Introduction
Since June 2015, I have offered Rolfing sessions. By approaching the “fascia,” the body’s posture becomes organized, and the body’s movement improves in linkage with it. This time, after a while, I’d like to introduce a Rolfing (Rolf Movement) experience account.
What Is Rolf Movement?
Rolfing’s originator, Ida Rolf, called the “fascia” the organ for maintaining the body’s shape (structure) — the Organ of Structure. the body’s structure is understood not merely as anatomy but as an expression of a person’s lived history. In Rolfing’s manual technique, when appropriate pressure is added so that the “fascia” can go to a place where it moves easily, a change occurs in the body’s shape. As the shape changes, the body’s movement changes.
In Rolfing’s ten sessions, improvement of posture and the body’s movement can be expected through the “fascia.” In fact, there is another session offered as well. To further explore and stabilize the effect of Rolfing, there are the three-to-five sessions of Rolf Movement, which center on the body’s movement.
It is a session that incorporates bodily movement — Movement — into the “Rolf” of the originator Ida Rolf. It has been offered since 2020 as a session suited to those who want to raise their performance using the body — yoga, Pilates, dancers, singers, instrumentalists, the body (breath), and so on. What is interesting is that, by mobilizing all the muscles and proceeding slowly, carefully, and putting things into words, a great change occurs in the body.
What is focused on is, rather than having the client memorize bodily movement, directing awareness to the body. Most people move the body with their brain/mind and tend to react quickly to things. Probably a society that prizes speed, efficiency, and thinking with the brain/mind makes it so.
Conversely, what happens when you let go the movements held for so long, and approach it slowly and carefully? Remarkably, where there is tension within the body, and where it is hard to move, comes into view. The habits of movement acquired in the past — old habits — are let go of, and a new option is born in the body’s awareness. As a result, it can be said that a new habit of movement is acquired.
Experiencing a Session — Ms. Sachiko Aimoto — Improving the Movement of the Upper Body
This time, Ms. Sachiko Aimoto, a freelance announcer, experienced Rolf Movement centered on the upper body. Pressing both hands against the wall and pushing the buttocks out (in yoga terms, the “Downward Dog” pose). When the muscles of the hands, elbows, shoulders, spine, pelvis, and buttocks are loosened, the body lengthens in a straight line, as in the “After” below.
In this session, among the hands, elbows, scapulae, spine, trunk, and pelvis, which area is restricted? After Ms. Aimoto recognized this in the “Before” posture above (the right side lengthens with more difficulty), the session began. In the movement of extending the hand, force enters easily into the elbow, shoulder, and neck. What happens when each is moved separately?
It is a movement anyone can do, but the point is to proceed with the session slowly, carefully, and putting awareness into words. Because such movement tires the brain and the body, breaks were taken from time to time, and, with the hand raised, the change was confirmed. Over about an hour, the session was able to proceed.
- From immediately after it ended, the neck pain and stiff shoulders decreased dramatically.
- From the midst of the Movement session, there was a change in range of motion.
- The movements of yoga and Pilates came to be understood much better.
- Practicing the Movement work before singing, the resonance of the voice is different.
- Even though the abdominal muscles loosened, the waist became more defined.
- The position of the bust rose, and the area around the neck and shoulders became lighter.
- Thinking became clear.