Learn how the Alexander Technique helps you interrupt movement habits, improve posture, and restore ease through body awareness.
Try This at Home: Interrupting Your Habits for More Ease
“You can’t do something you don’t know if you keep on doing what you do know.” – F.M. Alexander
If you ever find yourself in doubt – please stop.
Pause, even briefly, and think Up.
This moment of stopping isn’t about freezing or overanalysing. It’s not about pushing or pulling your body parts around. It’s about interrupting your habits – those automatic ways of moving, holding tension, and compressing or stretching yourself that have become so familiar you barely notice them.
Why Stop?
Not all habits are bad. We all rely on them to walk, chew, and tie our laces without thinking. But musculoskeletal patterns of tightness and compression can become a background tone in everything we do – extra effort where less is needed.
A simple shift from automation to intentional awareness can transform how you move.
A Little Experiment
I invite you to try this right now, wherever you are:
- Simply notice yourself sitting/standing/lying down. Don’t change anything yet.
- Is your head tilted?
- Are you twisted slightly?
- Do you feel shorter on one side?
No need to fix anything – just notice.
Now, wish for ease in your head and neck.
No forcing, no correcting – just a gentle thought that allows space. Think Up along your spine, counteracting the habitual downward pull. Move with awareness.
Lift one knee up, bringing your foot off the ground. Stay aware of your head and spine – keep thinking Up as your foot drifts back down.
Without this extra layer of thought, chances are you’ll pull your head and chest down along with your foot.
Check in with your breath.
- Did you hold your breath?
- Did you tighten somewhere else?
- When you noticed something did you automatically move it thinking it ‘should’ be different?
Seeing Yourself More Clearly
This is just the beginning.
In one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons, I offer real-time guidance and feedback – like holding up a mirror, but its my gentle hands on you which reflect you back to yourself, as you are. I’m here to help you see yourself with more clarity. And once you begin to notice what you are actually doing, you realise that your thoughts shape your movement, your presence, your ease.
So changing your habits can be as quick as changing your thoughts. I’d love to show you what I mean, and what this means for you. Clients often tell me whilst it feels unfamiliar, they feel lighter, smoother, effortless!
Let Me Know What You Discover
Try this at home, play with it, explore.
I’d love to hear what you notice – and if you have questions, please send me an email lucy@lucyascham.com I love to hear your questions.
Warm wishes
Lucy
ps want to experience yourself differently? Book your session now https://lucyascham.com/whats-on/
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about the Alexander Technique and Movement Habits
What is the Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique is a gentle, educational method that helps you release unnecessary tension, improve posture, and move with more ease. It teaches you to notice habits that interfere with natural coordination and replace them with better choices.
How does the Alexander Technique help with posture and breath?
Instead of forcing a fixed position, the Technique helps you find dynamic balance. You learn to allow your head, neck, and spine to coordinate freely, which supports better breathing, movement, and emotional regulation.
Can this help with stress and nervous system regulation?
Yes. Many people live in a constant state of fight-flight-freeze. By learning to pause and redirect, you can calm your nervous system and respond to life with more ease.
What happens in a session?
In a session, I guide you through everyday movements like sitting, standing, walking, or speaking. We explore how your body responds and gently introduce new directions for ease and coordination. https://lucyascham.com/whats-on/
