Back Pain

/Tag:Back Pain

Alexander Technique Bodywork

“Stand up straight!” “Pull your shoulders back!” As children, we were told to have good posture. Yet we were seldom taught effective ways to accomplish this. Indeed, we were often not even told just what “good posture” is. The consequences of this information gap can be seen all around us: stiff necks, shoulders hunched forward or pulled tightly back, restricted breathing, and tightness in the thighs, legs and ankles. Backaches, headaches, and other painful symptoms are often the unfortunate result...

Alexander Technique And Driving

When you learn to drive you are taught to grip the steering wheel at ten and two, unless you're thinking of a digital clock; then it gets confusing. If you weren't taught by an Alexander Technique teacher, you likely weren't taught how to grip the steering wheel, how little muscular effort is needed, or how to stop gripping in other parts of your body while driving. I observed that for highway driving I could get away with keeping my hands comfortably lower; perhaps around 4:35, give or take a few minutes. I also noticed, whenever I became aware, I could release tension in my hands. Once I released that extra effort I was able to notice tension elsewhere, including my jaw and my neck, and release that unneeded tension too. Moving up and away from my hands...

Alexander Technique And The Nobel Prize

In 1973, Nicholas Tinbergen and two others won the Nobel prize for Physiology-Medicine. He dedicated a good portion of his acceptance speech to F.M. Alexander, the Alexander Technique and it's benefits. He was an Alexander Technique student, as was his wife and daughter. They all took Alexander Technique lessons with different Alexander Technique teachers. What follows is the beginning of the portion of the speech relating to the Alexander Technique: …My second example of the usefulness of an ethological approach to Medicine has quite a different history. It concerns the work of a very remarkable man, the late F. M. Alexander. His research started some fifty years before the revival of Ethology for which we are now being honoured, yet his procedure was very similar to modern observational methods, and we believe that his achievements and those of his pupils deserve close attention...

Alexander Technique And Bike Riding

Alexander Technique in New York City is a challenge. Applying the Alexander Technique to bike riding in New York City is a bigger challenge! For my first bike (bicycle) ride I chose to be near NYC. This was my first ride in quite a few years. It's funny how once you've learned this skill, it stays with you forever. It's kind of like riding a bike...anyway it was great to be riding again; supplying my own power, the wind rustling through where my hair used to be...

Load More Posts
"With good humor, specificity, and charm, Mark makes a challenging technique accessible and fun!"
Kyra Sedgwick, Emmy Award Winning Actress
" Mark showed me how to move the natural way with ease and simplicity, avoiding unwanted stress on my body."
Juliette Bennett, Actress
"I really enjoyed our Alexander Technique lessons, learned a lot, felt lighter, more balanced and my neck pain is better. You have a true healing presence and great knowledge and skill."
Dr. Martin Ehrlich, Medical Director, Beth Israel Hospital CHH
"From the very 1st lesson, I was impressed with Mark’s acute awareness of the body and compassionate teaching philosophy."
Scott Kacenga, Musician
Alexander Technique in Manhattan, NYC.

Mark Josefsberg teaches one-to-one lessons and group classes in Manhattan, and everywhere on Zoom.

Mark is an associate faculty member of ACAT's teacher training program.

Mark Josefsberg is AmSAT and ACAT Certified, 2003. ACAT—The American Center for the Alexander Technique AmSAT—The American Society for the Alexander Technique