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Rolfing® 101
Greetings!
It's in our brochures, on our website and even referred to in the very name of our business - Balance Massage and Structural Bodywork. But what does it mean? What is Rolfing, and what is meant by Rolfing Structural Integration?
In the first official issue of Find Your Balance we will explain Rolfing, the concepts on which it is based and the benfits it can offer so you can deterimine if Rolfing Structural Integration might be right for you.
Also in this issue, we will introduce (or reintroduce for some of you) our resident Certified Rolfing Pracitioner™ and the owner of Balance Massage and Structural Bodywork, Ms. Lu Müller-Kaul.
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What is Rolfing® Structural Integration?
Rolfing Structural Integration is typically applied in a series of ten sessions known as the Basic 10 Series.
Each session targets a particular region of the body and has specific structural and functional goals. All the sessions after the first build on the results of the previous sessions.
Session 1 begins with diagnostics - including photographs for posture analysis - followed by work on the shoulders and rib cage, the back of the legs and around the hips. The structural goal is to enable the shoulders to fall back naturally so the subject can stand and sit with an open chest. The functional goal is to ease breathing and allow the subject to already feel their posture and mobility improving.
The following sessions also have specific goals, building from the progress gained in previous sessions. While they all include neck and back work and other areas as determined necessary by the Rolfer™, each session also has specific areas of focus as follows:
Session 2 - feet and lower legs.
Session 3 - the whole outer sideline of the body with special
focus on the hips and ribs.
Session 4 - inner legs and hips.
Session 5 - hip flexors and front side of the lumbar spine.
Session 6 - the back and back of the legs.
Session 7 - head, neck and shoulders.
Sessions 8 & 9 are determined by the Rolfer based on the individual's progress in previous sessions. Any additional work needed in previous areas will be addressed in these sessions.
Session 10 - also determined by the Rolfer and based on any additional work needed - brings closure to all the previous sessions. By the end of this session the subject should be well anchored to the best alignment in both their structure and their neuro-motoric systems that they can achieve at this stage. With their newly enhanced body awareness and flexibility the subject can now find better alignment themselves. They will know when they slip into old patterns of bad posture and can easily self-correct; thereby continuing to improver their own alignment without further treatment. |
How Does Rolfing® Work
Fascia - which comprises the fascial web - is like a thin
film of fibrous connective tissue separating or binding together muscles and
organs. Essentially, it is the stuff
that holds everything inside our bodies in their proper place. "The proper place," meaning in alignment
with the forces of gravity so the body moves most efficiently for how it is
designed.
Humans, like all creatures, have a body structure that
works most efficiently when properly aligned to its original
specifications. However, because of
work and life's routines, we put our bodies through repetitive motions on a
daily basis that distort that proper alignment.
Fascia also has the troublesome property of easily adapting
to support whatever posture the body adopts. As the fascial web changes to support the postures of our daily
repetitive motions, it can shorten and tighten, causing it to pull on the
muscles and restrict motion in the joints. This restriction forces the muscles
to strain more when performing even the simplest of tasks. This is how someone can suddenly "throw out"
their back by simply getting out of a car or bending over to pick up a piece of
small trash.
Biochemist Dr. Ida Rolf discovered through her research
that while the fascia's malleability (or mold-ability) causes it to adapt to
bad posture and restrict movement it can, through manual manipulation, also be
restored to support good posture and flexibility. If the fascial web is properly supporting the body's ideal alignment,
many of the chronic pain and recurring issues related to muscle stress and
tension can be eliminated.
The modalities we are more familiar with -
Chiropractics, Osteopathy, Massage Therapy - effect changes on the joints and
muscles whereas Rolfing® is directed at effecting changes in the fascial web.
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Could Rolfing® Help You?
 It is true that a more upright, vertical structure
brings a different perspective, a different way of using the body in
daily life - even different emotions. And Rolfing® can resolve pain and discomfort from many different causes.
Imagine living in a flexible and well balanced body that is free of pain, stiffness and chronic stress. Imagine your body at ease with itself and able to adapt to life's physical, mental and emotional challenges.
If you think your body should feel better and move more easily then Rolfing may be right for you. If you are considering Rolfing, you're next step is to seek a Rolfing Consultation.
During your consultation the practitioner will use the diagnostic techniques learned in their training to evaluate the best course of action for every client's unique situation.
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Introducing
Lu Müller-Kaul
Lu started working with deep tissue massages 14 years ago while studying alternative medicine at a naturopathy college.
To what at first was a sports massage she added skills from further education and practical experience:
Neuromuscular and Trigger Point techniques, elements of TuiNa
(traditional Chinese bodyworks), Reflexology, stretches and soft tissue
manipulation techniques.
In her practice in Germany Lu was working
with a combination of different massage modalities and used acupuncture
for fast relief of pain and tension.
She became a specialist for
back issues in general, especially sciatic pain, tense neck and
shoulders and the resulting headaches, vertigo and tinnitus.
Her ambition to help her clients further led her to Being in Balance®
Movement Exercises for better posture, balance and coordination as well as more strength, flexibility and range of motion.
In 2006, Lu decided to close her practice in Germany and come to the US to become a Rolfer because she wanted to improve her diagnostic skills to find out exactly where and how to work in order bring the
body into better alignment.
Now she thrills at seeing how well
the system of the Ten Series works. Her clients don't only experience
pain relief and more ease in their daily chores, they actually see and
feel their bodies change.
1995-98: Heilpraktiker-Fachschule in Hochheim, Germany (full-time study of naturopathy).
1998-02: Traditional Chinese Medicine, specialising in acupuncture.
1996-02: Employed as a massage therapist in a chiropractor's office.
2002-06: Massages, acupuncture and exercise classes in her own practice.
2006-07: Rolfing classes in Boulder, Colorado and Barra do Sahy, Brazil.
December 07: Certified as a Rolfer™ and Rolfing Movement® instructor.
September 2008: Opened Balance Massage and Structural Bodywork in the College Park Neigborhood of Orlando, FL.
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A Little Health Tip.
With the move into fall, some of us might already be catching a cold or dealing with seasonal allergies. Here's an easy recipie for a tasty way to care for the sore throat that may accompany other symptoms:
1 Mug
4 Tablespoons of honey
(a little more or less to taste)
1 Juice of 1 lime
1 Dash of salt (yes, salt).
1 Cup of hot water
Put the honey, lime juice and salt in the mug. Slowly pour in the hot water while stirring well. Let cool only slightly and sip slowly while still hot.
While the honey and hot liquid warm and coat your throat the salt and lime juice also act like anticeptics. A tasty way to help sooth the scratchy redness.
Of course when you're sick, one of the best things for you is to get a lot of rest.
So, if you get to feeling a little under the weather this fall, we're happy to re-schedule your appointment.
That way you can get rest you need and get the best out of your massage when you're well again.
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