Today I went to my biweekly Alexander Technique lesson with Frances Marsden. We got deep into spirals. Each time you hit a tennis ball, you are spiraling. Well, if you’re not, you should be. I thought I was spiraling but actually I was twisting. What’s the difference? Twisting means turning your entire body quickly like you do when you think you just saw your ex-girlfriend walk down the street and you spin around to look. Spiraling means turning your head then your shoulders then your chest then your waist and so on in a sequence that gracefully rotates the spine. Try it. Stand up and twist your body. Now spiral by turning your head then your shoulders, etc. and see how much farther you can turn.

The further you can spiral, the more power you can impart to a tennis ball.