Tip 87 – Rounded Shoulders and the Alexander Technique

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Why you shouldn’t pull your shoulders back.

More on Your Shoulders:

Point Your Shoulders

Five Alexander Technique Links on Improving Rounded Shoulders

An Arch Made of Arches

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Buy The Secret to Using Your Body

By |2014-04-12T19:35:23-04:00April 4th, 2014|Arms, Weekly Tips|3 Comments

Tip 53 – Be Like Roger Federer

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Oppositional relationships are an important part of Roger Federer’s excellent use.

Alexander Technique teachers talk about using the body well or poorly, and Roger Federer certainly displays excellent use in the above image. One component of good use is dynamic oppositional relationships between the various parts of the body. I added lines and arrows to the image to show these relationships, and to show that good use is something more than posture, position, or relaxation.  As shown in the image, the dynamic oppositional relationships between Federer’s right leg, arm, and back, are part of what gives him his power and stability.

More on Dynamic Oppositional Relationships:

Be Like Katharine Hepburn

Video: Good Posture Is Like a Wave

Stability and Posture

Exercise: Lean Against a Wall

Bending, Leave Your Hips behind Your Legs

Think of Your Body as a Wave

Dynamic Opposition and Your Body

Finding Your Hip Joints

Video and Article: Isaiah Mustafa, the Old Spice Guy

Be Like Walter Payton

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Tip 52 – Avoid Pulling the Steering Wheel

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To reduce neck tension, avoid pulling the steering wheel.

Leland Vall Alexander Technique Tip 52

I hear a lot of questions about excess tension during driving. Generally, the more you pull on the steering wheel, the tighter your neck will get. As always, allow your torso to release back.

More resources for the arm/back relationship:

Arms and the Subway

Reach with Your Arms

Your Arms are Emissaries of Your Back

And one about the Shoulders

Extra
Podcast from Robert Rickover: The Alexander Technique and Education

 

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By |2015-01-03T14:05:04-05:00March 19th, 2011|Arms, Weekly Tips|2 Comments

Tip 41 – Head and Torso

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Avoid putting your torso in front of your head.

This tip  looks at the three previous tips from a different perspective. In the previous tips (38, 39, 40), the above images were used to explores the problem of reaching with the torso instead of the arms. But the exact same problem can also be described as the torso pushing in front of the head. In general, you will feel better if you leave your torso behind your head.

More on Your Head & Torso

Lying Down Exercise

Video: While Looking Up, Don’t Pull Down

Video: When Walking, Lead with the Crown of Your Head

Video: When Bending, Keep Your Head Away from Your Heels

Video: Improve Computer Posture

Video: Proper Head Position

Neck Tension and Balance

Isaiah Mustafa (the Old Spice guy)

Katharine Hepburn

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Tip 40 – Reaching while Bending

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When bending, reach with your arms, not your back.

Seeing a theme here?  The position doesn’t matter.  The the back stays back in relation to the arms, the arms reach forward from the back.  Standing, Sitting, and above.

More on Reaching

Reaching while Sitting

Your Arms Are Emissaries of Your Back

Arms and Standing on the Subway

Be Like Roger Federer (That arm is sent from the fingertips, up to the shoulder!)

Avoid Pulling on the Steering Wheel

Your Torso Stays Behind Your Head

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By |2014-08-16T15:32:19-04:00January 1st, 2011|Arms, Bending, Weekly Tips|3 Comments

Tip 39 – Reaching while Sitting

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At your desk, reach with your arms, not your back.

Leland Vall Alexander Technique Tip 39

Following up on the previous Tip, your arms are the same sitting or standing.

More about Arms and the Back

Your Arms Are Emissaries of Your Back

Arms and Standing on the Subway

Be Like Roger Federer (That arm is sent from the fingertips, up to the shoulder!)

Avoid Pulling on the Steering Wheel

Your Torso Stays Behind Your Head

Reach with Your Arms

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By |2014-08-16T15:30:24-04:00December 25th, 2010|Arms, Comfortable Sitting, Weekly Tips|3 Comments

Tip 38 – Your Arms Are Emissaries of Your Back

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Your arms are emissaries of your back.

Tip 38 starts a series on the arm/back relationship. Your arms do your back’s bidding.  Avoid reaching with your back when when you can send your arms to do the job instead. Your arms derive much of their strength from your back, and distortion of the back makes your arms weaker. There was a tip related to this about riding the subway.

Arms and the Man

Arms and Standing on the Subway

Be Like Roger Federer (That arm is sent from the fingertips, up to the shoulder!)

Avoid Pulling on the Steering Wheel

Your Torso Stays Behind Your Head

Reach with Your Arms

Reach with Your Arms, Not Your Back

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There are more resources available at www.freeyourneck.com. Please write your requests in the comment section.

By |2014-09-20T19:48:42-04:00December 18th, 2010|Arms, Weekly Tips|7 Comments

Tip 22 – Standing on the Subway

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A posture tip for New Yorkers (and others): When standing on the subway, keep the pole away from you. Avoid hanging on to the pole or pulling it toward you.

Send the pole away instead of pulling it toward you.

When holding on to something in order to steady yourself, think of your arm as another leg. Just as your legs keep the floor away, use your arm to keep the handhold away.  This creates an integrated box structure that is outlined by your body, the floor, the handhold, and your arm.

More on Your Arms

Alexander Technique and Driving

Reach with Your Arms

At Your Desk, Reach with Your Arms

Your Arms Are Emissaries of Your Back


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By |2014-08-16T15:19:14-04:00August 28th, 2010|Arms, Weekly Tips|2 Comments