Get AT it!
Enjoy free and effortless movement in any activity
Get up, get moving, get going, get AT it… and let it happen
It seems that almost on a weekly basis we read yet another predictable headline telling us the dangers of what we should or shouldn’t be doing, bombarding us with revelations that we’re sitting for too long (but don’t stand for too long either) and even holding our phones and tablets incorrectly.
So what are we to do?
The answer is simple; focus less on the all or nothing mentality and just make sure that whatever you’re doing, you do it right and in a way that doesn’t put your body at risk of injury.
And to help you do just that the Alexander Technique can provide you access to invaluable insight on how to get going whilst putting the least strain on your body thereby reducing the risk of injury.
The Alexander Technique is a holistic approach which educates us to be more aware of harmful postural and mental habits which may be the cause of stress, pain and a multitude of everyday ailments and complaints. By improving posture and being conscious of how you move – whether sitting at your desk, getting up from a chair or running a marathon – the technique teaches you to undo bad habits and re-discover how to use your head, neck and back in a coordinated way.
Acclaimed by celebrities, sports personalities, musicians and actors worldwide – Madonna, Dame Judy Dench, Lenny Henry and Roald Dahl to name but a few – it is an educational process rather than a relaxation technique or form of exercise and this is where the difference lies.
The Technique teaches you how to prevent unnecessary tension in everyday activities, mental or physical, to stop problems and ailments developing in the first place. In the long run this translates into less neck pain from holding our phones incorrectly and no back ache from attempting to stand whilst writing a report because we’re concerned that the article we read this morning said we’re all sitting for too long.
It’s all about striking a balance of activities and ensuring that whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it correctly. It’s no good ditching your office chair for a stand up desk if you’re going to spend the day standing as badly as you were sitting. Leaning on a high desk with your weight predominantly on one leg is just as detrimental to your wellbeing as being slouched over a computer with no proper back support.
The principles of the Alexander Technique can be applied to absolutely anything you do, reaping rewards in the both the long and short term. Using your body incorrectly everyday for years can, in the long term, lead to problems such as backache, just as running this evening with poor technique may lead to a knee injury before you’ve even reached the starting line at your local 10K.
The message is clear. Do everything in moderation, mix it up and by all means break some bad habits but make sure whatever you find yourself doing, you have an awareness of just how you’re doing it.