Structural Integration (also known as Rolfing) is a unique system of bodywork that aims to improve your body's posture, alignment, flexibility and ease of movement!
It is based on the idea that the force of gravity exerts a downward pressure on our bodies. A body that is out of alignment may feel this pressure as tightness, decreased energy or chronic pain.
Take a good look at your body in a full length mirror and see if one shoulder or one hip is higher than another, or looks more forward than the other. Check the range of motion of your neck, shoulders and hips and see if one side moves better than the other. These are good simple ways to see if your body would benefit from Rolf Structural Integration! After balancing the body, one will usually feel a sense of lightness and ease, increased energy, increased range of motion and a reduction in chronic tension and pain.
How does it work? Structural Integration aligns and balances the body by lengthening and repositioning the connective tissue known as fascia. Fascia surrounds the muscles, bones and organs in the body, giving the muscles their shape and the body its structure. As fascia is lengthened, it allows the muscles to move more efficiently. The practitioner will apply pressure to the body, working the entire fascial system in a systematic way. When restricted fascia is released and lengthened, the body can return to its structurally optimal position.
Why does fascia need lengthening? The continuing pull of gravity, the stress of daily activities, and physical injuries can pull the body out of alignment. The fascia gradually shortens, tightens and adjusts to accommodate this misalignment. When the body is out of alignment, it creates inefficiency and imbalance resulting in stiffness, discomfort and loss of energy.
When the body is aligned and balanced, it moves with greater ease and requires less energy to function. Good posture is effortless and breathing is easier. The body becomes more flexible, more coordinated, and athletic performance improves.
What is a typical session like? Allow 90 minutes for you first session. After that, sessions last about 75 minutes. Your posture and movement will be evaluated before, during and after the session. You will be asked to participate in these sessions by being asked to breathe or make specific movements while a stroke is being done. A lot of work is also done in the seated position on the table or bench.
Can I just do individual sessions instead of the 10 session series? Yes. While a full 10-series is the most favorable approach to producing long lasting results, you can certainly benefit from fewer sessions if you would prefer not to commit to the whole series, or you if just want to address one or two problem areas. We can tailor individual sessions to your needs or design a "treatment plan" for your unique circumstances.
How many sessions are needed? Traditionally, Structural Integration has been performed over the course of a ten session series. This works best because the whole series is viewed as a process toward improving your health. The ten sessions follow a systematic approach to re-sculpt the body and bring it into better balance. Each session prepares the body for the next session and makes sure that the whole body is addressed. Poor posture and myofascial compensations have taken years to put their imprint on your body, but in just ten sessions, Rolf Structural integration can put your body on a better, more upright path toward improved health and well-being! The optimal frequency is once a week or every other week (however the work is still effective if longer breaks between sessions are required).
Why get rolfed? People choose to go through the Rolf 10-Series for many reasons. These reasons can have there origins in our body's history of accidents, patterns of tension, habitual use and overuse. All of these stresses cause our tissues to shorten and harden, which then often lead to restricted movement, aches and pains which interfere with our quality of life.
-- Structural Alignment - Many people are now realizing how poor posture affects there body and life and come to the Rolf Method to achieve a body that is more balanced, feels freer, moves easier and usually feels better!
-- Chronic Pain - Many clients come for help with chronic pain. These complaints can be neck and lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ or headache pain. With these clients, I work to balance restrictions directly related to their complaint and also balance their entire structure in order to help prevent re-ocurrence of that complaint.
-- Injury - Clients come complaining of the results of car accidents and sports injuries, added on to the years of strain already accumulated in the body.
-- Tension, Stress and Depression - Many clients come becuse they want relief from chronic patterns of physical and emotional tensions. They may even be participating in activities such as yoga, massage, chiropractic adjustments, Pilates classes, exercise programs and psychotherapy. The Rolf Method can be a wonderful complement to these and other modalities that you may already be using. In addition, I may also recommend activities like these to support and extend the results of our work together.
-- Athletic Performance - Whether you are into running, bicycling, golf, yoga, martial arts, tennis, or any other sport or activity, the Rolf Method can help improve your performance. Many professional atheletes have turned to Rolfing to improve their game!
-- More ENERGY! - The muscles of a structurally aligned body move easier and consume less vital energy which is then available for other tasks!
"Isn't Rolfing® painful?" This is one of the most common misconceptions of this work (and is a comment usually made by people who haven't even experienced it!). In the old days of the work, this may have been true, but since then it has evolved to more of an art form. The pressure used may range from very light and gentle to quite firm and deep --- but it will never be more than your body can handle. You are always in control and can say "less pressure... (or more pressure!)." It is unfortunate if someone lets this misconception prevent them from experiencing the awesome power of this work.
What do I wear? It is best to receive Rolf sessions in your underwear, since you will be asked to stand up and walk often during the session. You may also wear cotton gym shorts and a sports bra or a bathing suit (2 piece for women) if it makes you more comfortable.
Contact Mark Rogers at Advanced Bodywork LLC
(248) 761-4135
The term "Rolfing" is the registered trademark of the
Rolf Institute of Structural Integration
