Cheshire Independent #12 by James Crow
The brief for this editorial was New Year New You. I chose to focus on upgrading your old age. Published Jan 2010.
Upgrade Your Old Age!
Local Alexander Technique teacher James Crow (pictured) says “Make the most of living longer, and stay in good health by sitting comfortably and standing easily. We’ll live longer than any generation before. What a shame many of us will retire in such a mess that we can’t fully enjoy ourselves, stooped over and stiff with pain.
Now there’s a proven way to ensure you remain free-moving, alert, bright and ready to live life to the full: the Alexander Technique.
The good news is you don’t need to be Superman to learn (although Christopher Reeve did use it to transform from Clark Kent to his super alter-ego!) All you need to learn the Alexander Technique is the ability to think, and to poise your head gracefully on top of your spine – which means you’ll look taller and lose that hump! Just ask celebs like Hilary Swank and Victoria Beckham, who turned to the technique to improve her posture.
And it’s not just your posture that will improve. The British Medical Journal published results of an NHS study of over 500 people, showing 86% less back pain after a series of Alexander Technique lessons. What’s more, this method is now included in the government’s NICE guidelines for back pain. And it’s not just the medical community who are sitting up and taking notice. Corporations also see the benefits: Victorinox, who make Swiss Army knives, saw a reduction in sick leave of 40%, and large companies like Google, The Guardian and the BBC now offer Alexander Technique lessons.
All it takes is a little time, some common sense, and a qualified teacher (MSTAT) to show you how. No exercises! So now you can really stand tall and enjoy what life has to offer” says James, who offers lessons in Macclesfield, Stockport, Wilmslow and Stalybridge.
