[TPIN] Alexander Technqiue

[Stan Modjesky]

I had some Alexander lessons a few years ago, and I think they've helped--when I remember to apply the principles.

The teacher in our area conducts two or three introductory group sessions, around six people at a time. During these classes, you get the opportunity to see the technique in action on others beside yourself. The main principle behind the AT is keeping the spine relaxed and uncompressed. Teachers put you through different tasks such as sitting down and getting up from a chair, walking, walking up and down stairs before working on individual problems. For example, you learn that it's easier to get up from a seated position or climb stairs if you think of letting your head carry your body upward, rather than lifting yourself using your legs. Subtly, your body makes the right adjustment to accomplish this, such as having your feet neither too far forward or tucked back too far under you when sitting.

When the teacher works with an individual, she will observe the motion, then use her hand(s) to indicate a spot where a change is needed. It's not a question of moving you into position, or anything close to massage. I watched the teacher put her hand on a fellow student's shoulder and say, "If you could just give me a little more relaxtion here." The student relaxed the shoulder and the rest of us saw her appear to grow an inch or two taller as her spine uncompressed itself. 

The teacher I study with uses full sized human skeleton model to demonstrate where the various joints of the body are located. You discover that your general impression of the location of your hip joints, your diaphragm and other parts is not altogether accurate. Watching the skeleton being moved is  great aid to understanding your own anatomy. As an example, teacher might demonstrate the rotation of the forearm. The two main bones are the ulna (the larger bone that lies in line with the little finger) and the radius (a shorter bone that lies roughly in line with the thumb). You will see that as the forearm rotates, these bones actually cross each other. The ulna is the pivot of the rotational movement, and the radius is the bone that moves. So if you are rotating your hand from a "shaking hands" position to one of having your palm downwards, the freest movement is to rotate around the little finger. Only the forearm moves. If you keep the thumb fixed in position and rotate the hand outwards, the movement requires you to move your upper arm and shoulder joints. This particular movement has some importance to us as trumpeters; how we pick up the horn and transport it to our face.

After a couple of group sessions, you'll usually have a one-on-one with the AT teacher. Part of this session will include "table work," where you are lying--prone, prostrate and on your side--on a massage table while moving various body parts.

The practice of the AT is an ongoing process of thinking through how your body works and developing new habits to use the muscles and skeleton in the way that makes each motion easiest. "Getting out of your own way," is one way this is expressed. 

I have not been able to afford follow-up lessons, but if I had, we would have worked on picking up and setting down the horn, and the actual motions involved in playing. Just finished reading "Song and Wind," and noted that Arnold Jacobs incorporated the AT in his teaching.

The major benefit I gained from my few lessons was developing the habit of standing in a balanced, relaxed position without locking the knees. I saw immediate benefits in both my trumpet playing and target shooting with a pistol. (Which happens to be good cross-training.)

Stan Modjesky
Baltimore
http://music.pegnstan.com