F.M. Alexander's discovery of his technique

Teacher:
Mark Bennie
M.AUSTAT
M.STAT(UK)
BSc(Hons)

Phone:
0400 741 703

Email:
mark@alexander-
technique-sydney.com.au

Address:
1 Gowrie St
Newtown, Sydney

How did F.M. Alexander discover his technique?

Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in Tasmania in 1869. As a young man his career as a professional reciter was hampered by hoarseness of voice during his recitals. He sought medical help but his doctor could not help him other than advise rest. Alexander did rest his voice but as soon as he started to recite again the hoarseness returned. As his hoarseness only occurred when he was reciting, and not in normal speaking, he made the logical conclusion that it was something that he was doing during reciting that was causing the problem. His doctor had to admit that he was right but as to what it was that he did not know. Alexander said to him 'Very well, if that is so, I must try and find out for myself'.

In order to do this he set up mirrors so he could observe himself reciting. Alexander noticed during his reciting and to a lesser extent during normal speaking, that he pulled his head back on the neck and compressed his statue. He also found that if he could prevent these faults the quality of his voice improved. This lead him to discover the importance of the head, neck and back co-ordination and set him off on a remarkable path that led him to completely cure his own hoarseness and develop a technique for teaching others how to become aware and prevent their faulty habits. Eventually he gave up his career as a reciting and embarked on a new career teaching his technique.

In 1904 F.M. Alexander arrived in London as a complete unknown Australian with no medical training and, in a testament to its effectiveness, established a successful career in England as a teacher of his technique. He died in London in 1955 having set up a training course to train teachers of his technique and written four books (Man's Supreme Inheritance, Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual, Use of the Self and The Universal Constant in Living) detailing his discoveries.

The Alexander Technique today is taught in over 25 countries and there are over 2,500 teachers world-wide.