'If you have a strong sense of what your needs are as far as comfort and ease of motion go, then you'll adjust your surroundings to fit you, rather than the other way around,' says Hong Kong instructor Peter Schneider.

The technique was developed in 1904 by an Australian actor, Frederick Matthias Alexander. He had developed chronic laryngitis, and was determined to get his voice back. So he studied himself speaking and noticed his problem was caused by muscular tension. He developed a simple method of balancing his head, neck and back that not only improved his voice but also his overall health.

Alexander believed that only by observing the body in motion can one develop the kinaesthetic awareness to learn less destructive movements. Instructors don't physically manipulate you - they guide people through movements such as sitting and standing, and help to identify and stop patterns of movement that cause tension.

'Over a period of time, you lose the deeper muscle tone in the spine,' says Schneider. 'Once you become set into a particular range of motion, it's really difficult to find your way back out again.'

By learning not to strain or collapse while moving, students discover movements can be fluid and easy. With time, they develop a sense of wholeness and lightness by letting go and softening their muscles. Typically, the technique is taught one-on-one. The number of lessons required depends on the individual.

According to Schneider, unlearning bad habits is as much a mental exercise as a physical one. 'It enables you to start thinking about the different muscles and areas of the body and how they should be co-ordinated together,' he says.

Because the Alexander technique is a holistic approach, it doesn't claim to relieve specific problems, such as a backache, but rather to correct the source of those muscle-related problems. But Schneider says many students say they not only feel relaxed and energised but relieved of certain problem areas.