Notable Advocates
The Alexander Technique has a legacy of over 130 years, taught worldwide by more than 3,000 teachers. People from all walks of life benefit from its thoughtful simplicity and transformative results. Studies have shown that the Technique can improve posture, support better breathing, reduce tension, and alleviate chronic conditions such as back pain or repetitive strain injury. Adherents also report that it improves grace and general ease in movement.
Historical Support from the Medical Community
During the first part of the 20th century, the Alexander Technique gained significant support from doctors and scientists who experienced its benefits firsthand. As early as the 1920s, physicians and surgeons were urging the medical profession to recognise the valuable discoveries Alexander had made. Notably, Nobel Prize-winning physiologist Sir Charles Sherrington, one of the world’s most prominent figures in his field, became a dedicated supporter of Alexander and advocated for the Technique throughout his life.
Insights from Influential Figures Across Professions
For decades, individuals from diverse fields have discovered the profound benefits of the Alexander Technique. Among those who have found it invaluable are Nobel laureates in Medicine and Physiology, such as Professor Nikolaas Tinbergen and Sir Charles Sherrington; celebrated musicians like Paul McCartney, Sting, and Madonna; acclaimed writers including Aldous Huxley, Roald Dahl, and George Bernard Shaw; and renowned athletes such as Daley Thompson and Linford Christie. Many respected actors have also embraced the Technique, including John Cleese, Lynn Redgrave, Paul Newman, Alan Rickman, William Hurt, Mary Steenburgen, Jeremy Irons, Sir Henry Irving, Kevin Kline, Christopher Reeve, and Robin Williams, to highlight a few.
Voices from the Arts and Entertainment
“The Alexander Technique has helped me to undo knots, unblock energy, and deal with almost paralysing stage fright.”
— William Hurt, Actor
“I find the Alexander Technique very helpful in my work. Things happen without you trying. They get to be light and relaxed. You must get an Alexander teacher to show it to you.”
— Hugh Jackman, Actor
“The Alexander Technique is a way to transform stress to joy.”
— Juliette Binoche, Actress
“The many obvious benefits the technique afforded us included minimized tension, centeredness, vocal relaxation, and about an inch and a half of additional height.”
— Kevin Kline, Actor
“The Alexander Technique really helped my posture and focus during my stint as Othello. Imagine how excited I was when I arrived at the National Theatre for Comedy of Errors and found I could have Alexander lessons once a week—I was chuffed to little meatballs.”
— Lenny Henry, Comedian and Actor
“I was dubious about the effects of the Alexander Technique at first, but I found the benefits to be both physical and mental, and they’ve been long-lasting.”
— Joanne Woodward, Actress
“I find the Alexander Technique very helpful in my work. Things happen without you trying. They get to be light and relaxed.”
— John Cleese, Comedian and Actor
“The Alexander Technique helped a long-standing back problem and to get a good night’s sleep after many years of tossing and turning.”
— Paul Newman, Actor
“The Alexander Technique gave me a new sense of freedom—both physically and mentally. During lessons at RADA, I grew an inch and a half.”
— Johnathan Pryce, Actor (Wolf Hall, Tomorrow Never Dies)
“The Alexander Technique really works. I recommend it enthusiastically to anyone who has neck or back pain.”
— Roald Dahl, Author
“With the best intentions, the job of acting can become a display of accumulated bad habits, trapped instincts, and blocked energies. Working with the Alexander Technique has given me sightings of another way… Mind and body, work and life together. Real imaginative freedom.”
— Alan Rickman, Actor
Medical and Scientific Endorsements
Jack Stern, Spinal Neurosurgeon:
“97% of people with back pain could benefit by learning the Alexander Technique.”
British Medical Journal:
“Alexander’s work is of first-class importance, and investigation by the medical profession is imperative.”
Professor George E. Coghill, Anatomist and Physiologist:
“Mr. Alexander’s method lays hold of the individual as a whole, reconditioning the reflex mechanisms to align with the entire organism’s functioning.”
Sir Charles Sherrington, Neurophysiologist and Nobel Prize in Medicine:
“Every movement reflects total neuromuscular activity, especially the head and neck. Mr. Alexander has done a service to science by treating every act as involving the whole individual.”
Creativity and Performance
Nikolaas Tinbergen, Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology:
“I noticed with growing amazement striking improvements in such diverse areas as high blood pressure, breathing, depth of sleep, cheerfulness, mental alertness, and resilience against pressures.”
Tony Buzan, Author:
“The Alexander Technique transformed my life. It is the result of an acknowledged genius. I recommend it to everyone.”
Andrew Logan, Sculptor:
“The Alexander Technique changed my life. It enabled me to devote more time to creating beauty. This inner strength is essential for all.”
George Bernard Shaw, Playwright:
“Alexander established not only a science of involuntary movements but a technique of self-control, forming a major addition to our resources in personal education.”
Professor John Dewey, Philosopher:
“It is one thing to teach the need of returning to the individual as the ultimate agency in accomplishment. It is another to discover the concrete procedure to achieve it—and this is what Mr. Alexander has accomplished.”
Sir George Trevelyan, Pioneer of Spiritual Regeneration:
“Alexander’s breakthrough was an evolutionary step forward—teaching constructive, conscious control of oneself as a psycho-physical unity.”
AT and You
The Alexander Technique is not only for celebrities or scholars—it offers valuable tools to anyone interested in moving through life with greater awareness, ease, and grace.
Whether you’re managing chronic pain, enhancing athletic performance, or simply seeking better posture and well-being, the Alexander Technique offers a practical path to improvement. With its emphasis on mindful movement, stress reduction, and grace, AT provides lasting benefits to those willing to explore it.
“I find the Alexander Technique very helpful in my work. Things happen without you trying. They get to be light and relaxed.”
— John Cleese, Comedian and Actor