Terms of The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique (AT) uses key terms to describe aspects of a person's movement. Refer to these definitions as a guide to better understand the concepts and principles involved.
Primary Control: Inherent and intrinsic mechanism for balance and support in the body
Downward Pull: A pattern of tension that compromises the primary control
Inhibition: To consciously pause before acting. It involves recognizing a habit, stopping, and considering choices before proceeding. “To not do”
Constructive Conscious Control: Consciously inhibit the imposed pattern of tension
End-Gaining: A focus on what the goal is, with no focus on how the goal was achieved. The majority of the population lives life like this
Kinesthesia: The ability to sense your body’s movement
What is The Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique (AT), developed by Australian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander (F.M. Alexander), emerged from his struggle with vocal projection issues while performing. After unsuccessful attempts to find medical solutions, he turned to self-observation, eventually discovering that excess tension in his throat was the root of the problem. By recognizing and consciously inhibiting this habit, he gradually released the tension and improved his performance. As he began teaching others, his method was initially known as “The Work” before being renamed the Alexander Technique after his passing. So what does AT do?
The Alexander Technique is a method of rediscovering natural balance and poise through active thinking and inhibiting.
Alt. Text: An illustration featuring two green boxes with black shadows. The top box contains the first law of human movement, while the bottom box contains the second law. Above both boxes, the text reads "Laws of Human Movement," with smaller text below stating "Formulated by Barbara Conable."
Modern Day Alexander Technique
William Conable developed body mapping while teaching the Alexander Technique. He found that this method greatly enhanced their understanding and retention of AT principles, allowing them to learn more quickly and effectively.
Today, body mapping is an integral part of modern Alexander Technique practice. It helps individuals refine their internal body map to support natural movement rather than imposing corrections based on inaccurate perceptions. This approach improves key skills such as inhibition, sitting, standing, and movement with greater ease and accuracy.
The core principles of the Alexander Technique—awareness and inhibition—serve as powerful tools for shifting perspective and refining movement patterns. With the development and integration of body mapping, the technique is now more accessible to those who benefit from clear, structured guidance. The use of anatomical images, skeleton models, and skilled instruction has further contributed to the growing success of both the Alexander Technique and its students.
Below are a few techniques that can help:
Monkey
Monkey is a movement that requires flexibility in the ankles, knees, and hips while maintaining a lengthened relationship between the head and spine. The coordinated use of the head, neck, back, and legs allows for small, subtle adjustments in balance and weight. These adjustments occur not only up and down but also side to side and forward and backward, enabling fluid and responsive movement.
Common examples of this movement include a baseball player preparing to catch a ball or a fencer lunging at an opponent. The purpose of Monkey is to prevent unnecessary neck tension and support movement through primary control, whether sitting, standing, setting down an object, or picking one up. Moving with primary control allows for greater flexibility and ease of motion.
Monkey is an innate movement that humans naturally possess but often lose due to habitual behaviors, such as the tendency toward downward pull.
In the video below, I demonstrate how I focus on creating Monkey in different movements, including standing, sitting, and picking up or placing objects. It’s easy to unintentionally stiffen the neck while moving into Monkey. Try experimenting with this movement and observe when stiffness occurs. Use your understanding of the laws of the spine to explore ways to inhibit that tension and move with greater ease.
Alt. Text: An androgynous person points to various joints on their body before demonstrating different ways to enter the Monkey position. There is no narration.
Constructive Rest
Constructive rest, also known as the semi-supine position, is a technique for taking breaks throughout the day to release built-up tension in the body. Many people unknowingly rely on their lower back muscles—typically used for lifting heavy objects and making large movements—to hold themselves up. Over time, this misalignment can lead to weakness and collapse in the muscles actually responsible for supporting the body while sitting and standing, while creating excessive tension in the overworked muscles.
By practicing constructive rest, individuals can improve muscle coordination by allowing their body to relax in its current state. Lying on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor helps release muscle tension and reduces compression on the joints and spinal discs. Doing this once or multiple times a day, depending on personal needs, gently encourages the body’s natural alignment.
For a detailed guide on setting up for constructive rest, Amy Likar’s video, Preparing to Do Constructive Rest, provides helpful insights on recommended supplies and positioning.
Alt. Text: An illustration featuring four green boxes with black shadows, labeled one through four from top to bottom. Each box contains a law of the spine. Above the boxes, the text reads "The Laws of the Spine," with smaller text below stating "Formulated by Barbara Conable."
Laws of The Spine
Barbara Conable identified four key laws that explain how the spine functions to support both the Alexander Technique and the body's mechanical advantage:
I. The Head Must Lead – Movement begins at the top of the first vertebra (where the occiput meets the atlas), not from the top of the head. Misconceptions about this can lead to stiffness and pain.
II. The Vertebrae Must Follow in Sequence – For smooth, natural movement, the spine must move in order, following the lead of the head. When a person bends at the waist with the head initiating the motion, the movement remains fluid. However, if the return to an upright position is not initiated by the head, the lower back often compensates, resulting in stiffness and restricted movement.
III. The Spine Must Lengthen – The spine either lengthens or shortens during movement. Awareness of this process helps maintain natural and efficient motion.
IV. A Bent Spine Should Distribute Movement Evenly – When movement is not evenly spread across the spine’s joints, discomfort and muscle pain often occur. However, when movement is evenly distributed—supported by the head leading and the spine following in sequence—the body moves freely without strain.
There is No “Correct” Way
Individuals under the neurodiversity umbrella may struggle when there isn’t a clear right answer or a single "correct" way to approach a process. When learning to free the neck, one might search for the perfect position, thinking, “Yes! I felt the click, and now my neck is exactly where it’s supposed to be!” However, this is not how the process works. Balancing the head on the spine and aligning with balance points requires a degree of flexibility—essential for living, breathing, and simply being human.
Many people describe this process as a “lack of feeling” after years of overworking their bodies. It is natural to fluctuate between sensations of effort and absence of feeling. Rather than a strict right or wrong, this concept exists on a spectrum, ranging from mechanical advantage to mechanical disadvantage, where everyone falls somewhere along it.
“You are not making decisions; you are doing kinaesthetically what you feel to be right. ... "Trying" is only emphasizing the thing we know already.” - F.M. Alexander