(Semi-supine is also known as the Constructive Rest Position)

Semi-supine: the secret to building the stamina your Alexander work needs

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Imagine a man hanging from a cliff by his fingernails.
Pretty quickly his hands ache, his forearms burn.

His muscles start to tremble, his fingers slip
… and he’s gone, falling.
Unless something catches him, he’s done for.

What’s that got to do with semi-supine? Let’s see.

Semi-supine is simply lying down in the Alexander way with knees up and books under your head. Why do it?

There are three main reasons for semi-supine

  1. Giving yourself a sense of where everything belongs
  2. Allowing yourself to stretch
  3. Resting tired muscles

You see that third reason? Take note, we’ll be coming back to it

First, though, how do you do semi-supine?

Any activity has three parts

  • Starting it
  • Doing it
  • Finishing it

Let’s start with doing it.

Simply lie down on the floor (a bed will not do) with your knees up and a few books under your head. That’s doing it but how do I get there?

Getting there

  1. Get your books.
  2. Sit on the floor and put the books behind you.
  3. Draw your feet up as close to your bottom as you can get them, holding your legs with your hands.
  4. Allow your head to drop forwards as far as it will drop. Don’t pull it or force it — just drop. Also, allow your back to curl forwards as much as it wants. Don’t try to be straight.
  5. When you’ve done all that (and not before) then let go of your legs.
  6. Leaving your feet on the ground and your head dropped forwards, roll back.
  7. Roll back as fast as you dare … keeping your head forwards the whole time.
  8. Only when your head touches the books should you stop keeping your head forwards. Keeping your head forwards stretches your back. If you let it come back and lose your stretch, your lying down will be a lot less useful.

So I got there. How do I get up?

To get up, roll over — like a cat. Look where you’re going to roll. Then let your head turn. Then your shoulders, then your hips. Your legs come last. That’s important so say after me: "my legs must move last".

Why did I make you repeat after me?

Everybody starts by moving their legs. Don’t do that.

Okay, got that, so when should I lie down in semi-supine?

The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it

So get started now.

The more attention you give to your Alexander work, the more often you will need to lie down. Eventually, you’ll have times when you’re lying down every ten minutes.

Ten minutes??!!!

I can’t do that!

I only said there will be times, occasionally, when you’re doing it that often. You’ll be doing it because you want to. You’ll want to because you experience the benefits. You don’t need to do this a lot to get the benefit. You just need to do it sometimes.

I can’t be bothered

You will be, believe me, you will be.

As you move in your new Alexander way, you’ll be using some muscles that have been on permanent vacation for years … maybe decades.

Muscles that do no work degenerate. They lose all their strength and stamina. Ask them to work for ten minutes and they end up giving up. When they do that, you fall off the cliff face.

Right into the thorn bush of your old habits.

This article is included under the following categories:‒


Further Resources

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  1. If you’re not already getting my free weekly article delivered to your inbox, then go here to get it.   Subscribe to “Back in Action”  (It’s free)
    When you subscribe you also get to download “The Hows & Whys of Semi-Supine”. This free e-booklet is indispensable to anyone serious about strengthening their bad back (or further strengthening an already-strong back).
  2. Repoise is our membership site for people who are serious about improving themselves (and getting out of pain as they do that). When you join, you will:–
    1. Have daily access to me. Together we will work out what’s going wrong for you and how to fix it
    2. Learn from reading other Repoise members’ questions and following their progress as they work with me
    Find out more about joining Repoise here.
  3. I’m writing a book about my work. It will come out on the 1st December 2010. If you’re getting the free weekly articles, I’ll send out more details about the up-coming book as soon as the information is available.

If you’re in Liverpool (or can get to Liverpool)

  1. I’m also running Friday lunchtime group lessons. Go here for details.
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If you’re further away and can’t get to Liverpool

  1. There’s still nothing better than individual lessons. Here’s where you can find a teacher near you in the UK or elsewhere
  2. I suggest you also do the things I listed above for everyone:–
    1. Read my weekly articles
    2. Get direct day-to-day guidance from me by joining Repoise.
    If you’re having plain Alexander Technique lessons from someone else, you still need to learn the Smiling Back Method of the Alexander Technique. You’ll get a lot more out of your lessons when you do.


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Book image. “The Hows & Whys of Semi-Supine” by Philip Pawley. Including: The little-understood real reason why Semi-Supine is so important - Detailed instructions on how and when to lie down - Persuade your boss to beg you to take rests at work.
Medical Proof

Medical Study proves lasting effectiveness of the Alexander Technique for low back pain.

Published in the prestigious British Medical Journal on 19 August 2008, this randomised controlled medical trial compares Alexander Technique lessons, exercise and massage for chronic and recurrent back pain.

British Medical Journal video on the Alexander TechniqueBritish Medical Journal video

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