Rolfing, Sessions 9 & 10

Wow. I’ve been really lax on getting back here and updating. I finished my last sessions in February and have been feeling great! I often think that before and after pictures, might help, but unfortunately, they probably wouldn’t. You’ll just have to trust me.

Noticeable changes:

- I have much better alignment in from my knees to my ankles. This may not sound breath-taking at first, but before all of this, if my feet were in ballet first position (think a ‘V’ shape), then my knees would go out straight. If I placed my feet together, facing straight, my knees bent in toward each other. This made yoga, Pilates, skiing and rollerblading all but impossible to do without some sort of corrective for my foot pronation. Not any more. Now everything works the way it is supposed to. Knees and feet go out straight – together!

- My posture is much better. I’ve always had decent posture, but I can tell a difference just in the fact that there is less lower back pain and I am sleeping better (when I can get to sleep).

- My walk… so smooth and gentle. I feel much more feminine as well. Guys, don’t let this deter you, it’s just a nicer, longer stride.

- I breathe more deeply and do not suffer the deep, heavy sighs anymore of trying to catch my breath – even when just sitting still.

And let’s just say for the record, that while the Rolfing was absolutely a wonderful experience and significantly improved my alignment, it was not without continuing doing the exercises given to me. These were all just very minor ones to help maintain the alignment and promote muscle memory – nothing requiring heavy exertion, some of it was done while lying in bed.

Feel free to comment, ask questions, share your experience. The main reason for sharing my blog was the lack of personal Rolfing stories out there. I hope this has been ehlpful for anyone considering the sessions or who may want to see if their experience is similar. Thanks for reading.

 

Rolfing, Session 8

We’re winding down on the Rolfing sessions. Only two more to go. I can hardly believe it; but man, has it been an incredible ride. I can tell such differences in my body. I breathe more easily, I have fewer headaches, my walk is more comfortable and graceful, my posture better.

Session 8 was the beginning of integration. She did a quick test on me – I walked for her – to decided whether to do upper or lower integration first. She decided on upper – and who knew you could have such tightness in your arms?! I thought I was fine, but with a little maneuvering here and some skillful touching there, I became ‘painfully’ aware that I was definitely in need of some work on my arms and shoulders. It’s amazing how you feel at the end of the process. Your shoulders move so fluidly they almost feel as if they’ve been dislocated – inasmuch as they are just completely Jello-like. They glide. I’ve never had shoulders that glided before – but they do.

This Saturday is session 9, lower half and then Feb.24, one more full body integration and I’m finished. From then on out, it should only be minor maintenance sessions every six months or so. I can hardly wait.

 

Rolfing Sessions 6 & 7

Ah, when the sessions get closer together, the posts seem to falter. I’ve now been through my sixth and seventh sessions and I am loving the results – well, most of them.

The sixth session was just after I returned from Alaska and was the last major alignment session focusing on the backs of my legs and my back. Most of the session was not terribly painful, but once she got to the upper right hip/glute area, it was so painful I couldn’t even remember that she had already done the left side. The back was fairly painless as well, but two days after this particular session I had my first ever kidney stone. Sharon swears she didn’t “Rolfe” it out of me, but I have my doubts. Mostly, because it’s nice to have some reason for it.

Session number seven concentrated on the head and neck areas. This was the first session I ever left with more energy than I started with. Most sessions leave me quite tired afterward – lots of toxins being released into the body, major work done on the muscles, etc. But this one left me feeling quite differently. I was ready and rarin’ to go. I’m not into the full integration portion of the series and am looking forward to my last three appointments. This has definitely been money well spent and I would highly recommend my Rolfer to anyone.

 

Rolfing, Session 5 (reposted from original, 21 Dec)

Wow. What a session. Not all that uncomfortable, though there were a few moments. This session worked on the core and the Soaz muscles. Lots of chest, and pelvic region. It amazes me still when a light touch can cause an incredible amount of discomfort – as if that muscle had never been acknowledged before and was really irritated at being brought out of hibernation. All in all though, I still maintain that it wasn’t that painful a session.

Sharon worked on my chast area first, working just under the breast area and down the diaphragm to the side. There wasn’t much participation on my part while she worked in this area… then we moved to Soaz. These muscles are located in the pelvic area and are attached to the hip region. I’m not an anatomy major, just going on what she did and what I remember here – so be kind if I’m slightly off in my description. While lying on my back, I was asked to breathe very deeply and with each exhale, Sharon would press a little more deeply into my abdomen, making her way to the Soaz. This was not uncomfortable, but once she asked me to lift my foot (on the same side) and then wave it left to right – whoa, definite connection and some minor discomfort. I knew she was there.

Once she finished both sides, she finished the session as always, but working at the Occipital Ridge. I love this part. I always relax a bit more when she’s through working the last little bit. But we weren’t quite finished yet – I had a lesson in walking coming to me. She instructed me in “how to walk,” which shouldn’t be too difficult, most of us have been doing it since we were wee ones. Part of the process for re-aligning your body though, is to re-learn how to do certain things, very simple things, like sitting and walking. I had already noticed a difference in my stride after the last session, but this one pulled it altogether. She had me walk while holding my hand at the top of my femure to get a feel for how most people walk. It’s a very short gait and puts a lot of stress on the knees. By having me dangle my leg off a stair first and swinging my leg back and forth, she showed me the difference in a long gate, from Soaz, and a short one, from the top of the femur. Big difference, let me tell you. When you walk from the appropriate area, you use your glutes and the prressure is off of your knees – and it feels good. You wouldn’t think you’d notice much of a difference, but I promise, you do. She calls it “Walking like the Girl from Ipanema,” and now I do.

 

Rolfing, Session 3 & 4 (reposted from original, 21 Dec)

Wow. The time is starting to pass pretty quickly. I had a month break between sessions three and four, and boy, can I tell a difference. I won’t say it’s all been fantastic; it’s actually been a bit strange. As my body starts to go back into alignment, I am a bit more sore from time to time, though overall, I can certainly tell an improvement.

Session three focused on the core, the final part of the “sleeve” stage. The first three session basically open your body up to the idea of changing and realigning by working on the outerlayers. You can truly tell a difference in breathing and posture already. My feet, which used to fall into ballet first position rather naturally, now point almost completely straight forward. That may seem like not much of anything, but between my knees and my feet, I was not in good alignment and it would take concerted effort to be able to line them up properly – and it was a bit painful. Now, they’re great.

Session four started the real core work and we focused on the hip area. I’m amazed at how much more gracefully I walk and how my legs seemed connected to my body in a completely different way than before. I have less hip “popping” and my gait is more of a long stride now. I also found out some interesting tidbits as you go through this stage. Apparently, major decision making is frowned upon during this time. Sharon didn’t completely explain (and to be fair, I forgot to ask) just exactly why this is. Of course, everything else has gone according to plan, so why start questioning her now?

I’m now on a path of having sessions every other week, which will allow my body time to get accustomed to the changes, but also not create too much space where I fall back into bad habits. I have another session this Saturday, and you can bet that I will be checking in here to report on the progress. Til then…

 

Rolfing, Session 2 (reposted from original, 21 Oct)

I did it. Session 2. This session focused on the lower legs. I started by walking back and forth a few times so she could see how my feet fell adn the general walking form I had. She also noticed my incredibly flat feet – not hard to notice mind you, but always comforting when your own knowledge is confirmed.

She worked mainly my calves, feet, knees, ankles. I could not believe the marked difference when she was finished. What was reall impressive was the in bewteen moment. When she had finished working on my right leg, she had me stand in front of the mirror and I could truly see a difference from before and also from my left leg. My knee seemed higher, I could even bend my knee almost straight over my foot. Now, that shouldn’t seem to remarkable, but I have never been able to accomplish this before without extreme strain on my knee. I am a bit knock-kneed and for my knees to bend straight out in front of me, I would have to have my feet in nearly “first position,” for those of you who know ballet. With my feet side-by-side, my knees couldn’t bend as they would meet in the middle.

Once she was finished with both legs she moved on to the neck and head – where we always finish. I felt great, had a long drive home in front of me, but felt great. I was even thinking of going to the movies… but an hour or so later – I crashed. I was exhausted. You never really realize immediately the “trip” that your body has been on.

I’ve been doing my “homework” as well, which was to “wave” my feet from time to time. Thjis would help maintain the work that was done in this session. I’m delayed in writing this post, so tomorrow is my third session. You can be sure I’ll be writing more. Til then…

 

Rolfing, Session 1 (reposted from original, 10 Oct)

I had my first Rolfing session this past Monday. I’ve been anxious to start breaking old habits, remove physical and emotional scarring, try to breathe more freely and have better posture and alignment overall. Rolfing seemed like an integral piece of this process. I want to lose weight, which has been very difficult for me over the last 5-6 years. I’ve had a bit of an emotional rollercoaster (which you can read more about here) and I truly believe that much of my weight issue is emotional. I use it as a defense mechanism. This is where Rolfing fits in. Not only does it repair the body’s alignment issues, it also helps to break down old scar tissue – both physical and emotional. At this point, I figure, what have I got to lose. So, it’s off to see Sharon Madden. Each session is done in your underwear because it’s very interactive. It’s not just a massage, it’s a partnership between the Rolfer and the patient, a “conversation with the body” as Sharon says. I was immediately comfortable with her and was eager to get the ball rolling. She first asked me to lie on the massage table and hang my feet off the end as this would help her to see how my feet naturally fall and my natural alignments. Many Rolfers will ask you to walk, so they can see how you carry your body and how it moves on its own. She immediately pointed out several issues and noted that one side was a bit worse off than the other. As she moved through the rest of the session, each point was discussed. She explained what would take place in each of the ten sessions (Rolfing is based on a 10 session principle) and where we would be concentrating each time. So far, I have definitely noticed an improvement in my breathing. I’m able to take deeper breaths than before and my movement in general seems a bit different. It’s a bit difficult to describe, but I ‘feel’ more parts of my body now – and it hasn’t all been good. I do sleep a bit better – and slept great after the first session. I certainly wasn’t expecting miracles after the first appointment, these things take a bit of time, but I was happy to notice some immediate results. My next appointment is Oct. 21 and I plan to keep an running update of my progress… so, stay tuned!