Alexander
Technique helps us to become aware of how we respond to stimuli and it
shows us how to let go of those responses that don’t serve us. For instance,
many people get stuck in the fight-or-flight reflex (head thrust forward,
shoulders rising up, neck and torso compressed). While that might benefit us in
certain emergencies such as when a fist heads towards our face, it does not
help us in 99% of life. Instead, it makes movement, thought and emotion more
halting.
Almost all head, neck and back pain comes from needless muscular holding,
said JFK’s physician Dr. Janet Travell.
With Alexander lessons, we can learn about our habits and drop the ones that
hurt us.
A person who moves awkwardly is more likely to think
and feel awkwardly and to relate to others awkwardly. By contrast, somebody
who’s poised will likely connect with others in a poised way. Just ask yourself
— would I rather hang out with people filled with weird tension patterns or
with those who are at ease?
I charge $100 per lesson (which usually lasts 45
minutes).
2.
My
journey
4.
Healthcare
5.
Medication
6.
TMJ
Relief
9.
Back
pain
11.
My
sore stomach
13.
Psycho-therapy
17.
Physical
therapy
Recommended
Writings On Alexander
Technique:
Here
are my interviews with Alexander Technique teachers:
3.
Malcolm
Balk
6.
Paul
Cook
10.
Bruce
Kodish
11.
Bill
Plake
12.
Robert
Rickover
14.
Larry
White
Alexander Technique lessons helped me to:
·
Feel energized
·
Let go of unnecessary tension, back pain, and
tennis elbow
·
Overcome Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
·
Exercise without injury
Hello, my name is Luke Ford. I studied daily for
three years at the Alexander
Training Institute of Los Angeles to learn a more elegant way of living.
Just as the way you drive your car affects the way it functions, so too the way
you drive yourself affects the way you function.
Alexander Technique is a way of noticing how you
respond to stimuli and how you can let go of those responses that don’t serve
you. For instance, most people respond to stimuli by compression. Whether they
are lifting a bowl of soup, talking to the boss, or just getting in and out of
a chair, they tend to scrunch up. They feel like if they can just make
themselves smaller, other people will hurt them less. But that doesn’t work. We
can compress ourselves and other people will simply mirror us. By contrast,
when we learn to expand by letting go of our interfering tension patterns, we
think and feel more clearly and move more gracefully and our friends are
relieved to be around somebody who’s poised.
When most people age, they get caught in a
strait-jacket of their own habits until the tasks of daily life like driving,
reaching into the refrigerator, or working at a computer, become difficult.
This is not necessary but it has become the default trajectory for many Westerners. When I see people click a mouse or lift a beer or try
to project their voice, I notice that most of them tighten up to do these
simple acts, setting the stage for pain and injury.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Most people can learn
the basics of Alexander Technique in a few lessons and begin to let go of
destructive habits.
I charge $100 per lesson (which usually lasts about
45 minutes).
…
Born and raised in Australia, I moved to
California in 1977. I graduated from Placer High
School in 1984, reported the news at KAHI/KHYL radio for three
years, attended Sierra
College and UCLA until I was bedridden for much of my 20s by Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome.
I discovered the Alexander
Technique in 2008 and it changed
my life. I immediately went on to train to become an Alexander teacher,
graduating in December of 2011.
What to expect
If my student is in pain, I’ll typically have him lie
down and I’ll use my hands and my questions to help him notice patterns of
unnecessary tension and to let them go. From there, we’ll go on to look at how
he performs routine tasks of life such as lifting, walking, and sitting to see
how he can do these things more elegantly and efficiently. My emphasis is
not on getting things done but in noticing how we go about doing
things. How do you lift that pen? How do you grip your steering wheel? How
do you type? How do you project your voice across a room? How do you lift those
barbells?
My work primarily consists of helping the student
to become aware of needless compression. Once he realizes how he’s scrunching
himself, it is relatively easy to show him how to take up his full space in the
world.
Some of my lessons take place in a chair. We’ll learn
how the stimuli of folding and unfolding the limbs getting up and
down distorts their head-neck-back relationship. Many people hold
their breath when they stand up and sit down. Often they go into a modified
version of the startle pattern, compressing their necks and tipping their heads
back, shortening and tightening their torso during this common activity. Some
students bend their knees only when they absolutely have to, preferring to
compress themselves and then collapse into the chair. To stand, they often have
to rock forward and push themselves up. The older people get, the more these
simple tasks become difficult.
Without becoming aware of our patterns of needless
tension, most of us become trapped in our habits of compression.
I want my students to notice what they’re doing to
themselves and to stop doing the things that are hurting them. For most of us,
if we stop injuring ourselves and pulling down, we naturally float up and do
the right thing.
Alexander Technique is less about learning new things
than about unlearning bad habits.
Most transformational systems build upon your present
state. By contrast, Alexander Technique subtracts your harmful habits.
I like to have my students walk and to bring their
attention to not just themselves but to everything around them. Many people tip
to one side an inch or two. I help them to become aware of their tension
patterns and to move more gracefully.
For most people, graceful movement leads to graceful
thinking and to graceful feeling and to graceful relationships with themselves
and with others. How many people do you know who are contorted in their
movements but are still easy to be around?
Most of my students are actors. I like to watch as
they do their thing and then I offer suggestions on how they can do their thing
more easily. I don’t need to know anything about throwing a javelin or playing
an oboe to be able to spot patterns of needless tension and to help a student
release them.
I also teach via Skype.
1.
How many lessons will I need?
2. Most
people can learn the basics of the Technique in about five lessons. Becoming
proficient usually takes dozens of lessons. Some people don’t make permanent
changes without at least 30 lessons. Learning the Technique is like learning a
foreign language. You can master the alphabet and a few phrases in a handful of
lessons but fluency takes more study.
3.
How much does a lesson cost?
4. I
charge $100 for a 45-minute lesson. I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. If I
come to you for the lesson, depending on how far you are from Beverly Hills, I
charge extra.
5.
What should I wear?
6. Doesn’t
matter.
7.
Where can you take a lesson?
8. I
can teach anywhere, including via Skype.
9.
Will it hurt?
10.
I’ve never heard of anyone getting hurt in an
Alexander lesson. Alexander teachers have liability insurance premiums under
$200 a year because our work is gentle and safe.
Testimonials
1.
“Luke observed my posture closely and gave me
three simple exercises that have been absolutely great in easing my lower back
pain and expanding my range of motion. Highly recommended.” – Selwyn Gerber,
CPA
2.
“Luke is awesome. I gained over an inch in
height over the course of my first few months with him.” – Joey Kurtzman,
Writer
3.
“Through Alexander sessions with Luke Ford, I am
now bringing conscious awareness to my posture and alignment every day. I could
describe all the ways this has positively impacted my life but suffice to say
they are many! Highly recommend Luke for all people with a skeleton and
muscles.” – Sukh Anand Kaur, Yoga Teacher
4.
“Before working with Luke I knew nothing about
the Alexander Technique. Luke is not only a skilled practitioner in explaining
and demonstrating the processes, but is also a student of the history of how
the technique developed. He is engaging and his directions, both verbally and
through touch make it easy to implement the teachings. He is patient and good
humored throughout. I would highly recommend him to anyone interested in
improving their bearing or easing the stresses that build up when standing,
walking sitting and lifting.” – (Century City Lawyer)
5.
“I recommend a fabulous Alexander Technique
teacher, Luke Ford. For those who haven’t done this work… definitely do it!” –
Josh Man, Actor
6.
“Luke Ford has taught Alexander Technique to me
nearly every week for the past few months, and has always treated me during our
sessions with the utmost respect, caring, and professionalism — exactly what I
would expect from a healthcare professional.
7.
“Luke introduced me to Alexander methods to deal
with my chronic neck and shoulder injury caused by an auto crash years ago. I
had never heard of AT before, but through Luke’s patience in teaching to me
every step of the way, and answering all of my many questions, I have learned
what the Technique is about and how to apply it to my life.” – (Rabbi Rabbs)
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In the News
1.
Simple, no-drug way to ease back pain – 6ABC.com
2.
Improving Your, Um, You Know, Public Speaking –
Wall Street Journal
3.
The Alexander Technique: An Alternative Therapy for
Chronic Back Pain – Johns Hopkins Health Alert
4.
Victoria Beckham fights poor posture with Alexander
Technique – Marie Claire
5.
A Balm For Back Pain? – N.P.R.
6.
A Dramatic Cure for Back Pain – Oprah.com
7.
Randomized
controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons for back pain – British
Medical Journal
Contact
E-mail: lukeisback@gmail.com
Phone: 323-528-5814
Actors
Most of my clients are actors and
models. They see me to:
1.
Let go of interfering tension patterns
2.
Become aware of their unconscious habits and
reactions
3.
Move elegantly
4.
Learn to embody different characters
5.
Free up their voice
6.
Overcome stage fright
7.
Push reset on themselves so they can take on a
new character
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