An event for Alexander Technique teachers 'Walking with Mechanical Advantage’ with Lawrence Jones on Saturday afternoon of 29th Jun 2019 between 1:00pm and 4:30pm at 10 Harley Street, London W1G 9PF.
FM often emphasised the role of evolution in his work. Given that survival results from successful evolution, there are some logical conclusions which arise:
1. All animals need to balance their use of energy. They must consume enough food to survive. This leads to the fact that our movements should be as efficient as possible.
2. One of the main drivers of human evolutionary design has been the benefit gained by walking great distances using less energy than many other animals.
3. As result, the legs and feet have been designed for walking and running rather than standing.
4. This type of ‘Mechanical Advantage’ walking - “MA walking”, for longer distances and using ourselves most efficiently, will be described in this workshop. A large body of scientific research carried out over more than a hundred years has shown that when we do MA walking, we tend towards the most efficient speed and stride length.
5. The research has also shown that in MA Walking a well-defined set of movements takes place naturally. This can be encouraged with the AT.
6. Because the movements associated with slower walking usually involve not only a reduced joint movement range, but also a reduced set of movements, we recommend the application of some aspects of the MA walking style also for slower walking.
This workshop will be presented as a series of structured and reasoned slides with graphics combined with directed activities, including:
• A history of the personal journey that has led to the insights shown in the workshop.
• An explanation of the biomechanics of MA walking, derived from an extensive scientific literature search with explanations from an AT and mechanics viewpoint. Each movement is described, analysed and explained to enable a clear understanding of the activity and generate a logical movement model.
• We will explain how MA walking utilises the action of the whole body to re-direct and absorb the unavoidable dynamic forces.
• This biomechanical knowledge leads to a deeper understanding of the joints and muscle actions which we need to use in order to walk with good use. In particular, we will explain some basic principles behind the work, including the understanding of the train of support forces coming from the ground.
• In the same way as a correct anatomical knowledge helps us in our AT directions, a correct movement model gives us confidence for our AT directions during walking.
• A practical part of the workshop includes carrying out a number of AT directed activities concerning the movements which are often neglected with non-MA walking. We can learn to pay more attention to the all of the movements and sensorial input.
• We will present a summary of the health benefits which follow from the practise of MA walking.
• The basics of MA walking will be extended to include starting to walk and going upstairs and downstairs.
• A set of notes will be given to participants after the workshop.
During the workshop you will learn:
1. A reasoned biomechanical movement model of MA walking.
2. Directed activities which can be practised to improve strength, joint mobility and overall proprioception.
3. A set of inhibitions and directions to be employed during MA Walking.
4. The ability to be able to see and evaluate faulty walking.
5. An improvement in the use of yourself.
Lawrence JONES, MA (Cantab), M.I.Mech.E, MGATÖE, MSTAT, has been a keen practitioner of the Alexander Technique since his first lesson from Dick Walker in 1977. Since then he has taken regular lessons with, amongst others, Walter Carrington and Margaret Goldie. After gaining his degree in engineering at Cambridge, he followed a career in the field of robotics, manufacturing and structural engineering building international high energy physics experiments. During this time he took many lessons in the Alexander Technique (AT). In 2005 his wife, Wilma, qualified as an AT teacher and she continues to be a daily inspiration for his ongoing AT development. Since retiring he fulfilled a lifetime wish to train as a STAT certified AT teacher, qualifying in Vienna in 2015. He lives with his wife near Linz, Austria, continuously experimenting and extending his biomechanical understanding. He has published two articles in STAT news.
All participants will receive a record of attendance after the event.
Please book early to avoid disappointment as places are limited and note that no refunds will be possible after 17th Jun 2019.
HITE Ltd, 10 Harley Street, London W1G 9PF.
T: 020 7467 8461. E: info@hiteltd.co.uk
£80.00
£80.00