Who was FM Alexander?

Who was FM Alexander, the creator of the Alexander Technique? F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) was a successful actor who found that he was beginning to lose his voice on stage. Doctors advised him to rest his voice and he found that this helped but that the problem returned again when he began to perform. He then took the unusual step of attempting to discover if hemight be causing his problem by his manner of performing. After a long period of self-observation and experimentation using mirrors he found that his voice problem could be avoided when he succeeded in changing his habitual way of carrying himself so as to prevent unnecessary stress and tension, especially in his head, neck and back.

What began as a personal investigation into vocal strain became the foundation of the Alexander Technique — a method for improving the way we move, breathe, and function by addressing unconscious habits that cause tension and discomfort.

Alexander didn’t create a set of exercises or prescribe one ‘correct’ posture. Instead, he developed an educational process: teaching people how to recognise the ways they interfere with their natural coordination and how to stop doing so. His work centred around what he called the primary control — the dynamic relationship between the head, neck and back — which influences our entire movement system.

The Story of the Alexander Technique

Who was FM Alexander?

F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) was a successful actor who found that he was beginning to lose his voice on stage. By his early thirties, Alexander had developed a recurring voice problem that no doctor could solve. Resting helped in the short term, but the issue always returned when he stepped back into the spotlight. Rather than accept this as his fate, Alexander asked a bold question: What if I’m the one causing this problem?

Alexander undertook a process of careful self-observation that would ultimately lead to a profound new understanding of how we use our bodies. Using a set of mirrors and with remarkable patience, he began studying how he moved, spoke and held himself, especially during performance. Over time, he noticed a pattern: whenever he prepared to speak, he would tighten his neck and pull his head back, which created tension throughout his body. This tension, he realised, was interfering not just with his voice but with his overall coordination.

He found that his voice problem could be avoided when he changed his habitual way of carrying himself so as to prevent unnecessary stress and tension, especially in his head, neck and back. As his voice returned, so too did his sense of physical ease — and with it, a deep insight into the body-mind connection. To his surprise he also found that his, previously poor, general health also improved dramatically.

The Birth of the Alexander Technique

Initially, Alexander used his discovery to help other actors and speakers struggling with similar issues. Alexander found that words were not enough to convey the sensory information required so he began to use his hands to guide his pupils, subtly and gently, towards a better working of the primary control.

He soon had a thriving voice practice, due to his now impressive voice use and his success in helping people with voice problems. However, he soon noticed something surprising: even those without voice problems reported benefits in their overall health, mobility, and breathing. Doctors began referring patients to him, intrigued by the improvements people were experiencing in everything from back pain to anxiety.

In 1904, Alexander moved from Australia to London, where he taught for the rest of his life. His reputation grew steadily, attracting performers, educators, doctors and scientists. Among his supporters were the philosopher John Dewey and Nobel Prize–winning scientist Nikolaas Tinbergen, who later spoke publicly about the significance of Alexander’s discoveries.

“Stop doing the wrong thing and the right thing takes care of itself”

F.M. Alexander

Why Alexander’s Work Still Matters

There has been a resurgence in interest in the Alexander Technique in the last 30 years and there are now over 2500 teachers worldwide. Scientific research in the relatively unexplored areas of physiology of balance, poise and consciousness has been found to be consistent with his work. The Technique is taught in all the major performing arts colleges in the United Kingdom, and has also been introduced in a number of elementary and secondary schools.

In recent decades, scientific research has supported the conclusions that Alexander reached through observation and self-reflection. Studies have shown the Technique’s benefits in improving balance, reducing back pain, and even supporting respiratory and stress-related conditions.

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