The
Alexander Technique in Sport. Case
Studies
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Introduction
These case studies are people I worked with during my final
year at Fellside Alexander School in Kendal. I worked with
each person for various lengths of time, and asked them to
complete a questionnaire to find out what benefits or
otherwise they found in their sport from having Alexander
Technique lessons. I used the results of the work with them
and the questionnaire responses to produce my final year
project ('An investigation into the application of the
Alexander Technique in sport').
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Case
study 1
Duration of lessons: September 2003 – May 2004, more
or less weekly
Background: No previous experience of AT. She mainly runs
marathons (26.2 miles) and some half marathons (13.1
miles). She does not have a need to do a fast time, the
achievement of the distance and the enjoyment of the event
and venue are the main attractions for her. Running
provides goals to work towards, having started with 5km
runs and progressed on to marathons. She has had some
injury problems, particularly knees and ankles. She also
reports that she has a tendency to collapse forward when
tired.
Main benefits reported
* Discovered the body as a whole rather than a collection
of injuries
* Improved posture and breathing whilst running,
particularly helpful when tired
* Become aware of her need to be in control of herself and
her movement
* New focus when running, positive directions rather than
negative tiredness or discomfort
* Found a new way to look at movement
Detail
Main benefits reported were to do with enhanced posture and
balance, with an associated improvement in breathing. She
reports that her psychological view of her body has changed
from a collection of separate problems and injuries to
seeing it as a whole entity. She has found the concept of
freeing the neck useful in realising that she has the habit
of pulling her head and neck down into her shoulders, and
the thought helps her not to do this. She has found that
the increased body awareness which she experienced in the
lessons also sometimes comes to mind outside lessons, and
is helpful in her life in general as well as when running.
When running, she reports the focusing on how she is using
her body, particularly freeing the neck, helps her
breathing and posture, and takes her mind off the tiredness
and any negative thoughts that can be associated with that.
This results in her feeling less tired and removes the
focus on any pain or discomfort, allowing the body to be
viewed as a whole entity. She uses the specific AT
directions almost like a mantra whilst running to influence
how she is moving.
She has realised from her lessons and the experience of
being moved, and allowing her body to be moved, that
movement does not have to be forced or have a particular
purpose, it can be for the enjoyment of the movement
itself. She found the lessons to be a place where she could
explore how her body moves in an unchallenged way, with no
attachment to any goal.
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Case
study 2
Duration of lessons: More or less every week from December
2003 until mid May 2004.
Background: Had been having lessons with other teachers
from September 2003. He competes in 10km road races, and
cycles and swims but not competitively.
Main benefits reported
* Increased body awareness
* Renewal of enjoyment of sport
* Enhanced breathing – no longer gasping for breath,
feels wider, more open and stronger in breathing
* Feels like he is making less effort and often feels
slower, but seems to actually be going faster!
* Long term re-occurring hamstring injury eased by taking
shorter, quicker strides in running
* Improved balance when walking down hill, especially when
carrying a rucksack.
* "I would not be running now if it were not for the
Alexander Technique"
Detail
He reported becoming more aware of how his body functions
during sport and feels he has improved efficiency by doing
this. He analysed the difference between what he was
actually doing compared with the amount of effort he
perceived might be required and found he was putting too
much effort into his movements.
His reasons for taking part in sport has changed from
competitiveness to personal fitness and enjoyment, and he
reports that the AT lessons and subsequent thinking during
sporting activities has helped him take a step back and
re-evaluate his attitude to sport and how he actually goes
about it.
He had got a bit stuck in the need to go out and exercise,
and was not enjoying it any more – it had become a
necessary chore. He started having AT lessons and found a
new awareness of how he was using his body. His initial
experience of increased body awareness made him believe
that he would get benefit from the lessons, and the focus
on the application of AT to sport made it all make more
sense. He found it easier to focus on the AT for the
duration of a run, swim or bike ride, feeling that it was
too daunting to have to think about it all the time. He now
finds he can more or less let go of the need to do a fast
time, and can stop and look at the view for a short while
in the middle of a run. He is still checking up on times
and appears not to be going any slower than before, but is
nowhere near as tired at the end of a run or cycle as he
used to be, and enjoys it much more. Visualisation has
helped him with co-ordination and ease of movement.
Learning how his body works and where the joints actually
are has helped him be aware of his centre of gravity, and
let go of tension. This has been particularly useful when
walking downhill – his balance and poise have
improved and he now does not slip and lose balance when
descending during hill walking.
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Case
study 3
Duration of lessons: Only three lessons in February/March
2004
Background: Interest in cycling and triathlons. No
knowledge of AT, experiencing back pain after long cycle
rides.
Main benefits reported
* Increased awareness of how he uses his body during sport
and how his body works, particularly noticing his position
on the bike.
Detail
He takes part in sporting activities for fitness, the
challenge and for enjoyment.
He also reports that thinking about AT during sport
promotes relaxation.
Due to cancellation of lessons and lack of time, I did not
conduct an interview with Case study 3.
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Case
study 4
Duration of lessons: Had lessons sporadically over 2 years
Background: This person takes part in triathlons and road
running races. Took part and successfully completed an
Ironman triathlon (swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles and run
26.2 miles).
Main benefits reported
* Increased endurance
* Less tiredness
* Maintenance of posture and balance in running and cycling
* More enjoyment of the activities for their own sake
Detail
This person does sport for fun, fitness, a sense of
achievement, and the enjoyment of meeting a challenge. He
reports finding AT extremely useful in his training and
competing, particularly in the Ironman triathlon endurance
event. It helps him sustain the effort required to complete
the event by using his muscles more efficiently, avoiding
making unnecessary movements or creating unnecessary
tension. Much of this is achieved through thought, for
example, imagining being a fish during the swim and thereby
aligned his body in a more streamlined way. Whilst training
or competing, he constantly asks himself what he can let go
of to reduce tension, using a rhythmical mantra associated
with the breath. As he gets more tired and closer to the
end of the race, an element of end-gaining sneaks in
– just hold on, only 30 minutes left! In endurance
events, however long they are, there is a judgement to be
made about how much effort to put in. The ideal being to
arrive at the finish line with a more or less empty tank -
i.e. no energy left. This means that the effort along the
way has been efficient enough so as to not over-do it, but
not ‘under-do it’ either, leaving you with a
feeling that you could have gone faster.
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Case
study 5
Duration of lessons: Six lessons over six weeks in
April/May 2004
Background: Had lessons from other teachers over the past
two or three years. Her sport is open water long distance
swimming.
Main benefits reported
* She reports finding AT useful in all aspects of her
swimming,
* Increased relaxation in training,
* Using less effort and being more streamlined in the
water,
* Increased her enjoyment of the sport.
Detail
She considers the fact that it is "just thinking" about
lengthening, releasing etc. is an incredibly useful aspect
of AT in sport, and that having AT lessons helped her
rethink her approach to swimming.
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