Mark Blackburn
MSTAT
I first heard about Alexander Technique aged 18 through a Channel 4 documentary on the subject. I developed a problem with my back that was so painful, I had to lie down on my back for relief. I was looking for reasons why this was the case. Watching that programme and understanding that it is a persons own ‘use’ that can lead to a problem that manifests itself physically, made perfect sense to me. What I was doing in the ‘use of myself’ was leading me to have that problem with my lower back.
I found a teacher and took private lessons. I really enjoyed these first lessons and I started to enjoy my running a lot more. AT is very relaxing, particularly at first when you start to learn the subject because you are starting to release muscle tension that has built up over a considerable amount of time.
I decided to learn to be a teacher of AT, studying at The North of England Teaching Centre for the Alexander Technique for 3 years between 1994-1997. About a year into the course I had a new found energy that lead me into cycling.
Upon completion of the teacher training programme, I carried out post graduate study at ATI (Alexander Training Institute of San Francisco) for a period of 4 months.
Learning Alexander Technique remains the best possible subject that I could ever have chosen.
For more information you can visit Mark's Facebook group
