Review (1/5): Like Barbara Conable in her Body Mapping work
I do not understand how a teacher of the Alexander Technique can miss the obvious, central issue in respiration – the support and opposition of the spine to the contraction of the muscles that move the ribs in breathing.
Was not Alexander’s first observation of his misuse of himself that he pulled his head back and down, compressing his larynx and shortening in stature, when he inhaled before speaking? Breathing Coordination (the method Carl Stough taught Jessica) makes this misuse the rule! Like Barbara Conable in her Body Mapping work, Jessica shows the spinal curves augmenting on inhalation, and, thus, stature decreasing – the opposite of what Alexander taught. What happens in healthy respiration is exactly the contrary -- the spinal curves diminish on inspiration, which gives the diaphragm and the muscles that support the ribcage the opposition they need to expand the thoracic cavity. Does it make any sense to attempt to increase lung volume by shortening? What happened to allowing the back to lengthen and widen?
Further, in four-legged mammals, respiratory cycle is linked to gait, such that inspiration occurs only on extension The mechanical needs of stride and respiration are co-ordinated. Every known running quadruped inhales on extension. Obviously, man has not evolved a respiratory system that functions best in a completely contradictory manner, independent of spinal support.
The central tendon of the diaphragm (aponeurosis) is joined to a neckwork of fascia, primarily through the pericardium, to which it is welded, that attaches to the upper ribs and cervical spine. It is completely fused to the pericardium, which surrounds the heart, and limits its movement. Thus, when the spine is allowed to lengthen on inspiration, the vertical travel of the diaphragm is limited, which maximizes its effect on the ribs. At the same time, the sternocleidomastoid muscles, which originate from the upper sternum, have their insertion in the mastoid process, on the skull behind the ears. When the spine lengthens on inhalation, the sternocleidomastoids are prepared to provide support for the sternum against the contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. Note that this is not the same as lifting the chest. The extension of the spine simply allows it to support the upper ribcage against the strong contraction of the diaphragm and para-sternal intercostal muscles that lift the ribs in inhalation.
Further, the scalenes, which descend from the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae, attach to the 1st and 2nd ribs. When the spine lengthens on inspiration, these muscles are supported so that their action may lift the top ribs, and so that contraction of the parasternal intercostals, which assist the diaphragm in lifting the ribs, does not compress the upper chest.
Physiologists have observed that abdominal muscles actually increase tone during inhalation, pressing the viscera inwards and creating upward pressure on the diaphragm, further restricting its descent, so that rib movement is maximized. When we’re breathing vigorously, especially, the diaphragm is pushed upward actively by contraction of the muscles of the abdominal wall. These raise the pressure in the abdomen, limiting the descent of the diaphragm by retaining the internal organs. Thus, we get the whole thoracic cage expanding in 3 dimensions, and the diaphragm works, not like a plunger, but more like an umbrella opening.
Look at it this way: if you go to lift a heavy weight, does the back shorten? Or does it lengthen to oppose the weight and support the action of muscles which, however, indirectly, depend on the spine for support?
Roger Fiammetti, in his Total Respiration, actually shows this fairly well, although he also over-emphases the vertical travel of the diaphragm. In this animation, one sees the spinal lengthen on inhalation, and relax back to a resting state on exhalation.
On Odile Rouquet’s DVD “Respiration et mouvement”, Philippe Campignion states:
(in translation from the original French): "When my diaphragm descends, my vertebral column rises, and during that time, my ribs are in torsion, this is quite complex; it is important to realize that if I'm focused on my diaphragm, I feel its descent, on the other hand, if I focus on my vertebral column, I feel something that rises, and when my diaphragm rises, at least when the central tendon of the diaphragm rises, the thoracic cage descends.
In 1986, I took a workshop with Carl Stough (founder of Breathing Coordination). Even at that time, when I was training to teach the Alexander Technique, I saw him as someone with poor posture (or use of himself) who had developed a method for teaching people with poor posture how to get more air into their lungs by maximizing the vertical travel of the diaphragm, especially in exhalation. His method is, I believe, like many mechanical methods, a way to optimize breathing without improving overall use. I later took some private lessons in Stough’s method from the son of his partner. He actually had me slouch to let my belly soften (which Stough did not do), and certainly did not impress me as someone to emulate in respiration.
My 27 years of teaching the Alexander Technique to musicians, singers and dancers, and my years of experience studying dance, Tai-Chi and running, tell me that this is terribly wrong.