When I mentioned to people that I was trying Rolfing, some folks wondered how folfing, otherwise known as Frisbee golf, would make you healthier.
Others wondered why anyone would voluntarily go see someone who made you throw up or “rolf your guts out” as one friend put it.
And for those who actually had some concept of what Rolfing is, they wanted to know how much it hurt — was it excruciatingly painful or just really painful?
But Rolfing is none of these things.
In the simplest terms, Rolfing is a type of bodywork more broadly known as structural integration that reorganizes and realigns the body’s connective tissue. This connective tissue, called fascia, surrounds, supports and permeates the body’s muscles, organs, bones and nerves.
Fascia binds your body structure together in much the same way that plastic wrap will hold the contents of a sandwich together. Rolfing is based on the premise that working on this connective tissue can realign and balance the entire body.
Rolfing can radically alter your posture and can thus resolve discomfort, relieve tension and alleviate pain. It can also dramatically improve flexibility and has become a type of bodywork many athletes and dancers depend on for peak performance. But now that I’ve experienced it myself, I can see how anyone — from a child to the average Joe — could benefit from Rolfing.
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By SARA GROVES For the Independent Record