| When I started taking Pilates instruction, I had been | | | | mental direction rather than exercises, the pace of |
| teaching the Alexander Technique for over twenty | | | | change tends to be gradual. On the one hand, this is |
| years. Within a few weeks - and a lot of very | | | | a great strength of the Technique - it never pushes |
| strenuous classes and very sore muscles - I could | | | | change too fast for the body to handle. But it also |
| detect a noticeable strengthening of my abdominal | | | | means that, in effect, it might take many lifetimes to |
| muscles and an increase in core strength. A change in | | | | eliminate large physical distortions. |
| my appearance was noticed by friends and family. | | | | Although oversimplified, I believe a car and driver |
| Over time, however, I found additional benefits very | | | | analogy is helpful here. A good driver can try to get |
| slow in coming and eventually, after almost two | | | | the best performance possible out of a car - with |
| years, I stopped taking classes. | | | | mis aligned wheels or defective brakes But unless the |
| Later, I resumed Pilates instruction, this time with an | | | | wheel alignment is corrected and new brakes are |
| Alexander Technique teacher who was also a | | | | installed, there is nothing he can do to improve their |
| certified Pilates instructor. This time, the Pilates | | | | functioning. |
| exercises were still quite demanding, but were | | | | Pilates addressed himself to just that kind of issue in |
| typically repeated only a few times each day. A lot | | | | humans with his highly targeted exercises designed to |
| more attention was devoted to my use as I | | | | correct specific physical imbalances and weaknesses. |
| performed the exercises. And my training was | | | | In my case, my abs were weak when I started with |
| always accompanied with gentle reminders to use my | | | | Alexander lessons some 30 years ago, and while their |
| Alexander knowledge as I did the exercises. | | | | tone may have improved a bit over that time, they |
| Improvements in my functioning quickly followed. | | | | were still very far from having a good overall tone |
| From my own and others' experience with the Pilates | | | | when I started taking Pilates classes. They certainly |
| Method and the Alexander Technique, I have come | | | | have a way to go, but I doubt that the |
| to the conclusion that both processes have great | | | | improvement in their tone which I experienced - and |
| potential for improving our physical and mental | | | | the corresponding improvement in my core strength |
| well-being. And both, in my view, have limitations that | | | | and overall quality of functioning - would ever have |
| are rarely addressed by their practitioners. | | | | occurred if I had not resorted to Pilates training, or |
| I'll start with the method I know best - the | | | | something like it. |
| Alexander Technique. It is my belief that the | | | | Perhaps because of Alexander's disdain for exercises, |
| Technique is by far the most powerful method | | | | many Alexander Technique teachers still view them |
| currently available to improve our conscious direction | | | | with some suspicion. There is sometimes a tendency |
| of ourselves. If you want to learn how to use your | | | | to think that with enough lessons, the Technique will |
| mental abilities to make immediate and useful changes | | | | take care of everything. |
| in how your body functions, the Alexander Technique | | | | Pilates instructors can also have their blind spots of |
| is the way to go. The Technique has been around | | | | course. From what I've seen and heard, they often |
| for over a century and has a long history of helping | | | | do not spend nearly enough time and attention to |
| people learn how to stand, sit and move with greater | | | | the way their clients are using their bodies during |
| ease and efficiency. Countless performers have used | | | | exercises. They are sometimes guilty of believing |
| it to improve the quality of their performance, and it | | | | that just because they tell a client to do an exercise |
| has a well-deserved reputation for teaching people | | | | a particular way, perhaps demonstrating what they |
| strategies for alleviating stress-related conditions such | | | | want a few times, the client will actually be capable |
| as back pain, stiff necks, tight shoulders and the like. | | | | of doing it that way. In general, Pilates instructors |
| But the Technique does have limitations. First, it quite | | | | have little or no concept of "use" - Alexander's term |
| limited in its ability to alter the exceedingly complex | | | | for the way in which we coordinate our posture and |
| and subtle physical restrictions that lie below the level | | | | movements. |
| of consciousness. In my experience, methods like | | | | It's my belief that the Pilates Method and the |
| cranio-sacral therapy are an ideal way to get at | | | | Alexander Technique can be very complementary |
| those kinds of restrictions. Second, and of relevance | | | | ways of learning to improve functioning - that even a |
| here, it can also be limited in changing deep-rooted | | | | little experience with one can make learning the other |
| structural imbalances. Because the Technique relies on | | | | far more efficient and effective. |