What is the Alexander Technique?

Named after its founder, FM Alexander (1869 – 1955), the Alexander Technique is a practical method for developing kinaesthetic awareness, co ordination, balance and poise.  It helps us eradicate harmful habits and redirect energy so we can move more efficiently and breathe freely.  It develops our ability to think our way out of unnatural movement patterns.

How can the Alexander Technique help my swimming?

In the Alexander Technique we attempt to stop interfering with the proper relationship between head, neck and back in movement and during rest. When we go wrong in the water, the pattern of unwanted tension that frequently occurs in daily life is magnified, particularly if we have any anxiety about the process of breathing, which most of us do.

Under stress we all stiffen our neck, pull our head into our torso, shorten our spine and narrow our shoulders. As a consequence, we tighten our limbs and, most significantly, hold our breath. Alexander talked about “the true and primary movement in each and every act”. This means keeping our neck free so that our head leads our spine into length, instead of clamping down on it, and our back widens so that breathing is ongoing and unforced. The improved awareness that the Alexander Technique gives us can help anyone wishing to improve his or her relationship with water.

For non-swimmers or nervous swimmers the Alexander Technique is an essential tool. Before you can swim you need to be at home in the water.  The Alexander Technique gives you the means to focus on the fundamental skills of letting the water support you, allowing yourself to breathe and keeping calm throughout the process of gliding and regaining your feet.

More advanced swimmers wishing to swim faster need to work primarily on technique. In order to improve, it is important to become aware of the unnecessary tension getting in your way. People in swim training programmes often focus on target times and distances to improve speed without properly addressing their technique. Triathletes enjoy exercise but the nature of the sport means you don’t have much time to really think about quality of movement. Few triathletes are technically brilliant in all three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running.  Freedom of movement when pushing boundaries of human endurance happens only for the very gifted. Examples of athletes with natural poise are Ian Thorpe, Muhammed Ali and Sebastian Coe. 

Alexander Technique teacher Patrick MacDonald said, “All strenuous exercise will reinforce the existing co-ordination of the body or lack of it.  The amount of mal-coordination present and the strenuousness of the exercise will determine the good or harm that will result.” (The Alexander Technique As I See It, (Rahula, 1989)

For more information on the Alexander Technique, see www.stat.org.uk, website of the Society for Teachers of the Alexander Technique.

Useful Article: What is the Alexander Technique?