Are You Doing the Alexander Technique Correctly?

When you first start learning the Alexander Technique, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking it’s about doing things correctly. After all, most methods of self-improvement are about following precise steps, postures, or exercises. The name itself, Alexander Technique, is evocative of this type of thinking, but the Alexander Technique operates on a fundamentally different principle. It’s not about perfecting your movements; it’s about undoing interference—allowing your body to function with freedom and ease, rather than forcing it into a so-called correct position. 

So, if you’re wondering whether you’re doing the Alexander Technique correctly, perhaps the more important question is: Are you moving freely? Or, are you freely being ?

Most of us live in a culture that values "doing it right." From fitness programs to posture correction tools, we’re often told that there’s a singular, optimal way to stand, sit, or move. But the Alexander Technique teaches us that striving for rigid correctness can actually create more tension in the body. It's also unsustainable.

Instead of helping, trying too hard to be "correct" often leads to the very habits of interference the Technique is designed to undo—such as excessive muscle tension, poor alignment/support, or inefficient breathing patterns. This phenomenon is so well recognised that the Alexander Technique teacher community have nicknamed those exhibiting this behaviour Alexandroids.

Interference, in Alexander Technique terms, refers to any unnecessary tension, habitual misuse, or excessive effort that disrupts the natural coordination of your body. This can typically be seen in the startle pattern where the shoulders are raised and the head is pulled back off balance. It can also include holding of the breath, or more subtly, overly focusing on an end result (end-gaining) without consideration of the process that will achieve that result (means-whereby).

We all have ingrained habits—whether it’s slumping at a desk, holding tension in the neck, or tightening the jaw during stressful moments. These habits build up over time and interfere with how freely we move, breathe, and live.

When you think about doing something "correctly," you might end up tensing muscles you don’t need, holding your breath, or pushing your body into an unnatural position. All of these are forms of interference that block your natural movement and ease.

The Alexander Technique isn’t about achieving a fixed "right" way of moving or standing. It’s about exploring how to release the tension and habits that get in the way of your natural coordination. 

A teacher of the Alexander Technique will often ask you use Inhibition —the act of pausing and noticing your habits before rushing into a movement or action. This gives you the space to choose a different, freer way of moving, one that feels more in line with the body's structure.

In other words, the focus is on non-doing, not on trying to do something correctly. Non-doing is a term that often causes confusion, but simply put, it has a commonality with a more flow like state. It's been said that in non-doing, it does you, but in doing, you do it.

There's a well known saying that you can't step in the same river twice. This allows us to question the value in being right, as every time you perform any activity it will be the first and last time that you perform it that way. What was right last time is irrelevant to the conditions that are present next time. There's always acceptable variation in any activity, a bandwidth and continuum of correctness maybe, but no absolutes.

Take a simple act like sitting down. Many people think there’s a "correct" way to sit: back straight, shoulders back, feet flat on the floor. But in trying to achieve this perfect posture, you might find yourself holding unnecessary tension in your lower back or gripping the muscles in your legs.

Instead, what if you approached sitting with the goal of releasing tension and being mindful of the support offered by the ground? As you start to sit, notice any unnecessary effort—are you tightening your neck? Clenching your jaw? Collapsing your spine? Using more effort than needed to lower yourself into the chair? Let go of those interferences and allow the movement to happen naturally, without force whilst be present enough to adjust to maintain the support the ground is providing. You’ll likely find the experience of sitting down becomes smoother, easier, and more balanced.

The beauty of the Alexander Technique is that it’s a practice of ongoing discovery. There’s no end point where you’ve finally "got it right." The goal is to keep noticing, keep releasing, and keep allowing your body to move with the ease and freedom it’s naturally capable of.

So, the next time you wonder whether you’re "doing the Alexander Technique correctly," remind yourself that it’s not about following a prescribed set of rules. It’s about freeing yourself from the mental and physical habits that prevent natural, effortless movement. 

It’s about allowing yourself to be without interference. And in that freedom, you’ll discover what it means to truly move, live, and breathe with ease, and be yourself.

The Alexander Technique isn’t about rigid postures or "right" ways of doing things. It’s about learning to undo the habits of tension and interference that creep into our everyday actions. So rather than striving for correctness, aim for freedom. Instead of learning the Alexander Technique for it's own sake, use it as a tool to learn more about yourself. Through observation you have choice, and through choice you have the offer of change. Listen to your body, notice your habits, and allow yourself to move without the burden of overthinking or forcing. That’s where the real magic of the Alexander Technique lies, it's in the journey, not the destination.