abstract
| - The “monkey”-position is what Alexander described as a “position of mechanical advantage”. The concept of mechanical advantage has its origins in the early days of the technique. In “The Theory and Practice of a New Method of Respiratory Re-Education” (1907) Alexander writes about his method: “There is such immediate improvement in the pose of the body and poise of the chest (...) that a valuable mechanical advantage is secured in the respiratory movements, and this is gradually improved by the practice until the habit becomes established, and the law of gravity appertaining to the human body is duly obeyed.” (Articles and Lectures p. 64, MSI p. 207)In “Re-Education of the Kinæsthetic Systems” (1908) the word “position” has been added: “... the teacher must himself place the pupils in a position of mechanical advantage, from which the pupil, by the mere mental rehearsal of orders which the teacher will dictate, can ensure the posture specifically correct for himself, ...”. (A&L p. 82) Alexander goes then on to describe the position of mechanical advantage of leaning back against a book (or books) placed against the back of a chair. In a “Supplement to Re-Education of the Kinæsthetic Systems” (1910, A&L p.103) two other procedures are described, “Chair Exercise (Standing)”, which is hands on the back of a chair, and “Door Exercise (Standing)”, letting the pelvis being partly supported by a door while leaning forward. None of the procedures involves bending the knees which must have come later. The 1910 edition of Man's Supreme Inheritance contained “The Doctrines of Antagonistic Action and Mechanical Advantage”: “In the process of creating a co-ordination one psycho-physical factor provides a position of rigidity by means of which the moving parts are held to the mode in which their function is carried on.This psycho-physical factor also constitutes a steady and firm condition which enables the Directive Agent of the sphere of consciousness to discriminate the action to the Kinæsthetic and motion agents which it must maintain without any interference or discontinuity.The whole condition which thus obtains is herein termed 'antagonistic action', and the attitude of rigidity essential as a factor in the process is called the position of mechanical advantage” (MSI 1996 appendix A ii) p. 118, A&L p. 289)
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