Evolve with Rolfing

Rolfing is a sophisticated and scientifically validated series of ten 'hands on' bodywork and movement re-education sessions. The Rolfing process systematically and cumulatively releases and realigns all the segments of the body with respect to a central line of gravity. Once a body's structure is balanced, optimal function in movement can be experienced.

Rolfing addresses patterns of shortening and binding in the body, which lead to structural imbalance. As the years pass, we accumulate these patterns of restriction through factors such as:

Unbalanced patterns of body usage such as continually carrying a heavy bag over the same shoulder or a child on the same hip.

Repetitive movement patterns as performed in many occupations - for example, computer work, hairdressing, painting etc.

Asymmetrical body use as found in sports including tennis and golf that use one side of the body more than the other.

Adaptations to avoid the pain of injuries such as walking 'around' a sore leg , or maintaining the limp after the injury has healed.

Our emotional states - in many ways our body structure is the outward reflection of our emotional states and visa versa. Could you imagine someone with rounded shoulders, a slumped chest and their face directed toward the ground having a positive, happy and motivated nature?

A body out of balance will succumb to gravity like any other structure that loses its architectural integrity. Excessive energy will be wasted as the body's owner struggles against the pull of gravity to maintain good posture.

Rolfers predominately work with the fascial network of the body. Fascia is a type of connective tissue that wraps, supports, penetrates and connects all our muscles and organs. In fact, fascia envelops every functional unit of our body. The fascial network is responsible for determining our body's structure by adapting to and reflecting the forces applied to it. It does this by shortening, thickening and binding tissue layers in areas under strain. This results in the various segments of our body tilting, twisting and shifting in relation to each other, thus compressing and limiting mobility across joints. Effectively, our body structure is a direct result of our habitual movement and usage patterns.

For example, an office worker may habitually hold their phone between their ear and shoulder. Eventually the local connective tissue will adaptively respond by shortening and laying down additional collagen fibres which has the effect of tilting the head toward the shoulder and literally 'setting' that person in their habit.

It is this same fascial plasticity responsible for deforming body structure that the Rolfing process exploits to reorganise structure. Through intelligently applied interventions, the Rolfer is able to assist the body's own self regulating mechanisms to hydrate, free and lengthen fascial restrictions thus decompressing joints and permitting body segments to realign.

To complement and enhance the structural interventions of Rolfing, the Rolfing practitioner may also include experiential movement activities to re-educate inhibiting movement patterns and to explore new options for movement arising from the client's newly found structural freedom.

A structurally and functionally integrated body evokes grace, ease and efficiency in movement.

Photos courtesy of The Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration