An Intro to Rolfing

Special contribution by Padma Borrego

What is Rolfing?

Rolfing, also known as Structural Integration, is a hands-on bodywork approach designed to bring more efficiency, alignment, and balance to the body. Developed by Dr. Ida Rolf, this method uses a combination of gentle, slow, or deep touch to work with the body’s connective tissue, or fascia. As the fascia releases and reorganizes, the body naturally finds better organization in gravity, more efficient movement, and overall more vitality and well-being.

How Rolfing Works

Our bodies adapt to daily habits, injuries, surgeries and stress, often leading to compensation patterns and imbalances that show up as tension, discomfort, or restricted movement. Rolfing helps unwind these patterns and restore the body’s natural alignment. You can experience Rolfing through:

Full Ten Series:

• A single session – for a targeted area and to experience the work.
• The 3 integration sessions (8-10) of the full Ten series for simple imbalances or an intro to the whole series
• The full Ten Series, a progressive journey that works to bring the body into balance within gravity and within movement.

• The Sleeve  sessions 1-3  Opening and freeing surface layers of skin, superficial fascia and movement muscles
• The Core – sessions 4-7  Addressing deeper patterns in postural muscles, connective tissue and awareness of movement
• Integration – sessions 8-10  Bringing lower girdle-pelvis and legs, Upper girdle-Shoulder and arms into relationship with Center Line

Why Try Rolfing?

People turn to Rolfing for many reasons, including:

• Postural Efficiency– Alignment within gravity that provides support and ease
• Pain relief – Unwind patterns of tension and compensation in tissues and the nervous system
• Greater flexibility – Move with more freedom and less resistance
• Deeper body awareness – Connection to how we move in our body and through our life
• Support for athletes and performers – Enhance performance, address imbalances and prevent injuries
• Improved breath and digestion – With more structural ease comes better organ function.

Research shows that Rolfing enhances movement efficiency, reduces chronic stress, and even supports neurological function.

Who Was Ida Rolf?

Dr. Ida Rolf had a deep curiosity about the human body, earning a PhD in Biochemistry and studying math, physics, and yoga. Through her research and personal healing journey, she discovered how imbalances in the fascia affect overall health, leading her to develop Rolfing as a way to restore vitality and well being.Rolfing isn’t just about fixing pain—it’s about discovering a new way to move, feel, and experience your body in everyday life.

What I love about Rolfing…
Rolfing is a tool that with attention and intention allows us to bring all parts of ourselves into balance. The places we have felt weak, we have judged or didn’t know how to integrate whether it’s an injury that didn’t heal the way we wanted, the shorter leg that has caused aggravation in the sacrum or lower spine or a sense of disconnection with our physical power.