Rolfing primarily acts on a special type of connective tissue called fascia. Fascia has often been referred to as “organ of form.” It is an abundant type of connective tissue found in sheets and bands throughout the body forming a matrix. Fascia wraps around, attaches to, and separates our muscles and organs. It envelopes our muscles much like a strong wrapping and it is responsible for the shape and contours of our bodies. Fascial tissue has many special properties. Comprised mainly of collagen and elastin, it has the ability to be molded, lengthened, and shaped by informed manipulation. A rolf practitioner leverages these characteristics of the fascia in order to change the physical structure. The fascia also acts as a protector to the body. In the same way that a callous forms when some portion of the skin is constantly irritated or stressed, so does the fascia become thickened, ropey, or adhered in places where our structure is compromised in some manner. Fascia reacts to both physical and psychological trauma. A person involved in an auto accident may experience the physical ‘memory’ of the injury within the fascial web until there is an intervention to address it. According to the beliefs of rolfers, muscular change cannot be accomplished without addressing the fascia in which it is contained. The quality of the fascia is mutable and unique from person to person. It can become dehydrated, knotted, and grisly in the course of daily life, compromising the integrity of the physical body as a whole. Fascia can become like an ill-fitting stocking that binds our structures in ways that compromise our functionality and comfort. A rolfer works with the fascial web to restore the shape, consistency, and function of the musculature that the fascia encapsulates. Rolfing works to effectively ‘iron out’ this stocking into a shape and consistency that helps to support our structure as a whole and allows a person to reset his or her structure to a more ideal form.
Rolfing is very much about change. As the body becomes dis-integrated and disconnected from its inherent wholeness, our bodies are used in less than ideal ways. Connective tissue becomes shortened in some places and lengthened in others. Certain muscles are over-recruited while other structures fall into relative disuse. It is the mission of the Rolfer to restore the body back into an integrated system whose parts work harmoniously and in relation to each other. Rolfing was developed around the concept of the ideal human structure being organized symmetrically around an imaginary vertical line that goes through the body from head to toe. The vertical line concept is well illustrated by the logo for the Rolf Institute for Structural Integration as a representation of what rolfing aims to achieve:
This image demonstrates what the rolfing process is trying to accomplish. The before image of the boy shows the physical structure as being a series of disparate parts. The body-segments are not organized as an integrated whole to work in harmony. Rather, there is little symmetry or support for neighboring segments. The blocks in this first image also show how rotations in one or more body segments can affect the structure. Essentially, posture, function, and comfort are not as ideal as they could be.
In the second image of the boy, we see the vertical line introduced at the top of the head, travelling downward through the feet. This image represents a rolfed body, one whose parts have been integrated into a well-stacked unit that is upright and whose parts are operating in concert with each other. The feet can properly support the legs just as each body part supports whatever is directly above (and below) it. The rolfed body is graceful, upright, and more prepared to deal with the rigors of daily life.
The influence of gravity: gravity can either push us off of our ‘line’ or can lift and lengthen us.
Dr. Rolf structured rolfing to be performed over the course of ten sessions, which came to be known as the “10-series.” The 10 series became a systematic method to work through the entirety of the body’s fascial network within ten sessions. Each of the ten sessions has its own territories and goals. Every session builds upon the one that came before it. Essentially, the10-series is one large rolfing session that is broken down into individual units. But clients do not have to commit to an entire 10 series to achieve benefits. Rolfers typically suggest tying a session or two to ascertain whether it is a good fit. While the 10- eries acts as an outline for each of the sessions, there is also a large degree of customization based on the needs of the individual. In this way, it is much more than a rote method. A rolfer chooses to use one or more “tools” (elbows, knuckles or fingers) to manipulate various areas of the fascia to accomplish the goals set forth for each session. For instance, one of the goals of the first session is to free the breath so that respiration becomes more robust. The rolfer may work in the armpit area to release muscle attachments in the chest, as well as around the sternum and ribcage. Just as each session has specific goals, there are also specific anatomical territories that correspond to these goals. It is usually recommended that the client return for the next session between one to three weeks. At least a week is needed for the body to accommodate the work that has been done, but to waiting too long will lose the momentum.
Most everyone can benefit from rolfing. Often people are surprised by what they gain from Rolfing. When they experience the results, they often wish they had started sooner. Rolfing imparts a feeling of being revitalized and invigorated. Chronic pains start to recede, replaced by a newfound ability to fully inhabit one’s body. People even look different as the body lengthens and becomes more upright effortlessly.
Lowell Flax
Lowell Flax is a graduate of the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, CO. A native New Yorker, Lowell was drawn to the practice of structural integration after experiencing the life-changing effects of this work as a client. He now enjoys helping others to overcome chronic pain and trauma while imparting a newfound sense of ease and alignment within the physical structure. He believes in a tailored approach to help target specific areas while also addressing the body as a holistic system.