Studio Australia Blog
The Ida Rolf Method
Structurally realigning our bodies
Think of a leg of lamb (sorry to all the vegetarians and vegans in our community). Now think of the white covering on the leg of lamb. This is the fascia.
We all have a fascia that covers the muscles on our body. It’s the bit between the skin and the muscle and it envelopes, separates and protects the muscles of the body.
There are 3 layers of fascia in the body.
The top layer called the superficial layer. It is a thin layer of tissue and you can easily recognise it on the hands and skull. If you move the skin on your skull it is still anchored to the bone and muscle but is flexible enough to move freely.
The second layer is called the deep fascia and separates the muscle. It keeps them strong and divided.
The subserous fascia is the layer between the deep fascia and the major organs of he body. It is flexible and allows our organs to move freely.
All of these layers of fascia can become tight, knotted and form may connective adhesions.
As an example of how this may happen think about sitting at a computer all day using a mouse. The repetitive movement in the hand may create tension in the forearm and the fascia in that area will over time ‘gather’ to form a knot and then we experience pain. Now think of how your posture in this position. Your shoulders forward, your pectoral muscles tightening, your back arched. Over time these every day positions take a toll and it changes how our body structure is aligned. This creates pain, blockages in the how the body can perform and heal itself and ultimately chronic injury.
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How can we realign our bodies from all of these years of bad posture and habits?
Rolfing Structural Integration bodywork
Rolfing Structural Integration was developed by a woman called Dr Ida P. Rolf over 50 years ago.
Dr Rolf recognised that the connective tissue in the entire body was a system of seamless networks that penetrated all of the muscles, bones, nerves and organs and that by releasing this web like tissue you are able to realign, release and balance the whole body.
How does it work?
First you need to find a certified Rolfer! At Studio Australia Barcelona Santiago Pinto is our practitioner.
Santiago will on your initial visit evaluate your structure, posture and movement patterns while you are standing. He will discuss with you your aims and explain the process.
To realign the entire body the work is divided into 10 sessions. Some people do the 10 sessions and never do it again. Others, especially athletes, performers and people who work at computers all day, use the technique to maintain their bodies over the years. It’s really up to the individual. We recommend that you come and do three sessions. See how your body feels and decided what’s best for you. Nat loves it and uses it regularly in her suite of practices to maintain her body.
The 10 sessions may be done over weeks or months. Certain sessions are recommended to be done in groups closer together because of the benefits to the process and the body.
Santiago will use his hands, arms and fingers to apply strong and even pressure to release the fascia.
During the sessions he will ask you to breath, tighten and release muscles and stretch as he works with your body.
Most sessions are between 60 and 90 minutes.
What are the benefits?
- Better posture – it is normal to take before, during and after photos when doing a series of Rolfing so that you can see the difference
- Greater flexibility and movement
- Increased energy
- Stress and tension release
- Reconnection with your body
- Improved performance in sports, dance or other artistic endeavors
- Release of scar tissue after injury or surgery
We all have repetitive movements in our daily lives that affect our bodies and our structures. The way we walk, sit, work and play. It is important that we find our own suite of practices including exercise, treatments and body work to maintain our bodies in good form and function so that we can live our lives without pain, disease and injury. As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”.
At Studio Australia Barcelona our aim is to offer the best opportunity for you to choose the right practices fro your body.
If you think Rolfing Structural Integration is for you give us a call and we would be happy to meet and discuss a structural alignment treatment plan for your body.
Here is how it worked for Martin:
“Little did I now about The Ida Rolf Method, when I decided to book one session at the Studio Australia Barcelona. I thought it was a massage form to relieve chronic muscle tension. I booked because I had a very bad neck pain at that time and I wanted to improve my posture. Luckily Santiago took his time to explain in every detail what Rolfing is really about. How the connective tissue gets sticky, and how it affects our posture and range of movement. And eventually how the decreased range of movement causes bad posture, tension and eventually pain. So Rolfing is not a massage technique working on tense muscles, but working on the liberation of the connective tissue. After the first session I could feel the difference already. My whole upper body felt unchained. I was able to breathe deeper and felt at least 15 cm taller. And the progress continued with every session. Every session works on a different part of the body, and before and during every session you move in front of the rolfer to perfectly adapt the method onto your body. My 10th session was already some months ago, but I still can feel my body changing. All the little tweaks Santiago made, all the tips on how to stand, how to walk, breathe, sit, move…. need time to sit in. I can only recommend The Ida Rolf Method, specially for those who are trying to improve their posture, and are working on a healthy, strong and long living body. If you decide to do it. Do it at Studio Australia Barcelona. An oasis of peace in the busy and intense city of Barcelona.” Martin Guevara Kunerth
