Celebrity manual therapist and movement coach Aaron Alexander shows readers how posture and body alignment are powerful tools for building strength, achieving peak performance, reducing pain, and approaching the world with a new sense of confidence.
Good posture is about more than standing up straight: It can change your mood, alleviate pain, rid your body of stressful tension, and may be the difference between getting that raise you've wanted and attracting your ideal mate, or not. But in order to reap all those benefits, the body must be properly integrated. Celebrity movement coach and manual therapist Aaron Alexander offers a revolutionary approach to body alignment to build strength, reduce pain, and put you on a direct path to peak performance that is both fun and accessible.
The Align Method centers on five daily optimizations that can be easily integrated into any workout, mindfulness practice, or daily life activity:
Floor Sitting
Hanging
Hip-Hinging
Walking
Nose Breathing
A truly aligned life isn't limited to sweating in a gym or stretching in a yoga studio, and Alexander provides the fundamental principles to optimize your physical and mental process in any situation. Blending Eastern philosophy with Western mechanics, The Align Method brilliantly outlines the necessary tools to leverage the power of your own senses and body language to feel more flexible and confident, and details exactly how to reshape your environment for enhanced creativity and longevity. This is the quintessential user's manual to feeling better than you ever thought possible, and looking great while you're at it!
Wow. This was an amazing collection of pseudoscience, correlation as causation, new-age mumbo-jumbo, etc. I think there were actually some good tidbits in here, which I managed to glean as I turned the pages as fast as I possibly could. I occasionally slowed down out of disbelief, as in "did he actually make that claim??"
Ο Aaron Alexander είναι πολύ ωραίος τύπος· με τη γιόγκα του, τα αραχνοΰφαντα τα παντελόνια του, την καμαρωτή του στάση για να ευθυγραμμίσει το q'i, την υγιεινή του διατροφή (δε μου το βγάζεις από το μυαλό πως γλουτένη κι υδατάνθρακα δεν πρέπει να έχει αγγίξει στη ζωή του), με, με...
Στο βιβλίο του αυτό κάνει ό,τι περιμένει κανείς από τέτοιου είδους αναγνώσματα, σερβίρει ένα ποτ πουρί δηλαδή από pop psychology, (επιλεγμένες) επιστημονικές έρευνες και ασκήσεις της μοδός, μόνο που για να βγάλεις το ζουμί εδώ, δε χρειάζεσαι αποχυμωτή αλλά αποστακτήριο. Σε γενικές γραμμές, κακό δεν το λες αλλά θα μπορούσε να το συνοψίσει σε 40 σελίδες το πολύ (αν ήθελε να το δημοσιεύσει σε βιβλίο· αν το πήγαινε για ακαδημαϊκό paper -λέμε τώρα- εγώ θα το πετσόκοβα σε 3 με 4).
Ιδού ένα δείγμα γραφής: "We really should look on the bright side though; the old model of extended chair sitting has served back surgeons very well. We spend approximately $90 billion annually on the diagnosis and management of low back pain. Before we start making any rash decisions around enriching modern work environments with movement opportunities to heal the spines of employed people, let's be respectful and take a moment of silence for the spine docs out there who might miss a yacht payment. All right, moment taken, let's heal some backs!" (Μπράβο μαλάκα, οι χειρουργοί σου φταίνε που πονάει η μέση σου. Υποψιάζομαι ότι σου φταίνει κι οι δικηγόροι διαζυγίων που τα έχεις κάνει σκατά στο γάμο σου) Σίγουρα δε βοηθάει που επαναλάμβανε κάθε 5 σελίδες (και κάθε 30 λεπτά στο audiobook) "Align yourself!".
Χμμμ... Νομίζω πως τελικά τον προτιμώ ως γυμναστή. Άντε να πάω να τεντωθώ, να τσιμπήσω και κάνα βιολογικό quinoa μπας και γίνω άνθρωπος.
Disappointing. I wanted a routine I could follow and just hanging around or sitting on the floor is something I already do. Maybe at 77 I'm already "age proof" as best I am able.
Feelings come and go but conscious breathing is my anchor.
The 43 muscles of the face have an exponential capacity to convey distinct messages, more honestly than the actual words coming out of your mouth. Your facial expressions are like emotional conductors and your ability to play your own orchestra of sensation is associated to your facial mobility.
The muscles of your feet should be able to relax and find their own natural support.
Your footwear should be wide toed, flat and flexible.
Clothing should allow full range of motion while squatting and should be made of organic materials whenever possible.
Switch hands regularly while working to avoid wrist problems from too much repetitive use with one hand.
Adjust the driver’s seat in your car and raise your mirrors to avoid added stress on your neck and back while driving. Drink water first upon waking each morning. Be like the Sphinx in form to stretch out muscles and breathe through your nose. Forearm plank for 33 seconds.
I found this a really useful resource, and I anticipate that I’ll go back to it regularly over time. For me it fills in the gaps left by various exercise programs & nutrition guides so as to help the reader understand how to optimise their body, and thereby state of mind on a everyday basis. All of the information is presented in an easy to read, conversational style & there lots of interesting references to research. Each chapter is scattered with exercises/practices a few of which I’ve found really helpful in addressing some ongoing shoulder pain I’ve been having. Chapter 15 about eyesight & the exercises was especially interesting, I’ll definitely be building them into my daily routine.
In criticism I’d say that there’s a little bit of repetition, and the jokey style of the writing was off putting a couple of times. I wish he’d gone into a little more detail on some points, although he was clearly trying to get a lot into one book already. Some of the exercises require a band the author has devised, I was enthusiastic to get one but it seems like it’s out of stock everywhere at the moment. It’d be great to have it bundled with the book.
I’m pretty sure I’ll be buying this as a gift for friends & relatives. Everyone stands to get something out of it.
Insightful read shedding great light on the things we normally overlook. Worth coming back to for refreshers but some takeaways:
- modern footwear now “coddling” our feet and likely leading to foot problems. Practice being bare foot, letting foot spread out and letting the many nerves feel the earth around
- establish morning ritual: meditate, sun exposure, cold exposure, water with lemon and salt, dance and move
- 30min of ground work a day. Practice 90/90. Stretch top of the feet. Cobra.
- every chance you can. Hang for spinal decompression and elongation. Removing tension from upper back and shoulders.
- set a wind down bed time reminder. Maybe 2 hours before. When the sun goes down, switch to red lights and blue blocking glasses
- meditation and mindfulness is, as always, INVALUABLE & VITALLY IMPORTANT & NECESSARY especially for today’s stress fueled world
- sleep on side, not belly, predominately left side (better stack for esophagus and stomach)
- breath through nose. Box breathing
- be mindful of how much I internally rotate. To text. Computer. Drive. Stretch heart out and up
- look at ceilings when you walk into rooms
- use a water bottle behind back while driving to promote better posture
I tend to find the author to be a bit too woo woo and fixated on the same things. In fact, I gave up on his podcast. I say that to paint a picture of me as an almost fan (I did listen to the podcast for a while) but not a fanboy so you can hopefully be sure I am not just reviewing this well to prop up an idol.
This book covers some important ground and really hammers in his points. Many of the chapters are things I am not interested in. In fact, I probably didn't care for half the book or more. That being said, what I cared for was excellent and something I will want to reread in perpetuity.
An awesome read for anyone seeking to optimize/improve their movement and life. I am a huge fan of Aaron’s philosophy that there is no separation between everyday life and our health practice. Rather than thinking of optimization as cramming 45 minutes of high-intensity activity three times a week, extend your practice to 24/7. The advice in this book, including floor sitting, nose breathing, hip hinging, and hanging, is changing my life for the better. Highly recommend!!
Not a book you read quickly. The underlying premise is get off your butt and start looking after your body and mind. You read a little and try to determine if this activity is something you really should consider adopting and why you should be doing it. Aaron backs up most of the contents with published research done previously.
I loved this book so much. Aaron wrote this in such a spirit of generosity. Seriously, the commitment and effort that went into this creation is stunning. I am very grateful, because his work is already having a positive impact on my life. It was a little hard for me to tell which posture I was early in the book, but luckily I just plowed ahead and found so much useful information in later chapters. Here are the main benefits I've experienced: -help with sleep and asthma from his breathing exercises -"floor time" makes me the happiest ever. who'da thunk? I love sitting on the floor, sprawling on my belly on the floor. I've made a nook at work so I spend most of my day chilling on my wool rug. I can feel my hips, ankles, spine and knees getting more mobilized. -at the doctor, my height was back to its old self (phew!) -haven't done too much with hanging yet, because I've been sick, but I'm excited to do more with that... -I love the eye exercises, they are much simpler and more streamlined than the ones I've read about in the past, which translates to me actually doing them -my walks to and from work everyday are making me happy
I'm experiencing a dark night of the soul, and so this book came at just the right time. Honestly, having Aaron's attitude and heart by my side through the last couple of weeks has been a real boost. I love something that he says at the end of the book, "serve without expectation." That is what he did. He wrote this book to give and give. Thank you, Aaron!!
p.s. One more thing: it's funny!! He got the humor just right!
Zaujímavá kniha, venuje sa sile, ohybnosti, koordinácii, prepojeniu mysle a tela. Rozoberá niekoľko pravidiel, ktoré vám pomôžu – ako správne sedieť, aké dobré je visieť, ako správne chodiť, ako účinne dýchať nosom... Uvádza viaceré tipy, ktoré si viete vyskúšať a vysvetľuje ich, ukazuje možné vplyvy na vaše zdravie, ale aj náladu a psychiku. Napríklad zábavný trik, ktorým povzbudíte svoju autonómnu nervovú sústavu a zároveň sa uvoľníte a budete spoločenskejší: mobilizácia tvárových svalov. Vyskúšajte tento postup vtedy, keď pociťujete stres, alebo sa chystáte vhupnúť do spoločenskej situácie, na ktorú nie ste dostatočne pripravení:
Prsty umiestnite nad obočie a jemne nimi podvihnite kožu smerom nahor. Zároveň striedavo zatínajte a uvoľňujte všetky svaly tváre. Striedavo napínajte a uvoľňujte svaly a v každej polohe zotrvajte päť sekúnd. Opakujte dva- až trikrát. Ak chcete prehĺbiť uvoľňujúce účinky cvičenia, robte hlbšie a dlhšie nádychy než výdychy. Aby to bolo ešte účinnejšie (a ešte k tomu čudnejšie), pri výdychu si vzdychnite.
Podobných trikov je v knihe veľa a niektoré sa naozaj oplatí vyskúšať. Nikdy neviete, či vám práve ten cvik nepomôže.
Aaron Alexander's book the Align Method is a collection of useful health tips packed into a shorter book. It's not overly complicated and his writing style is similar to his speech; casual, passionate, and a bit funny. Nothing particularly new from this book but the way it's packaged and written, especially with the 5 principles highlighted makes the content easier to remember.
I have and will continue practice hanging daily to lengthen the spine, and for brachaiting the shoulder girdle for shoulder mobility to prevent back and shoulder issues so many suffer from.
I also enjoyed Aaron's discussion on floor culture and why it's necessary for strong bones, tendons and stability -and how much stronger people that live in countries where floor culture is the norm stay in their old age.
Recommend this book for anyone open minded and curious about mobility and general health.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Aaron Alexander has created a wonderful guide for anyone looking to improve their physical and mental well-being through whole-body, whole-mind approaches. Alexander covers many trending approaches to health including natural movement, floor-sitting, barefoot walking, mindfulness, breath-work, eye-exercises, and cold exposure.
While Alexander does consistently back up theories with scientific studies, the injection of this scientific evidence seems somehow forced - like he was writing a college essay and knew he had to back up his claims and so he went out and found some evidence and just shoved it in.
Otherwise, it is a solid book that would be a great resource for someone either new to these ideas or someone well versed in them who wants to keep one book on hand as a general reference.
Aaron alexander made an effort to write this book. It is not really an extraordinary writing.
He presented un this book several subjects including the beneficial of movement throughout the day including the 5 daily movements (walking, hangin...) environment(clothing, home, office...) And sens (meditation, music..) and other tips for well-being and living well.
You better follow him on Instagram or YouTube and watch his video movement tutorials.
Loved it! Basically sums up how to be a healthier person by improving your movement, breathing, and sleep patterns plus many more little tricks to optimize your wellbeing. To sum it up: sit on the floor for at least 10 minutes a day, hang from something daily to decompress your shoulders, take care of your sleep and expose your eyes and skin to the sun in the morning to level up your circadian rhythm, breathe through the nose and use the diaphragm, dance more, sing more, and enjoy life.
This is a great book on movement within the body and how amazing we humans can truly be. Not just movement but lifestyle advancement overall. Aaron brings his bodywork knowledge to play in this bad boy and lays out the facts in a fascinating and energetic way. Perhaps it is because I listen to his podcast that I read this book in Aaron's vocal tone and though that, his ability to be genuine in his enthusiastic approach to human health and wellness is truly remarkable. Loved this book!
First of all, this book is well-researched. I'd already read many of the books that Aaron Alexander cited. I found myself nodding along to many of the things he shared. I gained an appreciation of the ideas he posited and am willing to try some of the stretching and alignment exercises he suggests. My only complaint is that I had the audiobook and there was no pdf included to show photos of the positions. I ended up checking out the ebook to look at those.
The thesis of this book was compelling, and certainly supported by empirical evidence. I'm not drinking the kool-aid with every recommendation the author makes (ie- I'll sleep just fine on my mattress made of non-organic materials), but there are many kinematic principles/techniques presented that possess pareto principle effectiveness. In regards to the broad paradigm the author is purporting, I'm picking up what he's putting down .
I really enjoyed reading this book! Lots of great advice and very well-written. Alexander is very honest and factual. I especially enjoyed the section on shoes and heels, since I do have foot problems. I am encouraged to examine my posture, exercise habits and daily living habits to improve my health. I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm so glad I did! Thank you!
I can't say enough great things about this book. I have been applying lots of these principles for months now and really notice a difference. I even set up a floor desk for my homeschooled kids and myself. This is a keeper and one I will be referring to over and over and using to guide my kids towards better physical and environmental alignment.
Simple but effective steps for a healthier life. I am now more thoughtful, aware, and playful about posture and movement. I dance, hang from tree branches, and watch TV sitting the floor. If only I could cut down the mouth breathing....
the first part is interesting and plausible. not anything earth shattering as far as the advice. but the 2nd part kind of goes off the rails for me. a lot of pseudoscience with very few legit references for claims made. Read at your own risk, and definitely fact check.
Interesting read with some good advice for increasing mobility and decreasing my back/hip pain. Some of the things the author believes are a little “woo woo” for me (making your flexibility/mobility a priority can help you find love and succeed in your career!🙄), but it was still a good read.
Audio book. Excellent job reading. Methods are really good. Difficult to write down the assignment whiles driving had to listen again at home to get more out of book.
Good information and well laid out and explained. Not a lot of new info for me with the training I’ve already had but I would recommend to friends who haven’t had any and need a good place to start.