| Moshe Feldenkrais, who died aged 80 in 1984, was an | | | | directly of into the nervous system with the result |
| engineer and physicist who worked on France's early | | | | that the body effectively reprograms the |
| atomic research program and on the British | | | | brain.Feldenkrais Happy HamstringsThis is one of the |
| antisubmarine project during World War II. But it was | | | | Feldenkrais Exercises involved in learning how to |
| the martial arts, and the body mechanics involved in | | | | integrate the hamstrings in movement while softening |
| them, that most fascinated him. The Feldenkrais | | | | and lengthening them. This lesson involves rotation of |
| Method was developed through 40 years of research | | | | the leg and crossing the midline. This is a way of |
| by Moshe Feldenkrais, Ph.D., D.Sc., a Russian-born | | | | using Feldenkrais exercises in developing control and |
| physicist, mechanical engineer, educator and martial | | | | helps with balance. Very gentle reaching motions with |
| artist. A severe injury led Dr. Feldenkrais to a lifelong | | | | the hands as your legs are put in slightly different |
| investigation into ways of improving the body's ability | | | | holding positions.We offer this Feldenkrais Awareness |
| to function. The recurrence of an old knee injury set | | | | Through Movement lesson along with the other |
| him off on the research that was to be his life's | | | | Feldenkrais Exercises for the hamstrings. |
| work. Like Matthias Alexander, in healing himself he | | | | AwarenessThrough Movement In contrast to the |
| invented a method that not only helps treat people | | | | comparatively passive approach of functional |
| with serious physical problems (most notably, | | | | integration, awareness through movement is taught |
| spasticity) but is also increasingly used by musicians, | | | | in group classes and comprises a series of directed |
| dancers, and sportsÂÂpeople to improve their | | | | movements for students to follow actively. It is not |
| awareness and performance.Elements of | | | | conventional exercise, however, because the object |
| TherapyFunctional Intecration This is the one-on-one | | | | is for each student to stay attentive and tune in to |
| application of the Feldenkrais method by a trained | | | | precisely what the body is doing. Movements may be |
| practitioner, usually in 45- to 60-minute sessions. The | | | | very slight, perhaps only lifting one foot a fraction off |
| practitioner uses gentle manipulation and movements | | | | the floor. But even this may quickly bring a realization |
| to encourage the body into new, easier ways of | | | | of unnecessary muscle tension, release from which |
| moving. In Feldenkrais terms, this feeds information | | | | can lead to a state of profound relaxation. |