Investigation
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What has a punch bag got to do with the Alexander Technique?

Alexander Technique

Time and time again a lack of good investigation into a person’s situation has left them in pain and without hope of a solution. Sometimes it isn’t very clear what it is a person is doing to cause the pain. Often I will see someone for a number of weeks and they will tell me something that they do that I must tell them to stop doing.

The body is good for many things, but if it is no longer good for a specific thing, (marathons) you will suffer. One client, we’ll call him Pete, was having lessons and his pelvis was so twisted it looked visually quite unnerving! 

He said he had no idea what was wrong or what he was doing. When we worked on his pelvis it sat back aligned by the end of the session and so I knew it was something he was doing that was causing the problem. Not a condition! By the third lesson, I asked Pete how much squash he was really playing??? He confessed that it was too much and he was obsessed. And in denial. But I knew he would have to stop. Pete argued that the squash was keeping him fit! The Alexander detective sees through this easily. This is quite an extreme version of what we see every day. But everyone does things that aren’t helpful and your Alexander Teacher will be able to find out. Sometimes it’s just a modification in the approach. But if we have to give something up to keep mobile, then that is what we must do! But often we just learn to do it better and in a way that prevents injury. 

Are you possibly like Pete? If so why not DM me and we can get on zoom. Let the investigation begin.  

Npchapman

Nick Chapman is an Alexander Technique teacher in private practice.

He qualified as a teacher at The Constructive Teaching Centre Lansdowne road in Holland Park and is a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique. He holds the certificate for teachers of the F. Matthias Alexander Technique. He was trained by W.H.M. Carrington.and D.M.G. Carrington. W.H.M. Carrington studied with Alexander and was the most influential teacher in the country. He is now a legend. His wife Dylis was also his teacher and was just as influential.

Nick Chapman is employed by Merrill Lynch and UBS as the resident Alexander Teacher.

Nick Chapman has considerable experience in the treatment of a wide range of musculoskeletal, stress and anxiety related problems.

He worked with the Odyssey Trust, where he used Alexander Technique and other relaxation methods for the relief of drug withdrawal.

He also worked in nursing homes where the nurses found great benefits using the technique for stress and the management of various physical problems from maneuvering and handling high risk patients.