Posts Tagged ‘Tai Chi Technique’

This ebook, Tai Chi and the Alexander Technique Principles of Good Body Use, 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 do tai chi with ease, elegance, poise, and released joints.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

IF YOU ARE IN GREAT AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC SHAPE FOR RUNNING, PLAYING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, LIFTING WEIGHTS, ETC., AND YOU’RE CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR TO YOUR BODY, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

What do I mean?

In the non Alexander Technique world wearing out your joints and damaging your musculature is accepted as the norm, if you’re doing what you need to do to be exceptional at specialized activities.

Is this true? NO!

If you are incredibly good at running or playing a musical instrument, and you’re using techniques and postures that cause wear and tear to your body, you can still be truly impressive in your specialized activity, BUT ONLY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME.

What do I mean?

If you pay very close attention to your body in an intense activity, the odds are you are beginning to experience small signals of pain. If you look for the pain, you will see the pain. I’m not talking about causing pain by tensing expecting to find pain. I’m talking about simply observing what the body is telling you, when you lift heavy weight, run fast, or play difficult musical passages.

Typically people ignore these beginning signs of wear and tear for two reasons. The first is that most of us ignore body signals warning of damage, because because we’re only focused on winning or making beautiful music. The second is we ignore body signals of pain, because we believe we can’t do anything about the damage. It’s the price you MUST pay for being great in your activity.

THIS JUST AIN’T SO!

I watch people in the gym in incredible aerobic and anaerobic shape with poor technique and posture. I watch people playing a musical instrument play the most difficult repertoire, and they make it to the end of the piece beautifully, with poor technique and posture.

So, what am I going on about???

One of the most extraordinary tools an Alexander Technique teacher has is to try on another person’s posture and technique.

So, I watch someone on an exercise bike, and then I get on the bike and mimic him or her. If they’re slumped over and hunkering down and tensing their whole body to pedal, I do what they’re doing.

Oh my God, does it hurt for me to do what they’re doing!

If I mimic the way a person runs, and they’re pounding the ground and leaning forward and tensing their whole body, and I try this on in running, it’s a killer to my body.

If I sit at the piano, not playing, and do what a slumped over, tensed up, shoulders raised player does even before he or she plays, I can’t tolerate the pain.

I hope I’ve gotten my point across.

If you do specialized activities with excessive tension, poor posture, and poor technique, you will possibly be great at what you’re doing, UNTIL YOU’RE NOT.

The below is what a certified Alexander Technique teacher can do for you, before the wear and tear to your body is irreversible.

WE CAN TEACH YOU TO WIN OR PLAY BEAUTIFULLY WITHOUT DAMAGING YOUR BODY. WE TEACH YOU TO DO THE MINIMUM NECESSARY WITH GREAT POSTURE AND TECHNIQUE, WITHOUT EXCESS TENSION, WITH HIGH ENERGY.