The Basic 10 Session Series of Dr. Rolfs’ Method Of Structural Integration Part 1
by: Manny Aragon
Session 1 of 10: Welcome: Horizontalize the Pelvis, prepare the body to receive the following sessions in the series with efficiency. This session makes the remaining sessions more effective.
The first session is an introductory session and is a longer session than the rest of the sessions in the series. This is because I have added extra time in this session to give us some time to talk about your health and body history, your goals, and so on. This is also the session for you to get a good idea for whether this work is going to be a good batch for your body.
By the end of the first session, you will have a good idea as to whether or not you want to continue on with the rest of the ten session series or not. Either is ok.
Goals for this session are as follows: to address the reason why you came to see me in the first place. Additionally and often coincidentally, we will be working to horizontialize the pelvis. In order to do this we will be working on freeing up the shoulder girdle and supporting structures first ( front ribs, collar bones, pectoralis minor, sub scapularis, erector spinae) in addition to addressing the lower pelvic to trunk attachments (gluteals, lower back fascia and musculature), and lateral and rear leg attachments to the trunk (iliotibial band and tensor fascia lata, gluteus medius, hamstrings).
By the end of this session you will likely feel your shoulders more open, low back pain and knee pain or shoulder pain is often lessoned, as is hip pain, neck, and ankle pain. Some folks report feeling lighter and more grounded as well as taller.
Session 2: Build A Base: Extensive foot/ankle and lower/upper leg work.
The second session in the series is quite profound. We begin to address the structural deficiencies in the foundation of your body structure. Everything that rests on the legs and feet is affected by the quality of support (or lack thereof) provided by the two feet and legs. Body asymmetry becomes more noticeable to the client even as it begins to subside due to the functional differences in the feet and legs.
After an effective first session of Structural Integration, the results of the second session can be seen throughout the body- even the cranium is lengthened by the lift provided by greater functionality of the foot/leg complex.
Goals for the session are to provide the client with greater functionality of the foot/leg complex. Areas of work include (at minimum), soles and tops of feet, front back and lateral lower leg structures, front and back of the knee (and sides if needed), quadriceps and quad and lateral leg attachments into the hip.
Clients often report feeling more grounded or connected to the ground. They say they are more kinesthetically aware of the way their foot contacts the ground. Often back , neck, knee, ankle, and hip pain are lessoned after this session.
Session 3: Give the body functional sides- Lengthen the body along its axis.
The third session is often quite enjoyable. We work from head to toe, with your body positioned on its side. Areas of focus are: lateral leg and lateral glute/TFL complex, Abdominal oblique’s and Quadratus Lumborum (muscle that attaches your lowest rib in the back to the top of the back of your pelvis), sides of ribcage and associated muscles, shoulder girdle (from both the armpit and outside of the shoulder as well- this helps align the shoulder girdle and get its function more integrated with the trunk).
The goal of this session is to get the structures of the front of the body to function more in balance with those of the back of the body which tend to migrate toward the front. This migration impairs function as well as efficiency. By moving to correct this imbalance and move the muscles of the back of the body back to their proper place, the imbalance is lessoned and greater efficiency in function is gained.
Dr. Rolf once said that a random body (un Rolfed body) was “at war with gravity”. While I agree with this statement, it must be clarified to read: “ any body in which the structures of the front of the body and those of the back of the body are at war with each other, is a body that seems to be at war with gravity.”
Most folks like this session the best of the three up to this point. They really begin to feel the length and change in function that results from a functionally longer and more integrated structure. After this session clients report feeling taller, calmer, improved posture and lessoned shoulder, neck, back, hip, knee and ankle pain. All in all, clients generally feel GREAT after this session.
Session 4: Defining The Inner Line- Creating A Base Of Support For The Trunk
In the fourth session, clients are typically lying on their side (like in the third session)- the difference being that their upper leg is moved forward, exposing the lower inner thigh for work. In this session, we are doing similar work to that done in the third session (separating functionality of front and rear leg compartments and allowing the medial leg compartment to function more discretely.
You see, the leg is often rotated in its orientation to the front/rear plane of the body although its intended primary function is front/rear movement. The outer leg pulls the foot and leg away from the body and the inner thigh pulls the leg toward the centerline of the body. When the leg is rotated, part of the inner thigh musculature (adductors) starts to function as a quadriceps (on one leg) while the rear of the other inner thigh musculature functions as part of a hamstring (rear thigh compartment muscle).
Session 4 completes the initial work on the legs as all 4 compartments (quad/hamstring/abductor/adductor) and solidifies the base of support and functionality that the legs provide to the pelvis and trunk. In this session, work is done on the inner leg from the bottom of the foot to the top of the inner thigh attachment to the pelvis (at the pubic ramus). Primary attention is paid to the inner thigh and often to the inner lower leg structures. Hamstrings are also rebalanced.
The goals of the fourth session in the Basic Series is to provide support to the pelvis and trunk so that when we focus on the pelvic and abdominal structures in the 5th session, we can get the maximum effect as the groundwork has been laid.
Session 4 can be an intense session for clients, as the inner thigh is not a place where most have received work of this type before- at least not with any regularity. Clients often report that their legs feel longer after this session. Back, hip, knee, and ankle pain are often reduced in this session. There can sometimes be a low level emotional release between this session and the 5th session- see advice below.
Session 5: Connecting The Legs To The Trunk-Activating the core muscles of the pelvis and trunk.
In this session we will be working from the quadriceps to the groin to the front of the pelvis where the abdominal muscles and deep muscles of the trunk connect the legs to the trunk. We will also work in the abdomen to first create length in the base and balance in the base of the diaphragm and the whole of the rectus abdominus (6 pack muscles), unglue the rectus abdominus from the abdominal oblique’s and then balance the psoas.
This gives the client the sensation of length and mobility in the trunk that is often lacking. Near the end of the session we will often work in the sitting position to activate the lumbo-dorsal junction (this opens up the front of the thoracic spine) to allow for effortless upward thrust or more efficient transmission of the upward force pushing through the structure from the feet.
Clients generally report feeling more open in the chest with shoulders back and lighter on their feet. They will begin to notice more integrated movement in the hips (whether bound hips or hips that are hyper mobile- both will come more toward balance as the other bound structures begin to unbind and move.