Have you ever noticed how the best athletes in the world make it look, well.. easy? They just move well. Did someone teach them, or were they just born that way? Good questions. What about you: do you train diligently but struggle with plateaus or injuries? Maybe you freeze up while lead climbing, notice that you train hard but don’t feel great during the race, want to explore how to be more efficient, or perhaps you just feel that something is still missing?
Though I’m a musician by trade, the outdoors is my “other” life. I have run and hiked long distances, completed two extended self-supported bike tours, won a number of races on road and mountain bikes, worked as a mountain guide for teens, taught for the Mountaineers, rock climbed throughout the West, and scaled many peaks in the North Cascades. Currently I am a mama to two young kids, which is physically challenging in a new way. I don’t do a lot of the crazy things I used to, but am still very much an athlete. In 2022, my husband and I left behind our city life and moved our family to a small outdoor city so we could access nature from our doorstep.
In my outdoor life, I have observed many great athletes, people who struggled, and many in between. Some athletes move well, even when the going is tough. In contrast, some are strong but tighten or interfere right when they need to be moving fluidly and powerfully, leading to subpar performances, falls while climbing, plateaus, or extra anxiety.
The Alexander Technique is often known as the performer’s secret weapon, taught at conservatories like Juilliard. Guess what? Musicians are athletes on a tiny playing field. The Alexander Technique can help athletes whose playgrounds are larger. I teach people how to stop interfering and start tapping into their natural ability to move well–even (or especially) when the stakes are high.
The Alexander Technique takes place in the space between thought and action. You can learn to override old habits with new ones. It offers a new, efficient way to improve your sport. Interested? Here’s how lessons work. Contact me.
Lisa Toner Studio 