I'm a teacher-in-training and I got to this stack via Reddit. Thanks for this resource, I'll be looking through your archives!
I'm currently massage-table shopping and I wanted to ask about your experience. That looks like a firm table, am I right? I am not sure whether to get firm or semi-firm foam on my table and I don't want to make the wrong decision and be stuck with the wrong table... do you have thoughts on which of those is best for the Alexander Technique and table work? Thanks for any input!
Hi Leona - congratulations on deciding to teach! That's a big step!
As for the type of table to get, that really depends on a variety of factors. I'll share some random thoughts:
1. Karen Wentworty does all 'table work's on the floor on a carpet. You can't get full access to the atlanto-occipital joint but you can do A LOT like this.
2. Firm and wide tables like I use give the student a good feedback for the left v right side of the back. They can really feel if they tend to twist to the left or right and you can help them release based on the contact with the table.
3. Squishier tables give you the ability to more easily slide the hands under the students back and get access to the ribs; particularly the floating ribs. Encouraging the widening there with a little 'rub nudge' out wide feel amazing and can really help the whole rib cage open up.
I suppose my point is that you can achieve all of these things to one degree or another with any table. The one thing you can't modify is the width of the table. If the table is too narrow the student's elbows will hang over the edge. That can feel uncomfortable for some folks and cause them to stiffen up. So basically if you use a table, make sure it's WIDE. if it's too firm, you can always place a soft pad on top of it (or a heating pad if you've got the gumption).
I opted for the wide feldenkrais table made by earthlite (or some such name). It's pricey, needs to be raised with bed risers to get the right height, but overall I can modify it to what I need. It's 31" I think.
Learn to give floor turns so that you're adaptable!
That's a very interesting idea, I've never had work done on me or done work on anybody on the floor. I've never even seen it done! Youtube time perhaps 😊 thanks for your help!
Hi John,
I'm a teacher-in-training and I got to this stack via Reddit. Thanks for this resource, I'll be looking through your archives!
I'm currently massage-table shopping and I wanted to ask about your experience. That looks like a firm table, am I right? I am not sure whether to get firm or semi-firm foam on my table and I don't want to make the wrong decision and be stuck with the wrong table... do you have thoughts on which of those is best for the Alexander Technique and table work? Thanks for any input!
Hi Leona - congratulations on deciding to teach! That's a big step!
As for the type of table to get, that really depends on a variety of factors. I'll share some random thoughts:
1. Karen Wentworty does all 'table work's on the floor on a carpet. You can't get full access to the atlanto-occipital joint but you can do A LOT like this.
2. Firm and wide tables like I use give the student a good feedback for the left v right side of the back. They can really feel if they tend to twist to the left or right and you can help them release based on the contact with the table.
3. Squishier tables give you the ability to more easily slide the hands under the students back and get access to the ribs; particularly the floating ribs. Encouraging the widening there with a little 'rub nudge' out wide feel amazing and can really help the whole rib cage open up.
I suppose my point is that you can achieve all of these things to one degree or another with any table. The one thing you can't modify is the width of the table. If the table is too narrow the student's elbows will hang over the edge. That can feel uncomfortable for some folks and cause them to stiffen up. So basically if you use a table, make sure it's WIDE. if it's too firm, you can always place a soft pad on top of it (or a heating pad if you've got the gumption).
Thanks for reading!
Thanks so much for your thoughts! I will ponder them well... seems like there are pros and cons to most options anyway!
How wide do you think is necessary? I don't want to go too high up in weight, but would a 31" table be better than a 29"?
I opted for the wide feldenkrais table made by earthlite (or some such name). It's pricey, needs to be raised with bed risers to get the right height, but overall I can modify it to what I need. It's 31" I think.
Learn to give floor turns so that you're adaptable!
That's a very interesting idea, I've never had work done on me or done work on anybody on the floor. I've never even seen it done! Youtube time perhaps 😊 thanks for your help!