The Alexander technique aims to teach people how to stand, hold themselves and move differently in order to eliminate unnecessary tension in their bodies. It is an educational process, not a relaxation technique or form of exercise. The Alexander technique has been shown to be helpful for people suffering from tension headaches, back pain, frozen shoulders, housemaid's knee, flat feet, tennis elbow, minor digestive problems, asthma, difficulties sleeping, clumsiness, irritability and lethargy. Practictioners say such problems are often caused by people repeatedly mis-using their bodies over a long period of time, for example by standing or sitting with their weight unevenly distributed, holding their heads incorrectly, or walking or running inefficiently. The purpose of the Alexander technique is to help people unlearn bad physical habits and return to a balanced state of rest and poise in which the body is well-aligned.
The technique is named after actor Frederick Matthias Alexander, who developed its principles in the 1890s as a personal tool to alleviate breathing problems and hoarseness during public speaking. He credited the technique with allowing him to pursue his passion for Shakespearean acting.
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Famous quotes containing the word technique:
“The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience there is no theater. Every technique learned by the actor, every curtain, every flat on the stage, every careful analysis by the director, every coordinated scene, is for the enjoyment of the audience. They are our guests, our evaluators, and the last spoke in the wheel which can then begin to roll. They make the performance meaningful.”
—Viola Spolin (b. 1911)