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