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