What Is the Feldenkrais Method? A Detailed Scientific Guide to This Type of Somatic Movement

Modern-day living doesn’t exactly set the stage for healthy movement. Many of us have desk jobs that leave us sedentary for most of the day, long commutes that add to our sitting time, and rest and relaxation that involves posting up in front of the TV. Plus, stress from overwork and busyness can tax our mental health nonstop.

That is perhaps why interest in mind-body therapies and wellness practices has skyrocketed in the past couple of decades. Now, nearly one-fifth of adults report engaging in a mind-body healing practice, according to recent research. Somatic movement practices like yoga, tai chi, and qigong, as well as mind-based disciplines like meditation, are becoming more commonly used to support improved well-being.

In addition to these, the Feldenkrais Method, another somatic and mind-body practice, has emerged with rising interest in the wellness community. With a growing number of certified instructors, you may be hearing more about this practice — and how it may help you improve your well-being.

The Feldenkrais Method is a somatic practice (meaning “learning from within”) that teaches students that movement is based on meaningful intention and awareness, as noted by a systematic review published in 2015 in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The goal is to take this awareness and use it to improve your movement patterns, which will eventually help improve your functionality during everyday activities. The method is aligned with goals that are similar to physical and occupational therapy, and it was founded on the human potential for “learning how to learn,” according to past research.

The Feldenkrais Method was developed by Moshe Feldenkrais, a doctor of science and “engineer, physicist, inventor, martial artist, and student of human development,” according to the International Feldenkrais Federation. Born in the early 1900s in Eastern Europe, he played soccer and practiced judo, and a chronic knee injury prompted him to use his knowledge to develop the Feldenkrais Method, according to the Feldenkrais Guild of North America (FGNA). He trained 300 practitioners in the Feldenkrais Method from 1969 to 1983, and according to FGNA, there are now more than 10,000 teachers and practitioners around the world.

During a class, instructors guide students through “a series of movement- and sensation-based explorations,” per the aforementioned systematic review. For students, that requires breaking larger movements down into slow, gentle, micromovements, which are ultimately designed to improve one’s function. Throughout class, you may move a certain way, pay attention to the feedback your body is providing, and then make adjustments to move in a way that feels easier, flows better, or isn’t painful.

As you take slow, small, and quiet movements, “you reinscribe this information into your nervous system,” says Emily Stein, a Guide Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner in Chicago, describing her experience. Creating those brain-body connections is the foundation for learning how to move and function in ways that serve your body better. This nervous system integration may also allow you to perform the movements without having to consciously think or remember to do them.

There are two ways in which someone can practice the Feldenkrais Method, according to FGNA: in a group class or an individual class.

Awareness Through Movement

Dubbed ATM for short, Awareness Through Movement is done in a group setting, where an instructor gives verbal cues about how to move throughout the class. It is a good way for beginners to learn the practice and become accustomed to the method.

Functional Integration

These sessions involve meeting with an instructor one-on-one for a hands-on class and more individually tailored guidance. The instructor walks you through the movements using verbal cues and touch, if you’re comfortable with it.

One of the intriguing things about Feldenkrais is that you can apply it in many ways, whether you’re a performer in the arts, a retiree, or someone who struggles with chronic pain. Here are some of the potential health benefits gleaned from incorporating this complementary health approach and type of somatic movement into your wellness routine:

1. May Help Manage Pain

Physically, Feldenkrais may help you identify habitual movement patterns that are causing you pain and guide you as you learn new ones to correct those imbalances. Mentally, it may also help with pain acceptance, a critical component of pain management. A small randomized controlled trial published in 2020 in Clinical Rehabilitation found that of 60 people with nonspecific chronic low-back pain, those who took twice-weekly Feldenkrais sessions for five weeks reported better function and quality of life, compared with a control group that used core-stability exercises.

2. May Improve Your Balance

As you age, taking a fall can lead to a serious disability or other health concerns. For older adults, using the Feldenkrais Method can help you boost your balance, improve your mobility and gait, and build confidence in staying on your feet, according to the aforementioned systematic review.

3. May Assist in Rehabilitation

Regaining mobility and function following an injury or stroke, or as part of therapy for a neuromuscular disorder, can require multiple types of treatment. A Feldenkrais practice might fit into that, if approved by your physician, as it may help you regain brain-body connections that govern movement, says Andy Belser, a Lincoln, Nebraska–based certified teacher of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement.

Authors of recent research on the effectiveness of movement-based therapies for rehabilitation, including Feldenkrais, note the limitations of scientific evidence for its benefits, but they also say that it may be an empowering, safe, and cost-effective supplemental therapy for patients who are looking to improve physical performance and self-efficacy.

4. May Improve Artistic or Athletic Performance

Whether you’re trying to improve your golf drive or mobility on stage, Feldenkrais can “teach the brain-body to interact — and in a sense, get out of its own way — so you can move more efficiently,” says Belser, who is also dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska. (Essentially, it may strengthen the mind-body connection, so that you can perform without overthinking.) Through Feldenkrais, you may gain an understanding of what is happening with your body in a new way. In short, it may cultivate mental awareness of how the body is moving, enhancing your physical mechanics, so that, over time, proper form and function become second nature.

5. May Help You Age Well

Feldenkrais is generally safe and suitable for all ages, including older adults and the elderly. Past research indicates that Feldenkrais may be used as a means of gentle movement, support (via a group class setting), and creating mindfulness, a combination of which can factor into healthy aging and positive perceptions of growing older.

The Feldenkrais Method is generally safe, as it’s made up of slow, methodical movements. During class, you’ll most likely begin and end lying on the floor, says Stein, so you’ll want to make sure you can comfortably get up and down. If that kind of mobility is difficult for you, talk to the practitioner about a class that may suit your physical abilities or ask if a one-on-one session is better for your needs.

One issue is that there hasn’t been a lot of research evaluating the safety of the Feldenkrais Method, beyond anecdotal determinations, as a past study points out. Another potential issue the research notes is that, via their outreach to Feldenkrais practitioners, it was determined that the majority did not also hold additional medical credentials, whether in conventional or complementary and integrative medicine.

If you are seeking treatment for a medical issue, it’s important that you talk to your healthcare provider or an integrative medical professional to get clearance before adding Feldenkrais Method classes to your treatment plan.

To choose a qualified provider, review the Feldenkrais Method provider’s credentials to ensure that they’re certified in the practice, as well as (possibly) hold additional healthcare certifications that would be important for your health concerns.

This mind-body practice is widely available and is generally considered safe for most people interested in trying it.

Who Feldenkrais Is For

If you are dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury or illness, need a source of gentle movement or a meditation-like practice, or are a performance artist, you may want to try a Feldenkrais class and see how it works for you.

Who Should Avoid Feldenkrais

If you are recovering from surgery or have cancer or any other serious health condition, talk to your doctor before starting something new. Even though Feldenkrais is a gentle practice, it’s important to ensure that the method fits alongside your physician’s treatment plan to address your health concerns and/or recovery.

Interested in trying a class for yourself or building the practice into your wellness routine? Here’s where you can find a qualified practitioner and take classes that fit your schedule:

Search for a Certified Feldenkrais Method Practitioner

The Feldenkrais Guild of North America provides certifications. You can find an instructor in your area through the search tool on Feldenkrais.com. Once you find one, look at their website to see if their teachings align with what you’re looking for and your physical abilities. Feel free to email them to ask questions before taking a class.

Join a Public Class

If you’re new, opt for an introductory class. A great place to start is with a public class, which will be designed around teaching a diverse group of people who may also be in the room for the first time.

Try a Zoom or Online Class

Search online for a certified instructor who offers a live online or Zoom class. You can also find recorded classes that you can listen to and follow along with at your leisure, provided you’ve cleared it with your physician. One place to look, Belser recommends, is through the Open ATM project at openatm.org.

Here’s how to prepare, so that you can make the most out of each session:

Before: Get Comfortable

Always wear comfortable clothes to an Awareness Through Movement class. Expect to be in a room with a group of people, where you’ll spread out and find your own space, similar to being in a yoga class. (If you are doing an online class at home, find a comfortable and quiet space in your home.) Bring what you need for your own comfort, such as a small pillow to go under your neck, or a yoga mat or blanket, if needed.

During: Allow for Interpretation

If you are taking an Awareness Through Movement class, you’ll usually begin and end lying on the floor. The practitioner will give you verbal instructions that describe the movements you’ll make, says Stein. They will not demonstrate the movement. “How you interpret those instructions is how your body responds and how you learn,” she says. Expect each movement to be smaller, slower, and less obviously beneficial than what you would do in an exercise class.

You may also realize that one side of your body works differently than the other, which is completely normal. Ultimately, through the class you are developing an inner map or understanding of yourself, which, over time, will translate into how you move and function in the real world, says Stein.

After: Cultivate Patience

Feldenkrais is a process of learning about your body — and creating mind-body connections can take time. You may notice that when you get up off the floor after class, your body feels different and more relaxed than when you laid down. Other times, you may not notice anything new. “Learning is not a linear process. It’s both chaotic and cumulative,” says Stein. The more you practice, the more of a difference the classes may make for your body, but this method of relearning to move takes time.

You can also take what you’ve learned and consciously apply it to your everyday life, says Belser. “There are always ways to let awareness creep into daily practice. By practicing in bits and pieces, learning begins to happen and integrate into your daily life,” he says. He gives the example, from his own experience, of sitting in a car and shifting his hip bones to align under his head. “What you should take away from class is an awareness that can help you change your function no matter what you’re doing,” he says.

If you are seeing a healthcare provider who is certified in the Feldenkrais Method and your insurance covers that provider, you may be able to get your sessions covered, but always check with your provider’s billing department, which can help you make sense of your benefits.

More commonly, though, you will pay out of pocket for a class or one-on-one session. Some practitioners hold in-person or online classes that are based on a “suggested donation,” in which case you may pay a small, optional fee (usually $5 to $15) to attend.

Best Websites

Feldenkrais Guild of North America

This is the preeminent website for Feldenkrais. There are two things you should definitely check out here: First, the brief introductory videos for Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration, which will help you picture what these two approaches look like. And second, the Practitioner Search tool, where you can search by location to find a guild-certified practitioner in your area or search by name to verify certification status. You can also search by keyword if you have a specific concern.

Best for Online Classes

openATM.org Project

If you’d rather take an Awareness Through Movement class at home, you can find many recordings that are 30 to 60-plus minutes in length, which you can download and listen to at your leisure. These audio classes are free.

Best Summit

Feldenkrais Awareness Summit

Launched in 2018 by Cincinnati-based Cynthia Allen, this free virtual event, which runs annually, focuses on a variety of practices and wellness topics. Topics in 2022 for the “Move Better, Feel Better Summit” covered somatic explorations in outdoor activities, sexuality, reducing anxiety, as well as dozens of Awareness Through Movement lessons.

Best Books

Awareness Through Movement: Easy-to-Do Health Exercises to Improve Your Posture, Vision, Imagination, and Personal Awareness

This book, by Moshe Feldenkrais, is an updated version of his classic book that dives in to the method for those who are interested in making this approach a part of their life. What’s more, it features a dozen lessons that tune you in to your posture, breathing, eye movement, and conscious awareness of parts of your body that you may not usually pay any attention to. Though the prose is slightly robotic and can be dense to get through, it is considered a foundational text.

The Busy Person’s Guide to Easier Movement: 50 Ways to Achieve a Healthy, Happy, Pain-Free and Intelligent Body

Written by Frank Wildman, PhD, this book is based on Moshe Feldenkrais’s teachings but also provides movement lessons that are applicable to what you do and how you move in the real world. For example, how to sit better at your desk or in the car, how to release tension in your jaw, as well as learning the art of stress relief, easing back pain, and walking in a more comfortable and elegant way.