Dutch Courage - Could your Bike be encouraging neck, back or shoulder pain?

On a recent trip to Amsterdam it really struck me at how the locals looked so relaxed on their bikes. Part of this is because there is a real bike culture and everything is set up to enable cyclists to move around freely. They have priority over cars and pedestrians.

However I believe it is more to do with the bikes they tend to use. The "Sit up and Beg Bike".

I'm not sure why these are not more popular in this country (possibly because we have more hills) but they do encourage better posture. The whole spine can lengthen without scrunching the neck and it is therefore easier and I would say safer to see around you as you cycle.
The handle bars are not straight like on a mountain bike and they also tend to be much higher up, they  are more to the sides encouraging the front of the chest to be open.

However a word of caution, it is like buying a really expensive office chair, we can still slump in it! We need to look at what WE are up to! I did observe some people doing a good slump on them, however I saw more open posture than I see on cyclists in the UK.
I do find in my work that many cyclists tend to have tight neck and shoulders muscles, in my 10 years experience this seems to be more than in non cyclists. Maybe we have something to learn from the Dutch.

As you can see from this image the mountain bike with low straight handle bars encourages an over flexed spine with a scrunched neck and rounded shoulders. If only we could see inside ourselves!

I would recommend the "Sit up and Beg" bike but encourage people to also look at themselves also. Alexander Technique sessions help us to move in a way that doesn't hurt whatever your activity.
www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com Tel 01273 687739

Back Pain - Why me?

 Back pain - Why me?

When I look back at old photos of myself I can now clearly see why I suffered such debilitating back pain and then a prolapsed disc in my neck but I had no idea at the time. 

This one is around 12 years old when I had my first episode of back spasms and I could’t get up off the kitchen floor. I thought I must have done something to myself playing tennis. However I now know that it wasn’t the tennis but what I was doing to myself in the years up to that point. Someone’s back can suddenly go when they pick up a piece of paper off the floor. It was’t the paper or indeed that moment that was important but all the previous moments if you like.

You can see i’m literally sitting on my back in this one. When I started Alexander Technique it was a real revelation  that I had joints below my waist that I could bend from rather than the middle i.e.: my back!

I really am twisted in this one , poking my head forward and pulled down in front.

How down in the dumps do I look here? Maybe I was feeling that way too. 

However I wasn’t born this way as you can see from these earlier photos. I now find that once again I can sit comfortably like this which I was unable to do for years. Something must have changed eh..

So what happened?

 We are a record of what happened to us or what we have experienced. My Mother used to say “Don’t mind him he’s dreadfully shy”!. This may not have helped. Some of us experience name calling at school and /or be a little depressed in those teenage years. You can visibly see this from one of my photos, I was definitely a worrier. 

Alexander Technique showed me that I have a choice and that I can change. I feel 100% better now, more confident, moving better than I did in my 20’s and pain free. 

It’s been interesting to look back as I’m celebrating my 10th year of teaching.

See what my clients say about their sessions here, it can be truly life changing 
http://www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com/testimonials.html

Book a session today and see what you can achieve. Text 07958235123 to book or email mark@alexandertechniquebrighton.com 

£10 off a first session this month.

Fibromyalgia - "Excellent Results" Nick T

Fibromyalgia manifests itself as muscle and connective tissue pain. Tender points may be in the shoulders, front and back, in the crook of the elbows, lower back, knees. There may be widespread pain, fatigue and even joint stiffness.


It is thought that this may be related to stress and in Alexander Technique we help our neuromuscular system out of the stress reaction pattern.

The stress pattern is similar to the startle reflex pattern (Fight or Flight), which naturally happens when we hear an unexpected loud bang. We also go into this pattern without realising it when we are stressed.

The head may well pull back, the spine will shorten, the back and tummy will pull towards each other and the shoulders come up and in, the legs come up and in and even the heels pull up.

We can become “Stuck” in a start of tension and this tension cycle exacerbates the situation.

Semi supine or Constructive rest in Alexander Technique can really help. It gives us time to stop and realise what is going on. We can safely learn to ungrip the body and start to move in a freer way.

There is a way the body likes to move and a way that it doesn’t. Getting into better balance helps also and freeing up the neck on top of the spine can give great relief.

In Alexander Technique we give preventative thoughts (Directions), which are the opposite to the startle reflex pattern:

“Let our necks be free so that our heads can go forward and up so that our backs can lengthen and widen. Out and away across the upper arms, knees forward and away, heels dropping”

Using our minds in this way our muscles start to respond in a much freer way.

Here are a couple of comments from my clients who suffered from Fibromyalgia and which the Technique has really helped.



"Mark is an excellent Alexander Technique Practitioner. I had no knowledge of the technique before visiting him, but hoped that he would be able to help my fibromyalgia/permanent pain syndrome.

Mark worked wonders with me, using his knowledge of the technique to help me develop it's practical application in my day-to-day life, with excellent results, and at a very reasonable cost.

I will certainly be using Mark's services again, at the very least to refresh my use of the technique, and have no hesitation in highly recommending him to anyone seeking help with problems such as mine"
Nick Titchener



"I have recently had a debilitating post-viral illness with, among other symptoms, muscular pains in my limbs: again I found that the basic Alexander exercises have been immensely helpful for my well being. I am profoundly grateful for his directions and help."
Dr David Mellor

All I ask for when someone comes to lessons is that they are willing and open to change. Why not try an introductory session for yourself this month. (£10 off). You maybe surprised at the results.

www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com

ARE YOU FINDING TRYING TO HAVE GOOD POSTURE AN EFFORT?

Working with a client this morning, it reminded me of how I used to be. I spent alot of time TRYING to Do GOOD POSTURE! From my personal experience I can say it didn't work, I was just tense and my back and neck still hurt. This client was having the same problem until i got them to start to ungrip and they realised they would not fall to the ground or even slouch.
There is a lot of talk about the importance of good posture these days. You hear it in gyms, yoga sessions, Pilates and even the very popular barefoot running.


However when you say to people “Think about your posture” they tend to TRY and stand up straight, possibly holding onto their legs , heaving up their chests and even tensing their necks and pulling in their backs in the attempt to DO good posture.

We have a strange idea of what good posture is. We try and DO IT by putting ourselves in a position and fixing ourselves. Unfortunately most of the time we cannot maintain this and we tire and we might even injure ourselves doing exercise, as we are moving this tense body around.



So what is good posture ?



In Alexander Technique lessons I firstly state that one should never fix themselves in a position, whether sitting, standing or even lying down. If you do, you are fixing and probably tensing your muscles.



The force of gravity on us encourages our bodies to lengthen and widen and we have the potential to release and lengthen into activity eg: the movement from sitting to standing. We did this as a toddler and we can get back to it by thinking in a different way. See how good sportsmen and women use there bodies, they lengthen into activity in a very natural way.

Having good posture shouldn’t be a struggle and we should definitely not be using extra effort. With our minds we can change things and we can start to move in a more lengthening and widening way which will encourage freer breathing.



Firstly we must recognise if we are trying too hard. Are we gripping with our legs/buttocks? Holding our tummies in? tucking our tail bones under? Thowing our heads back?



If we can choose NOT to do those things we are half way there.



We then choose to lengthen and widen, not by DOING it or even using muscular effort but by thinking and allowing our bodies to move in a natural way.



In a way we are allowing gravity to take us up and be more springy like a toddler.



Why not get an Alexander Technique teacher to show you how.



For more information or to book an introductory session go to:



http://www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com/

Its' getting cold out there......and we're getting hunched

Well winter is upon us once again but have you ever noticed what effect the cold is having on the way you carry yourself? Are you pulling your head into your shoulders and holding onto your shoulders tightly, pulling them up to your ears maybe?

The effect of this is actually the opposite to what we want. This tightening in the muscles restricts blood flow to the tissues. So wrap up warm and invest in a scarf!! Let your head just balance ontop of your spine, just like you did when you were a toddler and leave your shoulders alone, allowing your arms to swing forward and back as you walk.

TRY THIS: Imagine there is a cushion to either side of your shoulders and you don't want to pull away from those cushions. Better?


You maybe tensing your legs as well, choose not no to. Think of them as reaching down to the ground instead of pulling up and in. Try it for yourself.





http://www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com/

Helping people to use their bodies more efficiently.

CAN I BE AS SMART AS MY SMART PHONE OR iGADGET? CAN I BE ihuman?

It’s truly amazing how fast technology is moving, I remember when my dad got his first mobile. The battery pack was so heavy he almost needed help to get it to the car.

These days we are surrounded by amazing Smart phones and tablets and find ourselves continuously plugged in.

However more and more people are getting ‘Computer Neck’, ‘RSI wrist or thumb’ as well as back and shoulder pain or even daily headaches etc. We blame modern technology but that doesn’t make us very SMART does it! We forget how we are using our own bodies in relation to these gadgets.

As I sit here typing this out it would be all too easy to get sucked in to my computer and my heavy head would drag my spine forward and down. Day after day that is going to have a cumulative effect and I’m going to struggle to get out of it. It might even effect the way I work out in the gym etc.


How many people do you see walking down the street dropping their whole neck column or poking their heads forward towards their iPads on the train? It’s a fun game but try not to be the ‘Posture Police’!

Could we evolve and spend a bit of time thinking about what WE are doing and how we are responding to this fast changing world.

We all had natural poise early on in life and we can get it back.

Luckily I was introduced to the Alexander Technique years ago, after suffering debilitating back and neck pain. I’m seeing younger and younger clients now suffering from technology induced pain. I teach them the skills to work much smarter so really it’s not WHAT you do but the WAY that you do it that counts!

An Alexander Technique teacher can get you out of these harmful habit patterns, it’s definately not about trying to have good posture ( I tried that and it hurt) but learning to move more efficiently and effectively and with very little effort.

Interested? Why not book a session today and start to move and sit  SMART.

http://www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com/

A dancer's perspective of having Alexander Technique Lessons.

I just received this testimonial from one of my clients whose been having lessons for some time:

"I began lessons with Mark because wanted improved posture and movement in dancing. After a few lessons I was very aware of a dramatic reduction in muscular tension, and I also began to completely re-evaluate my ideas on correct posture.


I continued taking lessons with Mark for a little over a year, and I believe that I continued to experience improvements throughout that whole period.

I believe that I have improved my posture from being forced and tiring to more relaxed and comfortable, and my quality of movement has also become somewhat more relaxed and flowing. I also find it easier to sit without hunching for longer periods, and find myself standing and walking much more confidently .

I found that I was also capable of carrying the principles taught across to my approach to yoga and other activities.

Lessons with Mark were interesting, and certainly of huge benefit to my dancing, posture, relaxation and movement, but I also noticed improvements in confidence in day-to-day life that I wouldn't have expected.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mark's lessons to anyone with a body! "

Randal Boyd

 Why not try a lesson yourself:
http://www.alexandertechniquebrighton.com/