Posture & Everyday Movement

Rethinking posture

Posture is often misunderstood as something to be held or corrected from the outside. Many people have been told to “sit up straight” or “pull their shoulders back,” often resulting in increased tension rather than ease.

From an Alexander Technique perspective, posture is not a fixed position. It is a dynamic, whole-body process that reflects how a person organises themselves moment by moment—while sitting, standing, moving, working, or resting.

When posture is addressed through habit rather than force, it can change in ways that feel lighter, more sustainable, and more supportive.

The Alexander Technique improves posture by changing how movement is organised, rather than imposing positions.

Posture as a whole-person pattern

Posture is shaped by attention and emotional state as much as by muscles. Feeling rushed, guarded, or fatigued often leads to tightening or collapsing without awareness.

Postural habits develop over time and are influenced by many factors, including:

• Movement patterns and coordination

• Nervous system state and stress levels

• Work demands and repetitive tasks

• Attention, fatigue, and emotional load

• Past injury, pain, or protective habits

When the system is under stress, posture often becomes more rigid or collapsed. When someone feels supported and at ease, posture tends to organise itself more efficiently.

This close relationship between posture, biomechanics, and nervous system regulation means that lasting change involves more than muscular effort alone.

How Alexander Technique lessons help posture

The Alexander Technique does not aim to impose “good posture.” Instead, it helps people change how they organise movement and support in everyday life.

Through lessons and body–mind coaching, this work supports posture by:

Reducing unnecessary muscular effort
Identifying and releasing habitual tension that interferes with balance and coordination.

Improving biomechanical organisation
Redistributing effort more evenly through the body so joints and muscles are not overloaded.

Supporting nervous system regulation
As posture becomes less effortful, the nervous system receives clearer signals of safety and support.

Developing awareness and adaptability
Learning to notice postural habits as they arise and adjust them without force.

Integrating posture into real life
Applying these skills while sitting, standing, walking, working, or performing everyday tasks.

How posture creates strain

Many people unconsciously try to “hold themselves up” from the top—overworking the neck, shoulders, and back. This can lead to:

• Neck and shoulder tension

• Compressed or stiff movement

• Fatigue from unnecessary muscular effort

• Reduced breathing capacity

• A sense of heaviness or collapse over time

True postural support comes from the ground up. When the feet and legs provide reliable support, the spine can lengthen and balance more freely, and the upper body no longer needs to brace.

This redistribution of effort reduces mechanical strain and supports a calmer, more adaptable nervous system.

A gentle, respectful approach

Trying to “fix” posture through effort often increases tension and discomfort.

Cathy Dowden’s approach is calm, paced, and collaborative. Lessons are adapted to the individual’s comfort and capacity, whether sitting, standing, or moving slowly. There is no requirement to hold positions or perform exercises. The focus is on restoring ease and coordination through awareness and support.

→ Read more about Cathy Dowden

This work is suitable for people experiencing:

• Ongoing neck, shoulder, or back tension

• Postural fatigue or discomfort

• Desk-related strain

• Stiffness or reduced mobility

• A sense of effort or collapse in standing or sitting

“Maybe the most useful thing was learning to hold my head loosely rather than straining to hold it up. Over the years I had lost that natural ability.”
— Peter, retired scientist, Melbourne

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Not therapy, not correction — practical education

The Alexander Technique does not diagnose or treat postural conditions. It is a form of practical, body-based education that can complement physiotherapy, medical care, and other therapeutic approaches.

Many people find that learning to organise posture more efficiently reduces strain and improves comfort over time.  This is not about sitting up straight or doing exercises. It is about learning to move well, with adaptability and choice.

All of this work is underpinned by the principles of the Alexander Technique.

→ Learn more about the Alexander Technique

Skills that carry into daily life

Posture is not something to remember to “do.” It emerges naturally as movement becomes better supported.

The skills learned through Alexander Technique lessons can be used throughout daily life—at a desk, while walking, lifting, speaking, or resting.

Over time, these skills support posture that is more balanced, responsive, and sustainable.