Dear friends, I hope you can find the time to read the article ( sorry its a little bit long) about Rolfing/Structural Integration below written by Micqui, devoted Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practitioner and if you feel inspired you can give a call to Christopher Nixon 679511513 or write him an email at kitnixon@gmail or check his website moodbody.net He is an advanced Rolfing practitioner since 1983 and he is kindly offering 10% discount. A few weeks ago I began a course of ‘Structural Integration’ also known as ‘Rolfing’, as a yoga teacher told me once that it was the best form of body-work that they’d experienced. I hesitated at the price back in the UK (it can be quite expensive, and there weren’t that many Rolfers around) so when I saw that there were a couple offering it for less than half that in Mysore, I jumped at the chance to give it a go. My yoga teacher has been working with me for a few months now, trying to entice my hips to open, but for some reason they just weren’t budging! He even said, ‘Michelle, I don’t understand, you’ve been here for 5 months now and you still cannot do baddha konasana?!’ So I decided to ‘get Rolfed’ and see if the manipulation of the myofascial tissue would somehow release my hips. I explained I’d been having pain in the front of my right hip, but that both were sore most of the time, restricting movements especially in marichi A and C as well as ardha matsyendrasana. So she took a look and did some work on the SI and the hips as well as doing something to my arms as I had wrist pain but also across my collar bones. The results the next day were astounding! The wrist pain was gone, she said that because of the growth of muscle in my arms it was squeezing my nerve to my wrist and that by separating them it would release the nerve and there would be no pain and, the next day there was no pain. My SI and hips found a kind of space that they’d never had before and I could do leg behind head without ‘much’ pain! But the best result of this session was that I could instantly breathe deeper and without holding tension in my left shoulder which for some reason I noticed always happens. I was told that there was what Rolfers call the 10 series where they work on the whole body over 10 sessions to get your body back to its natural balance. So given the results I signed up for the whole course. So sessions 1-3 are referred to as the sleeve sessions, which address the superficial layers of connective tissue. They are devoted to improving the quality of your breath with work on the arm, ribcage and diaphragm. Opening is also started along the upper leg, hamstrings, neck and spine. The next aim is at providing you a powerful foundation by balancing your foot and lower leg. Session 3 focuses on creating balance between the front and back of the body. This is done through a side view for understanding how the head, shoulder girdle and hips are related to one another when standing in gravity. Sessions 4-7 are referred to as the “core” sessions and address the area between the bottom of the pelvis and the top of the head, as well as the deep tissue of the legs, which play a role in support. Session 4 establishes a floor to the pelvis and brings awareness to the medial line of the leg through work extending from the inside arch of the foot, and up the leg, to the pelvic floor. Session 5 is concerned with establishing balance between the surface and the deep abdominal layers with respect to the curve of the back. Session 6 aims at finding more support and movement in the legs, freeing up the coccyx, and creating a horizontal pelvis. Session 7 focuses solely on the neck and head, the positive pole of the body. Looks to balance the head neutrally over the spine. Sessions 8-10 are “integrative” sessions strive to blend the previous advancements, and ones yet to be made, into the body in a way that encourages smooth movement and coordination. They are designed to further deconstruct twists and rotations, which affect the freedom and integrity of the lumbars (vertebrae of the low back) by lifting the thorax up and ordering the legs and pelvis below. Session 10 relates the fascial planes to each other and creates an overall balance of the body. This is a final tuning taking you from a state of static balance to dynamic balance.I have 2 sessions to go, but I am literally addicted to Rolfing now! It’s great to practice yoga in between the sessions because you can notice the changes so much. My balance whilst standing is better because she worked on my feet and heels, moving the heel into proper alignment and taught me how to stand properly. I used to stand with an exaggerated lumbar curve which has now gone and she also sorted out my head which I used to hold forward but now it sits properly at the top of my spine. A few years back I injured both knees (doing yoga in fact and have never been the same since) and my whole body contorted to try and protect them. The rolfing has ‘unstuck’ all my hamstrings and quads so that my knees now track properly and this has allowed me to use the muscles properly. Probably one of the best things I’ve done for my body ever. It’s one of those, ‘why didn’t I try this before’ moments.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 18:52:59 +0000
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