely in their circular motion. Added to this I also thought of simply sending the knees forward and away, which seemed to enable my legs to spin faster and more freely.
Lastly and my no means least I directed into my ankles and feet. I did this by thinking of the ankles and feet being released to travel freely round
a large Ferris wheel instead of a small bicycle cog.
Particular attention was paid to being back in my heels and thinking of the heels working in
opposition yet in the same plane as the hips and knees. Consequently the feeling was one
of lengthen along the back through the legs and
into the heels and toes. I suppose mechanically
this achieved a longer and larger lever system with
which to propel the bike forward.
In conclusion all I can say is that by directing and thinking of where my effort was going I was able to relax and enjoy the sensation of cycling much more than I have ever done before and now apply these principles whenever I jump on my bike even if it is for a short trip to the shops.
Cycling up hills is a completely different challenge and experience and I no longer end gain about getting to the top so I can recover on the downhill section. I am really looking forward to doing the event again next year and recommend it to anyone interested in raising funds for the British Heart Foundation.
sarah eddy
performer in STOMP
The Alexander Technique has meant an enormous amount to me in only
a matter of my first 6 weeks
on my course. It means a change for my future,
for my well- being, my environment, which
includes my family and in fact for my whole my life. Even after having on /off lessons for years, I never
realized until I started the course, just what was in
store for me.
I came to the Technique with the view of having another career that I could add on to my existing career as a performer. I had heard a great deal
about the technique and it’s use in drama and
music academies etc and thought that with my knowledge of performing, professionally it would
be a perfect way of extending my career. So my intent is once my current career comes to an
end, I could start teaching The Alexander
Technique.
This and the fulfilling enjoyment of teaching and treating people in general. What I did not realize
until I starting my course, was just what I was
about to embark on, this very personal and
beneficial journey.
Now, after 6 weeks, I feel like I am coming to the Technique with a whole new outlook. The benefits are very high. It means a great deal to me on a
very personal level. The whole way I feel about myself and how I manage to get through my own
life with such bad use and low self esteem, with my very anxious personality, and this is reflected in my physical body, to even contemplate changing
myself before never really crossed my mind. Of course I have kept fit by going to the gym for
years, I have a healthy diet, always worried about how much I weigh, always trying to feel better
about myself and never ever feeling I am at my goal. This in turn, these negative feelings, will
usually make me feel like I have failed. In recent years I’ve been through a very emotional time and my situation was a very stressful one, but I can honestly say I have come out the other side,
feeling so much better about myself
then I ever have. I am very excited about the possibilities of the physical change that the
Alexander Technique will bring and have now
come to realize this includes my spiritual self too.
So now I feel it’s a wonderful time for me to
start to work on myself, with the Alexander Technique.
In these recent weeks, I have gone back to work
with a new awareness of how I could indirectly change the way I use myself on stage. Recently
when I injured my shoulder and back muscles,
during a performance, I was very aware of being extremely careful not to repeat my injury.
One of the directions I like to think of is to “let go”. During my following performances I was aware of relaxing, of “letting go” I never made myself
actually do anything like standing up straight, but just let go and relaxed my shoulders and myself,
as I moved in my most physical routines on stage.
It almost felt effortless even though I worked very hard on stage. I was concerned that my
performance would not come across as energetic
or that it looked like I wasn't’t trying very hard, but the next morning I woke up with even more aches and pains from different sets of muscles! This was not a bad thing, as I realized I was working hard
and most exciting of all, was that there was less strain and effort on stage. I thought a lot about Primary control during this period. Letting go of
my shoulders was the biggest part to release and hopefully this helped to relax my neck and
head too. I am fascinated that even with a small experiment like this one incident of me on stage, showed just how much I over-use my head
shoulders and neck
The ultimate word I have learnt so far that means
so much, is “Stop”. Just this word in itself has
made an impact on my thoughts and even given
me a more confident feeling about myself.
Lowering my anxiety is highly beneficial and I am keen to keep a diary of my physical and emotional changes, so I can look back and see just where I was, when I first started.
I am very happy I have made this decision to complete a three year
course and know its going to my new chosen path.
the brighton school for alexander technique
