What Happens in a Lesson?

In Alexander lessons, the teacher and students do quiet guided movement work, which is designed to free tensions and align the body.

While sitting, standing, getting in and out of a chair, lying on the floor or a massage table, the teacher provides light hands-on guidance and verbal directions. The teacher’s directions help the pupil more accurately perceive their movement and balance. The accuracy and richness of proprioceptive information increases. The student acquires the ability to inhibit involuntary reflex actions that interfere with natural movement (such as tensing the neck and shoulders).

During the lying down part of a lesson the back, limbs and neck are all encouraged to release, and muscle fibers lengthen. Sometimes tense muscle areas finally relax, which brings relief but also sometimes a sense of fatigue due to ending a chronic contraction pattern.

Throughout the work, the learners become more aware of their balance and poise and learn to allow natural balance, length, alignment and poise to appear w/o muscular effort. Attention is focused on the whole body, rather than particular problem areas. As the overall alignment and use of the body changes, freedom and range of movement specific body areas is improved as a result.