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What is Rolfing®?Rolfing® is an original and scientifically validated system of body restructuring and movement education. It releases the body's segments - legs, torso, arms, etc. - from life long patterns of tension and bracing and permits gravity to realign them. Of all the forces affecting the human body gravity is the most powerful. Body misalignment in gravity results in chronic strain, lowered vitality and impaired biological and psychological functioning. Because the body is better balanced after Rolfing® it expends less vital energy against gravity. This biological energy efficiency is often experienced as a higher level of alertness and vitality. Movement becomes easier and overall personal functioning tends to improve.Rolfing® is Useful For:
 Read Jeffrey's article: What is Rolfing® Controversy and Position Read testimonials about how therapies have helped Jeffrey's clients. Leon Fleisher and RolfingŪ Structural Integration (YouTube Video) RolfingŪ Structural Integration and the Vikings (YouTube Video) Rolfing Structural Integration at Starkey Laboratories (YouTube Video) The following text is adapted from a Rolf Institute brochure titled:
An Approach Toward The Whole Human Being ...Toward The Whole Human BeingA human being is more than a collection of parts. There is a pattern, an order, in human bodies. That pattern - how parts fit and work together as a whole - is a basic factor in well-being or its lack.Rolfing® structural integration promotes well-being by enhancing the body's pattern of organization. It balances the body in gravity and enables participants to function at successively higher levels of efficiency and ease.
-Dr. Ida P. Rolf What is Rolfing®?Rolfing® is an original and scientifically validated system of body restructuring and movement education. It releases the body's segments - legs, torso, arms etc. - from life-long patterns of tension and bracing and permits gravity to re-align them. By doing so, it balances the body. Of all the forces affecting the human body gravity is among the most powerful. Body misalignment in gravity results in chronic strain, lowered vitality and impaired biological and psychological functioning. (Photos by W. Fortney)
People of all ages come to Rolfing® for help with neck pain, back problems, impaired mobility and other difficulties which originate with internal strains. Others seek to improve appearance, to improve athletic performance, and to enhance personal growth toward a fuller realization of their potential. Rolfing® results in a feeling of fitness and wholeness. People who have been Rolfed stand and move with more surety and grace than before. Because gravity exerts its force evenly, it tends to create strain in unbalanced bodies and to support balanced ones.
How Does Rolfing® Align the Body?
This Connective Tissue network, known as the myofascial system, is "the organ of structure" in the body. It supports the skeleton and soft tissues, positions the bones, determines the direction of muscle pulls and of movement, and gives the body its shape. Fascia, the body's "organ of structure" is laid down along lines of strain. It supports the body and gives it the shape it has. The human body holds itself erect with pairs of muscle groups functioning within a network of fascial sheaths. These pairs normally function in an antagonist relationship with one another. When none of the pair contracts the other must extend to maintain proper balance. (Photo by P. Fairchild)
The job of Rolfing® is to free the shortened fascia, allow the muscles to return to a balanced relationship and the body to release the compensations. When the myofascial system is organized, gravity causes it to uplift and align the body's segments. The Rolfing® SeriesThe basic Rolfing® series consists of ten sessions. A Rolfer starts by evaluating the client's structure and by taking photographs for later reference. The client is then asked to lie on the table, as the Rolfer sensitively applies just the right amount of pressure where the fascia is restricted.Rolfers don't just work with connective tissue: they work with rhythms of respiration and other responses of the body. They also educate the client in ways of using the new-found freedom. The client may be asked to breathe into the area being worked and / or to make synchronized movements. The combination of applied pressure and synchronized responses frees and repositions the connective tissue and aligns the body's segments.
Each Rolfing® session builds upon the results of the previous one, so that the results are cumulative. The first seven sessions remove strain from specific areas of the body: The lower back, neck, knees, etc. The remaining sessions organize and align the body as a whole, resulting in better balance, enhanced freedom of movement, and a higher energy level. Sessions last from an hour to an hour and a half. The amount of time between sessions varies and is determined on an individual basis. The average spacing is a week to two weeks. Are There Psychological Results from Rolfing®?
Rolfing® clients often report positive changes in their outlook on life and in their ability to handle emotional changes. Dr. Ida P. Rolf the originator of Rolfing® and founder of the Rolf Institute, works on a young client. (left photo)
Rolfing® and Research
2. There were less extraneous movements. 3. body movements were more dynamic and energetic. 4. Carriage was more erect and there was less obvious strain to maintain held positions." Abstracts of these studies are available through the Rolf Institute. How does Rolfing® feel?
Chronic discomforts often disappear immediately or soon after the series is completed. Does Rolfing® Last?Yes. Photographs show that the changes of the basic Rolfing® series are still present many years after the series is complete.On the Other hand, as bodies change, and people sometimes have injuries, accidents and stressful times, additional work may be useful. How much does Rolfing® cost?The total cost of the ten sessions of Rolfing® varies according to the Rolfer and the local economy. Most Rolfers charge session by session, and fees range from $100 to $200 per session. Movement Integration sessions are comparably priced.The Advanced SeriesFollowing completion of the basic series of Rolfing® and an integration period of six months to a year, clients often further the work they have received with a five session advanced series.Rolfing® Movement IntegrationRolfing® movement Integration is a separate system of work which forwards the same goal as Rolfing® itself. Where Rolfing® deals with patterns of structure, Rolfing® Movement Integration re-educates the body's movement patterns.Life is motion. When we are unable to meet life's demand to move in certain ways, tension results. Familiar symptoms of this kind of tension are low energy, aching muscles and stress. A Rolfing® Movement Integration teacher works to guide the client in replacing binding tension patterns with free and well integrated movement. Rolfing® Movement Integration usually consists of eight or more sessions spaced one to more weeks apart. Sessions can be done in groups or in private. Movement work can be done for its own value or as a powerful aid to the manipulative work. About the Rolf InstituteThe Rolf Institute was founded in 1971 to carry on Dr. Rolf's work. Its major purposes are to train Rolfers and Rolfing® Movement teachers, to carry on research and to provide information to the public. Only individuals trained and certified by the Rolf Institute may use the Rolfing® service mark.The Rolfing® TrainingThe Rolf Institute conducts trainings in Rolfing® for individuals who have completed the required coursework in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, have demonstrated an ability in hands on work such as massage or physical therapy, and who have the maturity and sensitivity to work with people using this technique.Information about Rolfing® and Rolfing® Movement Integration is available from the Rolf Institute and Includes
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