The Core Program:
If you’re looking for ways to help female clients strengthen and rebalance core structures, The Core Program (ISBN 0-553-80139-2) is a solid resource. The author argues that many of the nagging pains and discomfort clients experience are actually the result of core muscle imbalance. The book combines a very doable series of exercises with solid […]
The Core’s Role as Causal in Structural Distortion (reprint)
After attending the 1990 international conference in Boulder, what I have been suspecting for a few years was confirmed: namely, we are not succeeding in accomplishing one of Dr. Rolf’s primary tenets of Rolfing®, that Rolfing should decrease the compression of the lumbar spine, or at least arrest its compression as the individual ages. Observing […]
Sudaba: The Surrendered Dance of Balance
When I received my basic training in 1976, the Line (along with the conditioning effects of gravity and the malleability of fascial tissue) was presented as one of the three cornerstones of Rolfing” theory. The primary assumption that we were working with was that Rolfing was leading our bodies toward a condition of enhanced structural […]
Implications of the Theory of Structural Integration for Movement Therapy (reprint)
Many students of the nature of human affairs have observed that man’s outer world seems to be a projection of the world within. Ida Rolf proposes that many human dilemmas would be illuminated by examining man’s physical being, his body, and that a better organization of physical structures would be paralleled by a lessening of […]
Integrating the Life Force: Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing
Q: How did you find out that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role also in Rolfing°? And how did this lead to SE? PL: I discovered the importance of the autonomic nervous system during my Rolfing training with Ida in 1969. When we were doing all these things to the muscles and fascia […]
Distinctions in Structural Integration
What follows is a statement of my own opinions. I do not claim to know everything on the subject, or to know all the history. I am not a researcher. I look for things that distinguish; that are clear; that are dependable; and that seem true to the best of my knowing, so far, about […]
Enrolling Clients in Perception-Based Movement for Self-Care in the Context of Structural Integration
What does a movement-oriented approach offer the SI client? Traditionally, good posture has often represented the goal of SI. Although reference to static posture can be a good didactic or marketing tool, no one stands (or wants to stand) absolutely still. Good posture is a limited goal for SI because it does not represent true […]
Fictional Rolfing
One of the most interesting aspects of bodywork is its rich use of metaphor. Just as when we try to verbalize music, we find ourselves describing our experiences of body in a representative figurative language, since this is invariably the most meaningful way to communicate our internal sensations and aid our clients in describing the […]
Ligaments: A Source of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
ABSTRACT The mechanical and neurological properties of ligaments are reviewed and updated with recent development from the perspective which evaluates their role as a source of neuromusculoskeletal disorders resulting from exposure to occupational activities. Creep, tension-relaxation, hysteresis, sensitivity to strain rate and strain/load frequency were shown to result not only in mechanical functional degradation but […]
Rolfing Structural Integration on Oprah
Structural Integration: So, Rolfing® got a few minutes of fame on Oprah. Sue, can you give us the back story of how that came about? Sue Seecof: Dr. Oz asked Oprah to feature Rolfing and invited his Rolfer, Ron Spechler to join him on the show. Ron and I discussed the interview and thought about […]