Posts Tagged ‘Performing Musicians and Exercise’

This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Performing Musicians and Exercise, is published on this website in a PDF format. It shows the performing musician how to exercise without causing wear and tear to the body or compromise the quality of their performing technique.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

This is my second essay on using the Alexander Technique principles of postural balance and reducing body wide tension to lower blood pressure. The title of the first essay on this blog is Tension, Posture, and Blood Pressure.

Is there such a thing as lowering your blood pressure artificially with the Alexander Technique? I was inspired to write this second essay because of a question my brother, Stuart, asked me, after I told him I could lower my blood pressure before a doctor checked it.

He said that if I lowered my blood pressure when it was to be checked by the doctor, wasn’t I creating a possibly dangerous situation, since that wasn’t my normal blood pressure throughout the day? In other words I was only creating the appearance of having normal blood pressure most of the time for the doctor.

I said “No” Stuart. I was demonstrating that my blood pressure was artificially high, because I could bring it into the healthy normal range of 115 over 75.

As I now look at my justification for saying no, it doesn’t make sense. Stuart is right. So, is there a solution that allows the Alexander Technique to bring down my blood pressure in a healthy way? YES!

Before I continue, I want to mention here that I have an accurate blood pressure wrist cuff to check my blood pressure.

I also want to say that you should be examined by a doctor to confirm that you have no underlying health problems causing high blood pressure.

IF I USE THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD POSTURE AND GOOD USE TO SUSTAIN MY BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE MOST OF THE DAY, THEN I HAVE USED MY ALEXANDER TRAINING TO RETURN MY BODY TO ITS ORIGINAL HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE STATE. How do I do this?

I LOOK AT THE ACTIVITIES THAT USUALLY CAUSE MY PRESSURE TO SPIKE, AND INHIBIT HUNKERING DOWN AND HOLDING MY BREATH IN THESE ACTIVITIES. SO, I REESTABLISH OLD POSTURAL AND BREATHING HABITS AND CREATE NEW HABITS THAT SUPPORT NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE, WHEN I’M AT REST AND WHEN I’M DOING SOMETHING.

Example: I choose to look at what I do when I’m seated or sit down. I notice that I may collapse my posture, hunker down, and hold my breath. Doing these three things simultaneously is guaranteed to raise my blood pressure. I stop hunkering down, lengthen my spine, and I find my natural breathing cycle.

Example: I look at what I do when I drive a car. I notice that I may hunker down and stop breathing if I drive defensively in a rush. So, I choose to not hold my breath or tense in response to the other drivers, by not embodying being late.

Example: When I eat I notice I may hunker down to get closer to the food, so I choose to be fully upright and at ease in my body, and bring the food to my mouth.

Example: When I lift weights, I don’t hunker down and hold my breath creating too much bracing to lift.

Example: When I walk or run, I do so fully upright and with ease throughout my whole body, so I don’t compress my joints and hamper my breathing trying to finish my walk or run.

Example: When I play the guitar I don’t hunker down and stop breathing to play with sustained precision and expression.

WHAT I’VE DESCRIBED HERE IS AN ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PROCESS OF TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF THROUGHOUT THE DAY. IF YOU STAY WITH THIS PROCESS, YOU ESTABLISH HABITS THAT WILL DO THEMSELVES.

YOU WON’T UNCONSCIOUSLY SPIKE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IN YOUR ACTIVITIES WITH POOR POSTURE, POOR USE, HOLDING YOUR BREATH, AND EXCESSIVE TENSION.