Top Ten Reasons Why Men Don't Want To Learn The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique has been in existence for well over a hundred years and it has proved tremendously successful in helping people overcome back pain, breathing problems, poor posture and stress. So why is it that more women than men choose to learn it? 1. The majority of Alexander teachers are women. So what if F.M. Alexander was a man and, to be precise, a ‘man’s man’? A rugged individualist with an enduring love of horses and horse racing, he developed his Technique because it was his nature to be proactive and contribute to the solution of his health problems. Regrettably, he also had his sensitive, intuitive side, and this is shared by a lot of women (and men) who have since trained in his Technique. 2. Alexander teachers are vegetarians who do yoga and want to save the planet. As a breed, AT teachers are socially responsible. Still, there are plenty of red meat eaters among them. There are also sports people, martial artists, musicians, actors, body builders, computer nerds… Overall, they’re rather like the rest of the population. (They can even be sexist at times!!!.) But they’re committed to helping people maximise their sense of physical wholeness and well-being. 3. Real men prefer to tough things out. Why, when some professional output could make it so much easier for them to achieve what they want? But then, real men don’t go to the doctor. They may complain, but they can put up with pain and limitations of movement. Learning the AT it would mean learning different ways of thinking, and going, about their everyday physical activity. It could mean making an enduring commitment to their physical well being. 4. Real men don’t ‘do’ self-care. Men do health and fitness; women do self-care. In fact self-care, far from being ‘fluffy’ and ‘flaky’ is about broadening your vision and developing your health and fitness strategy so that it best meets your goals. The AT can help you keep meeting those goals long-term, without boredom or injury. It can also give you a broader perspective in other areas of your life. 5. Real men don’t do alternative therapies. How many men do you know who are up for colonic irrigation??? In reality, the AT is not a therapy, it is a progressive re-education in the art of activity without injury. So people who learn the AT are not patients or clients, but pupils – which might be even worse. Also the AT is not about getting it right (or wrong), so it doesn’t foster the competitive spirit. 6. It’s not macho. The AT is not like football. It is not practised in a pack, in a noisy, smoke-filled, alcohol-fuelled atmosphere. It is practised one to one, with a Teacher who is sensitive to the pupil’s individual make-up. An AT teacher is attuned to the pupil’s body and encourages the pupil to become increasingly aware of how they can maximise their fitness activities while protecting their body from wear and tear. 7. You can’t work off your aggression that way. Absolutely right, but it could help you reduce it, more or less spontaneously over time. The AT reduces stress levels and can make you feel good about yourself. It teaches you how to undo muscular tension. The knock-on effect is that physical the freeing up makes most people able to divest themselves of a lot of psychological tensions, surprisingly easily. 8. It could involve deferring to your partner’s superior judgement. There are plenty of men who slump in an armchair and say to their partner: ‘Your posture’s terrible. You really should do something about it.’ They may even be right. But The Little Woman can’t be expected to know what’s good for you. She might have problems, but you’re fine just the way you are. Different rules apply. 9. It could make you look better. Sure, you’re committed to going to the gym and working out. The Alexander Technique won’t give you a six pack, but it will get you looking taller, straighter and broader across the shoulders, even leaner; so you can get a huge return on a very small outlay of effort. 10. You can’t get up a sweat doing it. Unfortunately you won’t need a good shower; so it won’t result in extra bear hugs for your partner. Sad because sweaty men always seem to be affectionate men. Nor will you wake up the next morning with aching muscles. But you may find that you look taller, straighter, broader and even leaner. It’s not a ‘more is more’ thing. It’s about achieving maximum results, in the gentlest, subtlest way possible. (C) 2004 Annie Kaszina Annie Kaszina Ph D., MSTAT, is an Alexander teacher and coach who is passionate about helping people overcome the limitations of injury. She has an abiding interest in martial arts, and works with a number of delightful male, and female, pupils. She enjoys helping people achieve physical and emotional lightness. For more information about the Alexander Technique, visit http://www.nopain-gain.com You can contact Annie at email@annie-kaszina.com Find out more about Alexander teachers in your area by visiting http://www.stat.org.uk |
Other Horse Racing Articles
Class: It Tells All The word class, used by handicapper is no abstraction. The entire structure of thoroughbred racing is based on the differences in class between animals.In stakes races, for instance, apart from the penalties for prior wins, all entrants carry the same weight.In handicaps' anyone who's willing to pay the required fees and enters a h ...Are You Blind? Spiritual Blindness is Not Permanent!I was in the airport coming home from a Women’s conference in Oregon I spoke at, and noticed a blind man sitting across from me. He was content to just sit and wait for his plane to come. He had a walking cane folded up in his hands and I knew he needed it to help him walk and n ...Drag Racing This is a popular form of motor sport racing in the United States, which first began as illegal street racing. The idea is to cover a short distance, usually one quarter of a mile in the shortest amount of time. The course or strip is straight, resembling the streets of most American cities. Two cars stand next to each other as if waiting at a t ...What You Need to Know About Rodeos The perfect way to elate your spirits, the peculiar cowboys and cowgirls and their sturdy horses, their thrilling activities and the mind boggling music…the world of Rodeos is charismatic and bewitching in its own way. Initially Rodeos were associated with Texas only but now its events have spread their wings throughout the globe.A Short ...Prayer Requests - Which of These 11 Troubles Would You Like to End? Everyone faces unique set of challenges. The good news is that for every challenge, there is a spiritual solution.So I thought I should share a few things from the experiences of some of my readers.* Some have written to me asking for specific prayer points to release abundance and prosperity.* Others would like to know why ...The History of Steeplechase Horse Racing The sport of Steeplechase racing dates back to 1752 in Ireland when two, half-crocked, friends settled the argument over who owned the best horse by racing to the nearest Church steeple after returning from Fox hunting. The winner actually rode right through the church where the vicar was holding a solemn funeral. Soon steeplechase racing sprea ...Will the World Really End on December 12, 2012? I was recently asked how I interpreted the Mayan and Hopi predictions that the world, as we know it, will end on the 21st of December 2012. Would there be global war — possibly triggering a nuclear holocaust? Would the planet’s life forms finally succumb to the ecological quagmire that’s been building in our soils, oceans and atmosphere? Would t ...2006-07 NFL Fantasy Quarterback Ratings The NY Sports Headquarters will be offering a full-week feature of Fantasy Football rankings. We will be going over the top quarterbacks, running-backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, and defenses, featuring a different section on each day of the week. We will also be including our “sleeper”, “busts” , “break-out”, and our “best overall ...The Evolution of the Ski Rack Skiing has changed greatly over the years, and so have ski racks. People no longer simply attach wooden planks to their feet to go skiing. There are now quick release bindings and parabolic skis and… gasp… snowboards. Just as there are different skis to get you down the mountain today, there are also different ways to get your skis up to the ...Believing In The Higher Power I am a church person and I believe there is a higher power out there somewhere. When my son had seizures I kept praying for them to stop and even asked the church to pray for us in our time of need.There are so many wonderful things happening and yet not so wonderful. Just like afer 9/11 it was terrible yet they said it was one of the h ...Barcelona Lead The Way In Champions League Betting Barcelona are 4/1 favourites to win the Champions League after the final round of fixtures in the group stage was completed, while Rangers became the first Scottish side to make it out of the group stage. However, the biggest talking point was 1999 winners Manchester United's shock exit from the tournament following a miserable 2-1 defeat agains ...Children Killing At School - "Is it our fault?" Are the recent amazing number of school campus shootings, by both children and young adults, our fault? I mean, "our" as in our Society's fault? Why is this happening in this country, and what can we do about it?I hate to define, then describe, a problem within our borders, without also giving my "spin" as to a solution! That is just the ...I'll Be Dammed A stagnant body of water contains poisons and toxins that can bring certain death. It's natural to say you would not drink from it. But what a beautiful sight to see a sparkling, pristine body of water that flows freely. It gives life, it's refreshing and most of all it's essential to survival. One of the most beautiful displays of this is ...2006-07 NFL Fantasy Wide Receiver Ratings The NY Sports Headquarters will be offering a full-week feature of Fantasy Football rankings. We will be going over the top quarterbacks, running-backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, and defenses, featuring a different section on each day of the week. We will also be including our “sleeper”, “busts” , “break-out”, and our “best overall ...About Tijuana Tijuana is many things: a sprawling city approaching two million in population, a vibrant and prosperous business center with many foreign-owned factories, the main entry to the entire Baja California peninsula, and much more.Only 18 miles from San Diego, Tijuana is a shopper's paradise. It's in a duty-free zone, so you can buy not only M ...Stay On The Right Side Of Online Betting Laws The laws regarding online betting vary with the country. Online gambling companies are not allowed to operate in the US. Three US states, namely Nevada, Louisiana, and California have explicitly written laws against online gambling. It is not uncommon for employees of online betting companies from other countries to run foul of the law when they ...Early Comments on the 2006 Kentucky Derby We are only weeks away from the 132nd running of the 2006 Kentucky Derby on May 6th. While the final field is yet to be determined, there are some interesting contenders that warrant a few comments. Leading up to the Florida Derby on the April 1 is Barbaro, the favorite in the Florida Derby and a leading contender to become the favorite in the ...Angel Readings-5 Secrets They Absolutely Refuse to Reveal What? You mean that there are some things I can't find out during an Angel reading? Yes, that's just what I mean. Here they are!1. They won't tell you the winning lottery numbers. The lottery is a game that has ever changing variables which was created by people. Some things really are just up to chance. That's just the way it is. B ...Bicycle Rims Review The first bicycle wheels were from a horse drawn cart, made of wood with a metal band round the bicycle rim, very hard and very uncomfortable to ride. Then a man called Dunlop (Scottish) invented the pneumatic tire, this along with Macadam (another Scot) inventing the tar road surface made cycling a lot more comfortable.The bicycle rim, l ...Arizona Exposition and State Fair Phoenix, Arizona comes alive in mid-October as its State Fair starts the three weeks of exposition and entertainment that young and old anticipate throughout the year. With 122 years of history under its belt, the Arizona Exposition and State Fair has developed into one of the country’s more evolved venues.This state fair highlights the c ...Isles Strike Gold with Nolan; Hire New GM as Well The New York Islanders have effectively ended the long and tedious search for a new GM and Head Coach, when they officially announced the signing of Neil Smith as their new GM, and Ted Nolan as the Head Coach. I’ll start by saying that I think the move to sign Ted Nolan as coach was an excellent move, but the signing of Neil Smith is a bit iffy; ...Sports Betting Portfolio Management The subject of financial investment is such a wide and varied area. We all know (or should know), that investing surplus funds is a sound idea; nothing new there. If you make the decision to invest, what investment options do you have?1. Property - unit, house, holiday house, commercial property, a managed property investment fund etc. ...Vermont State Fair Fills a Small State with Big Fun During the first 10 days of September the small state of Vermont is aglow with the lights from its state fair in Rutland, Vermont. The admission prices to the fairgrounds are about the average price compared to that of other state fairs; maybe even a little cheaper when you include the family day, dollar day and patron appreciation day. Family ...Preview Of August's UK Horse Racing If Wimbledon in June means strawberries and cream, then racing in August can only signify Goodwood and York, two flagship festival meetings that dominate the month’s action beginning with five exciting days on the Sussex slopes.As popular as ever, Glorious Goodwood offers some top-class action and is often a meeting that puts profits in p ...Fabroc - A New Intelligent Fabric that Keeps You Warm Protection from the elements is one of the fundamental necessities in life. Exposure to extreme temperatures can be deadly and every year there is an increasing number of outdoor enthusiasts who succumb to extreme weather. New technologies are addressing this problem by devising heated clothing. Fabroc is one of these new technologies -- a po ...The Calgary Stampede and Exhibition The Calgary Stampede and Exhibition is rich in tradition and it is also known for the cowboy atmosphere that takes over the city, everybody gets out the cowboy boots and Stetsons for the 10-11 days of good fun. This year (2006) it starts with the Calgary Stampede Parade on July 7th. Calgary's dedicated volunteers and community supporters prese ...What is Online Sports Betting? Online sports betting is just what the name suggests, you bet on a sport of your choice through any of the many sports betting websites on the Internet. The bet can be about any aspect of the game and the odds are provided by the website. Online sports betting has fast gained popularity among the global masses so much so that it is estimated tha ...Forex Currency Day Trading For Beginners You sell your money to the bank (or other) and it allocates some interest payments to your savings account from its profits. Have you seen a Bank's profits?What do Banks do with your money? Well, they accumulate many small savers' money to lend to a borrower. The borrower buys his loan and repays it with added interest. The difference be ...How to Keep Peaceful Relationships Jesus said in the last days many will be offended as the love of the church will grow cold (Matthew 24:10).So many people are majoring on minor issues today such as whether or not we should speak in tongues, whether or not we should baptize babies, whether or not we should prophesy, and a bunch of other stuff that shouldn't be causing us ...
|
