Pain and Illness

This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Musicians’ Injuries, is published in a PDF format. It is written to give all performing musicians deep insights into the habits and technique that performers have that can end careers with pain, strain, tension, and injuries. I look at all of the instruments from piano, to guitar to clarinet, to singing etc.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

THERE ARE THREE REASONS THAT ANTICIPATING DOING A SPECIALIZED OR EVERYDAY ACTIVITY CAN CAUSE EXCESS PHYSICAL TENSION.

The first reason is doing something you have done many times before, and your body does the same poor body use habits and bad technique it has always done in the activity.

The second is it’s a new activity, and your thoughts and feelings about how to go about it, cause anxiety and tension along with poor body use and lack of an established technique

The third is that you don’t want to do what you’re about to do, and this really causes resistance to doing it.

The first reason: If over the years you’ve practiced the piano with excessive tension in your hands, then the moment you anticipate you’re going to play, your hands seize up for what is about to be asked of them. If you’re about to run, and you always run hunkered down, you will hunker down before you take the first step.

The second reason for excess tension is starting a new activity. Every activity, specialized or everyday, if you have never done it before, you are likely yo experience anxiety over being a a beginner. You’re at a loss for how you’re going to do it and anxiety over is it going work, come out well.

The third reason for excessive tension is you don’t want to do what you feel you must do. You’re resistance to having to do what you don’t want to do, makes it impossible to do what you’re dreading with ease, because you’d rather be somewhere else, doing something else.

There are two things that must be addressed here, if you don’t want to hurt your body before you do something and during the activity.

First, you want to have in motion in your body the Alexander Technique principles of good neutral balanced released posture. As you approach the piano or running, do not compromise your posture with hunkering down or tensing your hands in anticipation of playing. Don’t tense your legs before you run.

Second, when you initially engage in the activity, do not compromise your technique with poor technique and unnecessary tension.

DO WHAT YOUR DOING WITH THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF DYNAMIC IN THE WHOLE BODY, AND WITHOUT TENSING UP TO PREVENT MAKING MISTAKES. DO WHAT YOU’RE DOING FEARLESSLY, USING THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PRINCIPLES OF A GREAT PERSONALIZED POSTURE AND GREAT TECHNIQUE TO DO SPECIALIZED AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES.

It is an extraordinary thing to Alexanderize everyday activities, like brushing your teeth by taking care of your body. Brush with great posture and with great teeth brushing technique, that you create based on the Alexander Technique principles of good body use.

FINALLY, WHATEVER THE ACTIVITY, DON’T DO IT BEFORE YOU DO I. THIS MEANS DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR BODY IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO DO, WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ACTIVITY OR NOT.