Work Methods & Techniques

The Feldenkrais method offers two approaches (techniques) - the main difference between each one is how it is implemented during training:

Functional Integration (FI) - individual training, generally effected through touch.

Awareness Through Movement (ATM) - group training in movement, with instruction by the facilitator.

FI - Individual Training

The facilitator practioner uses his or her hands to move and organise the movement and posture system. The use of hands helps students to learn in a such a way that the new information is assimilated clearly and exactly, and the nervous systems and skeleton receive a clear message about the new organisation. The contact enables the sense of propriospace orprioseptic (feeling the bones and joints), shows the brain the location of its organs, creates a fuller picture of the system, and enhances self-perception. There is a change in the way relations between the body's different organs are organised - each one becomes organised in relation to the field of gravity. In this state, full use can be made of the movement and posture system, and all the joints and muscles perform only their specific roles. Here, the objective is to prevent situations where specific parts of the body are overloaded with the tasks of posture and movement, while other parts do not function at all because the brain is unaware of their location.

After the class, people feel that when they stand, their skeleton provides support. The muscles are less engaged in holding the skeleton and are now able to play their role in generating movement. Standing and walking become much easier. The student's memories of the new feelings remain within the system over time. People remember, listen to themselves, examine and identify; they organise themselves in accordance with their feelings from the lesson.

ATM - Group Training in Movement

Moshe Feldenkrais developed the group lesson format by using the individual lessons as a base, so as to make group learning more efficient. Words take the place of touch. They help the students to move ahead, train them to listen to themselves, and to process the words as movements (unlike the individual classes, where students do not have to process, interpret and understand).

In group lessons, students must direct their attention to the processes of movement and how it is experienced (kinaesthetic sense), and have to develop the ability for self-listening. With its help, they choose and guide their direction in movement, and learn to know the components of actions: correct timing, directions, rate of performance, and the degree of force to be invested. All of these features are intended to achieve good quality actions. If one of these conditions is not met, the action's quality is impaired, and can lead to disorders. The pace of Awareness Through Movement gives each individual the time s/he requires to absorb the idea of the movement, and the form of the new knowledge. Learning is aimed at being enjoyable and simple. It's a totally different learning process from formal academic learning in school. It is more important to learn how to learn, than to seek achievement-based success. Lack of success in the learning process is an anticipated and necessary stage in the learning process, but immediately after the class, posture improves, walking becomes easier and does not involve the sense of effort.

The structure of group classes (movement lessons) is based on the development and movement structure of babies and children. Starting with the crawling and rolling-over functions, proceeding to classes based on jumping and hopping functions. Many classes are devoted to running and its improvement; there are classes which integrate complex movements with the basics of the various martial arts in which Moshe Feldenkrais was an expert. Judo is an important basis for the Method's development.

In summary, the Method is grounded on knowledge of human development, in its entirety. All ages can be worked with, in creating learning process in every human being, at any age, in any culture and language.