Why are we all so tense? Why don't we retain the poise and muscular efficiency we had in early childhood? How do we end up so collapsed and distorted that it could take a lifetime to solve completely? Lots of people have asked me about this. I believe FM Alexander thought that our brains had evolved too quickly, leaving us with 'debauched kinaesthesia' as he put it. We simply no longer need to rely on accurate sensory feedback for survival, so we forget about it and get on w

I've been thinking about stooping recently, and by stooping I mean bending the head and neck forwards from the shoulders. It's such a common habit. Interestingly, when I spent a few weeks in an African country, the local people were noticeable to me because they didn't stoop at all...but that's another story. When my son was really little I got into the habit of stooping in order to be involved with him at his level. A considerable amount of time passed before I realised tha

Since first injuring my feet on a Duke of Edinburgh's Award hike in 1984 I have had to be aware of what triggers the foot pain because it can be crippling. Initially I had to find really comfortable shoes, not pretty or fashionable ones. Ecco were the best choice in those days but they had an extremely limited range then! Nowadays if I need top comfort and support I favour Adidas 'Boost'. Then I had to be careful of what I did, so, no standing jobs, limited physical exercis

When I think about my head balancing on top of my spine it reminds me a little of these zen rocks - a beautiful arrangement. The bones of the human skeleton are stacked up high, rather like these rocks, but of course we can move about, on relatively tiny little feet, in a continuous, incredible relationship with gravity. The key to upright balance is the interaction of gravity with the human head - which is astonishingly heavy - approximately 11lb or 5k. I have a bag of san

It's lovely when you know you've made a positive impact on someone's life. I have an elderly client who has had a number of lessons and has felt enormous benefit from the work. I'm delighted to see so much improvement in him, and also, it's a pleasure to teach someone who understands what I do and practices what I say. He thinks highly of my teaching ability, and to be honest, that makes my day. He didn't have to pay me more than double for his last lesson AND treat me to l

A lot has been written about breathing in connection with the Alexander technique; of course, the reason Mr Alexander began his scientific quest was because of his own breathing issues. Investigating the mechanics involved led him to gradually discover fundamental facts about human balance and movement. In a nutshell, if we habitually clench our neck muscles, the vast weight of our head compresses our spine, our ribs, which hinge in the spine, can hardly move and breathing i

I once knew a Spanish guy who was knocked off his bike and dragged along beneath a car at about 70mph. Astonishingly he survived but went into a coma which, on and off, lasted for 18 months. During the coma there were several incidents which nearly finished him off, infections and so forth, but he clung on, and before waking remembers making a conscious choice to do so. He had severe brain damage which affected his movement, memory, speech, ability to swallow food etc, and h

People often ask me about sleep problems and unfortunately there's not a lot I can say to help, as you can't really use the Alexander Technique while you're asleep. The technique is about conscious control - something that can only be achieved when you are awake! Lessons can help you feel better in general, which can then impact on the quality of your sleep. People do tell me that their sleep has improved as a result of lessons but it's not something I can promise, or prove.

Forty years ago I went for my first Alexander Technique lesson with Tessa Goldhawk in Penzance. My mother found an advert in the paper and suggested I try it. Little did she know... All I can remember is that I had crippling foot pain. The lesson made me feel generally better; I enjoyed it and wanted to do more but the experience was very vague. I definitely couldn't have explained the process to anybody. I'm not even sure my foot pain went away. A couple of years later my

About twenty years ago a gentleman walked into my practice in Bournemouth for a lesson. He was tall and elegant, walking with a certain grace, or lightness, which made him stand out, given that he was also very elderly. I asked him if he'd had Alexander lessons before, and he replied - oh, yes, hundreds. I asked him if he was seeing me for a top up, and he replied - yes, that's right. I asked him how long it had been since his last lesson, and he replied - oh, about fifty ye