Editor’s Note: “A History of Magnus in the Alexander Technique” was originally published in the AmSAT Journal, Vol 15, Summer 2019. pp. 29–35. pdf version The discovery by Rudolf Magnus of a “central control” for some postural mechanisms has been used by F.M. Alexander and others as scientific support or […]
Category: General AT
The Science of Inhibition and End-gaining
Contents: Introduction AT Experiences of Inhibition and End-gaining The Science of Executive Function Working Memory Cognitive Flexibility Executive Inhibition Connecting Inhibition and End-gaining with the Science of Executive Function Experiments on Inhibition and End-gaining Dr. Rajal Cohen: End-gaining and Posture Dr. Ian Loram: Proactive Inhibition of Neck Muscle Activity Dr. […]
Book Review: Postural Homeostasis—Papers and Letters on the Alexander Technique by Wilfred Barlow
Editors Note: Postural Homeostasis is a collection of Dr Wilfred Barlow’s writings on the Alexander Technique from 1944 to 1982. Barlow attempted some of the first studies of the Alexander Technique, and many of his papers were published in journals such as The British Medical Journal and The Lancet. Barlow is a figure […]
Describing Alexander Technique Phenomena Objectively: Separating Observation & Explanation, Avoiding Jargon & Spin
How do Alexander teachers talk about the Alexander Technique? In this essay, Patrick Johnson writes about his experience teaching science workshops to Alexander teachers with Tim Cacciatore and how common ways of talking about the Alexander Technique can reinforce out-of-date scientific ideas and faulty reasoning. By learning to clearly separate […]
“Science Catches Up”: An Overview of Research on the Alexander Technique
In August, 2018, Dr. Rajal Cohen was a featured speaker for one of three plenary sessions at the International Alexander Technique Congress in Chicago. Her talk, “Science Catches Up,” provides an overview of current research on the phenomena and concepts that underly the Alexander Technique. She discusses research from her […]
Debauched Kinesthesia and Faulty Sensory Appreciation
In this post, Dr. Rajal Cohen discusses how the Alexander Technique concept of faulty sensory appreciation or debauched kinesthesia intersects with the science of sensation and perception. Alexander Technique teachers refer at times to faulty sensory appreciation, unreliable sensory appreciation, or debauched kinesthesia to explain why a student may feel […]
Study Summary: How Posture Interferes with Movement—Evidence from Standing Up Slowly from a Chair
This essay by Tim Cacciatore discusses his 2014 study, “Neuromechanical Interference of Posture on Movement: Evidence from Alexander Technique Teachers Rising from a Chair,” published in the Journal of Neurophysiology. The study documents the striking difference between healthy, untrained subjects and Alexander teachers in standing up unusually slowly and smoothly […]