JESSICA WOLF:

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE &

THE ART OF BREATHING

Home

The Art of Breathing

The Alexander Technique

Who Was F.M.
Alexander?

Why Study the
Alexander Technique?

Breathing Coordination

Who was F. M. Alexander?

This technique is named after F.M. Alexander (1869-1955), a Shakespearean actor famous for his dramatic recitations who was plagued by a recurring voice problem. During performance he would grow hoarse. Doctors advised him to rest his voice, but as soon as he began to use it again, the problem returned. To end the hoarseness once and for all, he started observing himself, looking for behavior that might have caused his vocal difficulties. He noticed that at the moment of speaking, he would stiffen his body, raise his shoulders and tilt his head back and down on his spine. This muscular pattern caused severe muscle contraction that was reflected throughout his body, breath and voice. His body had locked up.

Alexander recognized that in order to correct the problem, he needed to stop the unnecessary effort he had been using to make sound. He embarked on a journey of self-discovery to observe himself in the act of speaking and other daily activities. To improve his well-being and to prevent excess activity, he had to focus on the whole of himself. Alexander found that if he could support himself from the ground up and find a new balance for his head in order to allow the muscles of his neck, chest, torso and legs to be at ease, he could facilitate a new and dynamic relationship within himself. This new manner of functioning also enhanced the co-ordination of the respiratory system. The result was that he was able to eliminate his habits of misuse which in turn eliminated the strain in speaking, reduced muscular tension, and created a new-found ease throughout his entire body.