Just what is Rolfing anyway?
Rolfing is the art of aligning the structure of the body to put it back in harmony with itself and its environment. The creator of Rolfing, Ida Rolf, called her work ‘Structural Alignment’(It became known as 'Rolfing' by her students).
This is done by seeking out and freeing ‘muscle holding patterns’ that develop in the body, and pull it out of its natural alignment.
Muscle holding patterns are places throughout the muscular system that start to shorten as they cease to return to their full length in their relaxed state. Muscle fibers bind together or they bind to the fascia that they are encased in. They stop returning to their full length, and develop a habit of operating in this smaller range of motion.
Through movement of the body and manipulation of the fascia, holding places become free allowing natural body alignment to return.
We find muscle holding patterns through a number of ways.
Some of the ways might be:
- Observation of the body in movement
- Discoveries of emotional manifestations of pain through discussion
- Recognizing influential body patterns
As we find the holding patterns in the body, we treat them, by manipulating the fascia. The fascia can best be thought of as muscle fibers, ligaments, tendons, the sheeting that each bundle of muscle fibers is wrapped in. Any one of these, or any combination of them can be considered fascia.
As we continue to work with the body, freeing muscle holding and encouraging body freedom, we create more and more opportunity for the ease in the body, thus allowing its natural alignment patterns to return. A body that is aligned is quite simply a better feeling body to inhabit.
