The Alexander Technique is a skill taught by qualified instructors to help people improve their health, wellbeing and performance. It can benefit people experiencing back pain and headaches, improve posture and give people greater confidence in achieving goals and undertaking day to day tasks.

As a beginner, you probably have many questions about the Alexander Technique, such as what happens during a workshop or class. People who come along to Alexander Technique classes are called students, so you will need to be open to being taught new ideas – in fact for many people, the Alexander Technique is all about retraining and reconditioning their body to move past habits that are not conducive to healthy movement and wellbeing.

The Alexander Technique can be taught either privately or in small groups, depending on your personal preference. You may be part of a sporting or musical group who could benefit from learning the technique together, or you may wish to come on your own.

It is recommended that you begin with a private lesson as it will give the teacher more opportunity to discuss your individual needs in depth, before starting on a programme.

What should I wear?

You will remain clothed throughout the class and we recommend that you wear clothing that allows you to move freely and that you feel comfortable in. We will ask you to practise some basic movements such as sitting, bending, reaching and standing so that we can assess the way that you carry out these movements.

You may have some specific movements in mind that you would like us to assess such as playing a musical instrument, a sport or undertaking a yoga position. It’s best to wear clothing that you would feel comfortable in when you’re undertaking these activities.

How will I learn?

During the session you will be taught by verbal instruction as well as gentle, hands-on guidance from your teacher. The session will cover the following areas:

• Mindfulness – learning how to observe and choose the way you undertake actions and habits
• Coordination – understanding how to align the movements of the head, spine, pelvis and legs
• Body mapping – finding out how your body is structured so that you can learn to cooperate with yourself
• Action planning – learning how to approach actions that you are specifically interested in working on
• Training – practising your learnings across a range of actions

How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions required will vary based on individual needs. A few sessions may be enough to help you if you are looking to address a specific concern, however we believe that it is best to undertake a series of lessons or classes to achieve the maximum benefit.

If you would like more information on what happens during an Alexander Technique workshop, we would love to hear from you.

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