Exercise

This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Tennis, is published in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the tennis technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

EACH TIME YOU MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR SPORT’S OR INSTRUMENT’S TECHNIQUE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, SOMETHING VERY PROFOUND TO THE EASE OF THE ACTIVITY CAN HAPPEN.

What do I mean?

There are two things an Alexander Technique teacher addresses when an athlete or musician comes to the teacher. We address the person’s overall posture and general movement habits that cause the client harm in everyday life and in specialized activities.

We also address the very specific techniques that are part of activities like running or playing a piano.

In this essay I want to look at a specific technique used in running and on the piano.

It’s very obvious that a runner uses the whole body in running. If I can teach a runner how to organize his or her whole body from head to toe in running, that will allow the runner to run at an optimum speed with minimal physical effort and minimal wear and tear.

With performing musicians it isn’t so obvious that it takes a whole body to play an instrument or sing. If I can teach a musician how to organize his or her body from head to toe in singing of playing an instrument, that will allow the performer to perform with great ease and minimal wear and tear.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHOLE BODY ORGANIZATION FROM HOW A PIANIST PLAYS OR A RUNNER RUNS, IS NECESSARY FOR WINNING OR PERFORMING AT AN OPTIMUM LEVEL WITHOUT INJURY.

Let’s use an example of poor technique that is very similar for the pianist and the runner. Both move their arms almost continuously in their specialized activities.

The runner’s arms pump to help with the spiraling of the upper body over the legs in running.

The pianist uses his or her arms to place the hands over the keys to be played.

In both cases many runners and pianists hold their arms unnecessarily away from the body, which causes the shoulders to be tense during running or piano playing.

This means that the shoulders’ deltoids are doing too much work, and the shoulders’ joints are compressed in both activities.

When I teach the pianist or runner to allow for free shoulders in running or piano playing, then I give the athlete or the musician the potential for more speed and accuracy without wear and tear.

Every time I teach an athlete or musician how to do what they do with less conscious or unconscious rules that are unnecessary and damaging, then what they’re doing becomes easier.

When a specialized activity becomes easier and easier, then something extraordinary is likely to result.

I MAKE IT EASIER AND EASIER FOR THE PERFORMER OR ATHLETE TO BE IN THE ZONE. BEING IN THE ZONE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE OF EFFORTLESS PERFORMANCE WITH EXTRAORDINARY EASE AND PRECISION AT HIGH SPEEDS.