Frequently Asked Questions About Rolfing

1. How is Rolfing different from massage?
2. Can Rolfing fix my posture?
3. Do the effects of Rolfing last?
4. I've heard/read that Rolfing can be painful. Is it as bad as it sounds?
5. What's the 10-series?
6. Do I have to commit to the 10-series?
7. Where did you get training in Rolfing?
8. What should I wear for a session?

1. How is Rolfing different from massage?

   Typical massage focuses on bringing you relaxation, improved circulation, and is generally a good support to your overall health.

   Rolfing supports your overall health by addressing the postural misalignments in your body that make it hard for you to relax and tough for your body to maintain good circulation.

   When pain is present, Rolfing is good for targeting the connective and muscular tissues that hold your body in improper positions and cause you pain.

   For those doing maintaining heavy athletic exercise regiments, Rolfing can help maintain soft tissue flexibility and pliability so that muscles and joints don't lock up and impair your performance.

2. Can Rolfing fix my posture?

   For some postural issues, yes. For others, no.

   Everyone's posture is the result of the balance of tension of the muscles and connective tissue throughout the body. Where tight areas are dragging you into bad posture or compromised ranges of motion, Rolfing can be a big help.

   Where your posture is distorted due to weakness of stabilizing muscles, no amount of Rolfing can reactivate and re-tone the weak muscles. That is where Egoscue exercises come into play.

3. Do the effects of Rolfing last?

   Some of them do, and some of them don't.

   Rolfing is exceptionally good at loosening up tight areas that have been locked up for long periods of time for no good reason. By applying appropriate pressure and tension to those areas, your body can be allowed to move properly again. The more your body moves properly, the better it gets at it. In that sense, the result is permanent.

   When areas of tightness are actually compensating for other areas of weakness and malalignment, Rolfing will NOT have permanent effects. The areas of weakness and malalignment need to be strengthened and repositioned for any lasting, long-term, positive change to occur. This is where Egoscue® Posture Alignment Therapy becomes clearly necessary as an adjunct to Rolfing.

4. I've heard/read that Rolfing can be painful. Is it as bad as it sounds?

   It really depends on your body and on the Rolfer.

   Some bodies are very sensitive to hands-on work. Others are not. What is outrageously painful for one person may feel like heaven for another. Many people often say Rolfing elicits a sense of "good pain." It's an intensity that signals release of pent up tension rather than just a lot of hard pressure.

   Some Rolfers often substitute strength for strategy, choosing to press harder on a certain spot when pressing lighter on a completely different but related spot would actually be far more effective. I generally choose strategy over strength.

   If at any point you feel like you are gritting your teeth because the intensity is too much, I ask that you let me know so that we can adjust our approach to better suit your body.

5. What's the 10-series?

   The hallmark of Rolfing Structural Integration is a standardized “recipe” known as the Ten Series, the goal of which is to systematically balance and optimize both the structure (shape) and function (movement) of the entire body over the course of ten Rolfing sessions.

   For more information, you can visit the Rolf Institute website's Overview of the Ten Series.

   At Upright Health, Rolfing can be experienced in the Ten Series format or in sessions tailored to your specific concerns.

6. Do I have to commit to the 10-series?

   No. In fact, for many people, I recommend considering a blend of a handful of Rolfing sessions paired with Posture Alignment Therapy work. Rolfing helps address the tightness and shortness that distorts your posture and puts you in pain, while Posture Alignment Therapy helps you stabilize and recoordinate your body for more efficient movement patterns. In the long run, this blended approach can save you a lot of time and money.

7. Where did you get training in Rolfing?

   I trained at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO.

8. What should I wear for a session?

   Exercise clothing is best, as you will be asked to get up off the massage table periodically to walk around to assess how your body's responding. Wear light clothing that will keep you comfortable while sitting, standing, and lying down. Shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, and sports bras all work well.